Bible Commentaries

Job 28:2 — kind were made of this metal alloyed and hardened with tin, before iron came into general use. Tubal Cain is indeed mentioned Genesis 4:22 as the “instructor of every artificer in brass and iron,” but no direct mention is made of iron arms Numbers 35:16 or tools Deuteronomy 27:5, until after the departure from Egypt. According to the Arundelian Marbles, iron was known one hundred and eighty-eight years before the Trojan war, about 1370 years B.C.; but Hesiod, Plutarch, and others, limit its discovery

Job 30:4 — bushes; that is, that which grew among the bushes of the desert. They wandered about in the desert that they might obtain this very humble fare.And juniper-roots - The word here rendered “juniper” רתם rethem, occurs only in this place, and in 1 Kings 19:4-5; Psalms 120:4. In each place it is rendered “juniper.” In 1 Kings it is mentioned as the tree under which Elijah sat down when he fled into the wilderness for his life; In Psalms 120:4, it is mentioned as a material for making coals. “Sharp arrows of

Job 32:2 — they seem to indicate the existence of piety, or of the knowledge of God, on the part of the ancestors of Elihu.The Buzite - Buz was the second son of Nahor, the brother of Abraham, Genesis 22:20-21. A city of the name Buz is mentioned in Jeremiah 25:23, in connection with Dedan and Tema, cities of Arabia, and it is probable that Barachel, the father of Elihu, was of that city. If this name was given to the place after the son of Nahor, it will follow that Elihu, and consequently Job, must have

Job 40:5 — oneself to the danger of sinning again in the same way, is an evidence that there is no true repentance. Job, a true penitent, would not allow himself even to speak again on the subject, lest he should be guilty of the sin which he had already committed.(5) In repentance we must be willing to retract our errors, and confess that we were wrong - no matter what favorite opinions we have had, or how tenaciously and zealously we have defended and held them. Job had constructed many beautiful and eloquent

Isaiah 11:2 — these eminent prophetic gifts and qualifications for his ministry by the agency of the Holy Spirit. It was by that Spirit that the prophets had been inspired (see 2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16); and as the Messiah was to be a prophet Deuteronomy 18:15, Deuteronomy 18:18, there was a fitness that he should be endowed in the same manner. If it be asked how one, who was divine in his own nature, could be thus endowed by the aid of the Spirit, the answer is, that he was also to be a man descended from

Isaiah 16:8 — For the fields of Heshbon - (See the note at Isaiah 15:4.)Languish - They are parched up with drought. The ‘fields’ here evidently mean “vineyards,” for so the parallelism demands. So in Deuteronomy 32:32 : Their vine is of the vine of Sodom, And of the fields of Gomorrah.And the vine of Sibmah - Sibmah,

Isaiah 19:20 — krinōn), he shall save them;’ evidently regarding רב râb as derived from ריב riyb “to manage a cause, or to judge.” Lowth renders it, ‘A vindicator.’ The word means “great, mighty;” and is repeatedly applied to a prince, chief, or captain 2 Kings 25:8; Esther 1:8; Daniel 1:3; Daniel 2:48; Daniel 5:11.

Isaiah 3:16 — - Jewish females; they who dwelt in “Zion.” Perhaps he means particularly those who dwelt in Zion, the capital - or the females connected with the court. It is probable that the prophet here refers to the prosperous reign of Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:5, ...), when by successful commerce luxury would naturally abound.Are haughty - Are proud.And walk with stretched-forth necks - Displaying the neck ostentatiously; elevating or extending it as far as possible. Septuagint, ὑψηλῷ τραχήλῳ hupsēlō

Isaiah 45:23 — The same idea is often expressed by the phrase, ‘as I live.’ See a parallel declaration in Numbers 14:21 : ‘But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord’ (compare Numbers 14:28; Isaiah 49:18; Jeremiah 22:24; Ezekiel 5:11; Ezekiel 14:16, Ezekiel 14:18, Ezekiel 14:20; Zephaniah 2:9; Romans 14:11). This passage is quoted by Paul in Romans 14:11, where the phrase, ‘I have sworn by myself’ is rendered, ‘as I live, saith the Lord,’ showing that they are equivalent expressions.The

Isaiah 48:22 — be the appearance of joy, and there may be temporary prosperity. But there is no abiding, substantial, permanent happiness, such as is enjoyed by those who fear and love God. This sentiment occurs not unfrequently in Isaiah. It is repeated in Isaiah 57:21; and in Isaiah 57:20, he says that ‘the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.’ Of the truth of the declaration here there can be no doubt; but it is not perfectly apparent why it is introduced

Isaiah 49:26 — among the enemies of his people, and distracted their counsels, and thus secured the safety and welfare of those whom they were opposing and persecuting.As with sweet wine - Margin, ‘New.’ The Hebrew word (עסיס ‛âsiys) means ‘must,’ or new wine Joel 1:5; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13. The Septuagint renders it, Οῖνον νέον Oinon neon - ‘New wine.’ The ‘must,’ or new wine, was the pure juice which ran first after the grapes had been laid in a heap preparatory to pressure. The ancients had the art of preserving

Isaiah 61:3 — heads. For the use of the word, see Isaiah 3:20; Isaiah 61:10; Exodus 39:29; Ezekiel 24:17-23. It was common among the Orientals to east dust and ashes upon their heads in time of mourning, and as expressive of their grief (compare the notes at Isaiah 57:5; 2 Samuel 13:19).The oil of joy - The oil of joy denotes that which was symbolic or expressive of joy. Oil or ointment was employed on occasions of festivity and joy (see the notes at Isaiah 57:9); but its use was abstained from in times of public

Ezekiel 27:12-24 — highlands between the Euxine and Caspian Seas (see the marginal reference), were a fine race of men; from thence slaves have been continually sought. Greece too in ancient times was famous for furnishing slaves.Ezekiel 27:14Togarmah - Armenia.Ezekiel 27:15Dedan - There were two tribes (Shemite and Hamite), each bearing the name of “Dedan” (see Genesis 10:7). The Hamite (Ethiopian) Dedan may well have supplied for a payment (rather than “for a present”) horns, ivory, and ebony; the Shemite (Arabians),

Daniel 11:23 — adding them to his dominions, he would become strong. Jahn (Heb. Commonwealth, p. 263) says, “with a small body of troops he made himself master of Memphis, and of all Egypt as far as Alexandria, almost without striking a blow.” Compare Diod. Sic. xxvi. 75, 77; Jos. “Ant.” xii. 5, 2. The fact in the case was, that Antiochus pretended in his invasion of Egypt to be the friend of the Egyptian king, and that he came to aid him, and to settle him finaly on the throne. By degrees, however, he became possessed

Daniel 11:36 — determine what god should be worshipped in Jerusalem, abolishing the worship of Jehovah, and setting up that of Jupiter Olympius in the stead; and so throughout his whole dominion, by a proclamation, he forbade the worship of any god but his, 1 Macc. 1:44-51; Jos. Ant. b. xii. ch. v. Section 4, 5. One who assumes or claims the right to forbid the adoration of any particular god, and to order divine homage to be rendered to anyone which he chooses, exalts himself above the gods, as he in this way denies

Daniel 4:19 — should so designate him that it would be understood by all.Was astonied - Was astonished. The word “astonied,” now gone out of use, several times occurs in the common version; Ezra 9:3; Job 17:8; Job 18:20; Ezekiel 4:17; Daniel 3:24; Daniel 4:19; Daniel 5:9. Daniel was “amazed” and “overwhelmed” at what was manifestly the fearful import of the dream.For one hour - It is not possible to designate the exact time denoted by the word “hour” - שׁעה shâ‛âh. According to Gesenius (“Lex.”), it means moment

Daniel 4:35 — And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing - Are regarded as nothing in comparison with him. Compare Isaiah 40:15, note 17, note. Precisely the same sentiment occurs in Isaiah which is expressed here: “All nations before him are as nothing; and they are accounted unto him less than nothing and vanity.”And he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven - In

Daniel 6:24 — propinquitas perit. So Curtius says of the Macedonians: “It is enacted by law that the kindred of those who conspire against the king shall be put to death with them.” Instances of this kind of punishment are found among the Hebrews (Joshua 7:24; 2 Samuel 21:5, following), though it was forbidden by the law of Moses, in judicial transactions, Deuteronomy 24:16. Compare also Ezekiel 18:0; Maurer, in loc. In regard to this transaction we may; observe(a) that nothing is more probable than that this would occur,

Daniel 8:8 — its influence in the world.And for it came up four notable ones - In the place of this one horn in which all the power was concentrated, there sprang up four others that were distinguished and remarkable. On the word notable, see the notes at Daniel 8:5. This representation would lead us to suppose that the power which had thus been concentrated in one monarchy would be divided and distributed into four, and that instead of that one power there would be four kingdoms that would fill up about the same

Hosea 12:4 — his supplication with tears.” Herein he became an image of Him, “Who, in the days of His flesh, offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared” Hebrews 5:7.: “This which he saith, ‘he prevailed,’ subjoining, ‘he wept and made supplication,’ describes the strength of penitents, for in truth they are strong by weeping earnestly and praying perseveringly for the forgiveness of sins, according to that, “From