Bible Commentaries

Song of Solomon 1:9-14 — This and the next Song of Solomon 1:15-7 sections are regarded by ancient commentators (Jewish and Christian) as expressing “the love of espousals” Jeremiah 2:2 between the Holy One and His Church, first in the wilderness of the Exodus, and then in the wilderness of the world Ezekiel 20:35-36.Song

Song of Solomon 3:6-11 — then that of the king in festive joy wearing a nuptial crown.Song of Solomon 3:6“wilderness” is here pasture-land in contrast with the cultivated districts and garden-enclosures round the city. Compare Jeremiah 23:10; Joel 2:22; Isaiah 42:11; Psalms 65:12.Pillars of smoke - Here an image of delight and pleasure. Frankincense and other perfumes are burned in such abundance round the bridal equipage that the whole procession appears from the distance to be one of moving wreaths and columns of smoke.All

Isaiah 14:24 — self-confident king of Babylon; and as he would have delivered his people from the invasion of the Assyrian, even when he was at the gates of Jerusalem, so he would deliver them in their captivity in Babylon.Hath sworn - (see Genesis 24:7; Exodus 13:5, Exodus 13:11; Exodus 33:1; Numbers 32:10; Hebrews 3:18; Hebrews 6:13). Yahweh is often represented as making use of an oath to denote the strong confirmation, the absolute certainty of what he utters. The oath here was designed to comfort the Jews,

Isaiah 22:24 — Eliakim who were of humble rank, or who were poor.To all the vessels of flagons - Margin, ‘Instruments of viols.’ Hebrew, נבלים nebâliym. This word is often applied to instruments of musica the נבל nebel, viol (see it described in the notes at Isaiah 5:12; Isaiah 14:11); but it properly denotes a bottle made of skin for holding wine, and which, being made of the whole skin of a goat or sheep, indicated the vessels of large dimensions. Here it refers to the members of the family of Eliakim who were

Isaiah 28:29 — destroy them, but it is to separate the chaff from the wheat; and he will afflict them only so much as may be necessary to accomplish this. He will not be always bruising his people, but will in due time remit his strokes - just as the thresher does.5. We should, therefore, bear afflictions and chastisements with patience. God deals with us in mercy - and the design of all his dispensations toward us in prosperity and adversity; in sickness and in health; in success and in disappointment, is to produce

Isaiah 28:7 — reel or stagger through wine, that is, they are addicted to intoxication. In the subsequent part of the verse the prophet states the effect in producing indistinctness of vision and error of judgment.And through strong drink - (see the note at Isaiah 5:11).They are out of the way - (תעוּ tā‛û). They wander; stagger; reel (compare the notes at Isaiah 19:14).The priest and the prophet - Probably these persons are specified to denote the higher classes of society. It is probable that the prophet also

Isaiah 34:16 — was made, constituting one book or volume, and regarded as the work of inspiration, is well known, and is referred to during the captivity in Babylon by Daniel Isaiah 9:2. The direction to search that book accords with the command of the Saviour John 5:39, and the direction of Nicodemus John 7:32, to search the Scriptures.No one of these shall fail - Not one of these predictions, or these things which have been spoken.None shall want her mate - That is, none of the things which I have spoken shall

Isaiah 63:6 — And I will tread them down - Or rather, ‘I did tread them down.’ The allusion here is to a warrior who tramples on his foes and treads them in the dust (see the notes at Isaiah 25:10).And made them drunk - That is, I made them reel and fall under my fury like a drunken man. In describing the destruction of Idumea in Isaiah 34:5, Yahweh says that his sword was made drunk, or that it rushed intoxicated from heaven. See the notes

Isaiah 65:10 — properly a district south of Mount Carmel, along the coast of the Mediterranean, and extending from. Caesarea to Joppa. In the Scripture, this is almost a proverbial name to denote extraordinary beauty and fertility (see the notes at Isaiah 30:9; Isaiah 32:5).Shall be a fold of flocks - At the time contemplated here by the prophet - the close of the exile - that whole country would have lain waste about seventy years. Of course, during that long period it would be spread over with a wild luxuriance of trees

Daniel 11:43 — be considered as improbable that the prophecy was fulfilled, for(a), as already observed, these nations, naturally allied to Egypt as being a part of the same people, bounded Egypt on the west and on the south;(b) in the days of Ezekiel Ezekiel 30:4-5, we find that they were actually confederated with Egypt in a “league,” and that the calamity which fell upon Egypt, also fell directly upon Ethiopia and Libya; and(c) the possession of Egypt, therefore, would be naturally followed with the subjugation

Hosea 9:3 — turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to possess it” Deuteronomy 30:17-18. The fifth commandment, “the first commandment with promise” Ephesians 5:2, still implies the same condition, “that thy days may be logit in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” God makes the express reserve that the land is His. “The land shall not be sold forever, for the land is Mine, for ye are strangers and

Amos 6:5 — been very simple; and singing appears to have been reserved almost exclusively for solemn occasions, the temple-service, or the greeting of victory 1 Samuel 18:7. “Singing men and singing women” were part of the state of David and Solomon 2 Samuel 19:35; Ecclesiastes 2:8. Else the music at the feasts of the rich appears rather to be mentioned with blame Isaiah 5:12; Isaiah 24:9. Songs they had Proverbs 25:20; but the songs, for which the Hebrew exiles were celebrated, and which their Babylonian masters

Amos 7:4 — “portion” foreappointed by God to captivity and desolation. This probably our English Version meant by “a part.” For although God calls Himself “the Portion” of Israel Deuteronomy 32:9; Jeremiah 10:16; Zechariah 2:12, and of those who are His (Psalms 16:5; Psalms 73:26, etc; Jeremiah 10:16), and reciprocally He calls the people “the Lord’s portion Jeremiah 12:10, and the land, the portion Micah 2:4 of God’s people; yet the land is nowhere called absolutely “the portion,” nor was the country of the ten

Amos 8:10 — the avarice and oppression which brought it down. Hosea too had foretold, “I will cause all her mirth to cease, her feast-days, etc” Hosea 2:11. So Jeremiah describes, “the joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into mourning” Lamentations 5:15. The Book of Tobit bears witness how these sayings of Amos lived in the hearts of the captive Israelites. The word of God seems oftentimes to fail, yet it finds those who are His. “I remembered,” he said, “that prophecy of Amos, your feasts shall

Micah 1:4 — instruments of destruction: whence God revealed Himself as a consuming fire Deuteronomy 4:24, and at this same time said by Isaiah; “For behold, the Lord will come with fire ... to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire” Isaiah 66:15.And the valleys shall be cleft as wax before the fire - It seems natural that the mountains should be cleft; but the valleys , so low already! This speaks of a yet deeper dissolution; of lower depths beyond our sight or knowledge, into the very heart

Micah 3:1 — The desolation is but the forerunner of future mercy. What then do ye? The prophet appeals to them, class by class. There was one general corruption of every order of men, through whom Judah could be preserved, princes Micah 3:1-4, prophets Micah 3:5-7, priests Micah 3:11. The salt had lost its savor; wherewith could it be seasoned? whereby could the decaying mass of the people be kept from entire corruption?Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel - He arraigns

Micah 3:4 — Then shall they cry unto the Lord - “Then.” The prophet looks on to the Day of the Lord, which is always before his mind. So the Psalmist, speaking of a time or place not expressed, says, “There were they in great fear” Psalms 53:5. He sees it, points to it, as seeing what those to whom he spoke, saw not, and the more awfully, because he saw, with superhuman (certain) vision, what was “hidden from their eyes.” The then was not then, “in the time of grace,” but when the Day

Nahum 1:8 — pursue His enemies into darkness” Darkness is, in the Old Testament, the condition, or state in which a person is, or lives; it is not an agent, which pursues. Isaiah speaks of the “inhabitants of darkness” Isaiah 42:7, “entering unto darkness” Isaiah 47:5; “those who are in darkness” Isaiah 49:9. “The grave is all darkness” Psalms 88:12; Job 17:13, “darkness, and the shadow of death” Job 10:21. Hence, even Jews rendered , “He shall deliver them to hell.” Into this darkness it is said, God shall pursue

Habakkuk 3:7 — Moab, allied with Midian, sent for Balaam to curse Israel. Midian was the last enemy who, at the very entrance of the promised land, seduced God’s people into idolatry and foul sin and lusts. Midian became then the object of the wrath of God Numbers 25:17. They were also among the early oppressors of Israel, leaving Judges 6:4, Judges 6:11. “no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep nor ox nor ass,” driving them for refuge to dwell in the “dens and the mountains, caves and fastnesses,” consuming the

Zephaniah 1:18 — be through the jealousy of Almighty God, that divine quality in Him, whereby He loves and wills to be loved, and endures not those who give to others the love for which He gave so much and which is so wholly due to Himself Alone. Augustine, Conf. i. 5. p. 3, Oxford Translation: “Thou demandest my love, and if I give it not, art wroth with me, and threatenest me with grievous woes. Is it then a slight woe to love Thee not?” What will be that anger, which is Infinite Love, but which becomes, through