Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 14:10 — him that, &c. = every male. shut up and left. The commentators speak of the text being obscure or corrupt. But 'azab is a Homonym, meaning: (1) to leave (as in Genesis 2:24 ; Genesis 39:6 . Nehemiah 5:10 . Psalms 49:10 . Mai. 1 Kings 4:1 ); and (2) to restore, repair, fortify (as in Nehemiah 3:8 . Exodus 23:5 (see note there). Deuteronomy 32:36 . Deuteronomy 14:10 . 2 Kings 14:26 . Jeremiah 49:25 ). Here it means "strengthened and

2 Kings 1:1 — Moab rebelled. Moab had been subdued by David (2 Samuel 8:2 ; 2 Samuel 23:20 ); and when the kingdom was divided it passed to Israel. It was greatly oppressed by Omri and Ahab, and, on the death of the latter (Compare 2 Kings 3:5 ), Mesha, king of Moab, rebelled. See the record of the event on "the Moabite stone". App-54

2 Kings 6:6 — man of God. See App-49 . cut down. Not same word as 2 Kings 6:3 . Hebrew. kazab = to cut evenly: i.e. shape or size evenly. Occurs only here and Song of Solomon 4:2 ("even shorn"). a stick = a helve. iron did swim = made him see the iron: by causing it to rise to the surface. Elisha's twelfth miracle. See

1 Chronicles 5:6 — This was the Galilee-Naphtali carrying away (2 Kings 15:29 . Isaiah 9:1 ) referred to in Matthew 4:15 . The third was the Samaria deportation in the ninth year of Hoshea and sixth of Hezekiah (611 B. c), and ended the kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 17:3-23 ; 2 Kings 18:9-12 ). It was begun by Shalmaneser and ended by Sargon (613-611).

Esther 3:15 — commandment = word. Hebrew. dabar. See note on Esther 1:12 . decree. Hebrew. dath. See notes on Esther 1:8 ; Esther 2:8 . sat down to drink. So Joseph's brethren (Genesis 37:25 ), and Herod (Matthew 14:6 . Mark 6:21 ). So will it be (Revelation 11:7-10 ). the city. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for the inhabitants. perplexed. A rare word. Exodus 14:3 , "entangled". Joel 1:18 . This verse

Psalms 118:22 — The stone: i.e. the Messiah. See Genesis 49:24 . A stone of stumbling, Isaiah 8:14 (compare Romans 9:33 . 1 Peter 2:8 ); a "tried stone", "precious", "sure", Isaiah 28:16 ; the rejected stone (compare Matthew 21:42 .Mark 12:10 , Mark 12:11 .Luke 20:17 . Acts 4:11 . 1 Peter 2:4 ). The true foundation, Isaiah 28:16 (compare Matthew 16:18 . 1 Corinthians

Isaiah 5:2 — Jeremiah 2:21 ; Jeremiah 12:10 . Psalms 80:8 . Hosea 10:1 ; Hosea 14:6-7 , &c. One of the three trees to which Israel is likened: the fig = national privilege; the olive = religious privilege; the vine = spiritual privilege. See note on Judges 9:8-13 , tower = a watchtower. winepress = wine-vat. Hebrew. yekeb, not gath, a winepress. See note on Proverbs 3:10 . wild grapes = bad grapes. Hebrew. beushim, from bashash, to stink. The Hebrew word occurs only in verses: Isaiah 5:2 , Isaiah 5:4

Isaiah 60:5 — flow together: or, according to the Targum and Syriac, "shall be lightened", as in Psalms 34:5 . fear = praise. Hebrew. pahad. A Homonym, with two meanings: (1) to fear, as in Deuteronomy 28:66 . Job 23:15 ; but (2) to rejoice, here and Hosea 3:5 = praise. See note there. be enlarged = opened as with joy. of the sea = of the rich

Isaiah 7:11 — sign. Hebrew. 'oth , a present visible token or pledge, as in Genesis 1:14 . Ex. Isaiah 4:4 ; Isa 4:9 ; Isa 12:13 ; and especially Isaiah 8:18 . This word is used eight times in the "former" portion (here; Isaiah 7:14 ; Isaiah 8:18 ; Isaiah 19:20 ; Isaiah 20:3 ; Isaiah 37:30 ; Isaiah 38:7 , Isaiah 38:22 ); and three times in the "latter" portion (Isaiah 44:25 ;

Isaiah 8:6 — Syria instead of in Jehovah (Isaiah 7:9 ). They despised God's covenant with Zion (symbolized by its secret stream), and preferred the help of the heathen; therefore the Assyrian floods should overwhelm them. (Compare the same contrast in Psalms 46:3 , Psa 46:45 ; and see notes there.) This applied specially to Israel: and the judgment overtook Israel first.

Jeremiah 35:4 — the deputy of the High Priest. Compare Jeremiah 52:24 . 2 Kings 25:18 . Probably the same whose son Zephaniah, after the carrying away of Maaseiah with Jehoiachin (Jeremiah 29:1 ), held office under Zedekiah (Jeremiah 21:1 ; Jeremiah 29:5 ; Jeremiah 37:3 ). keeper of the door = keeper of the threshold. There were three. See 2 Kings 25:18 . 2 Chronicles 31:14 .

Jeremiah 39:14 — prison = house of detention: as in Jeremiah 38:6 , Jeremiah 38:13 , Jeremiah 38:28 . Gedaliah. See note on Ahikam, Jeremiah 26:24 . Compare Jeremiah 40:6 . Shaphan. See note on 2 Kings 22:3 . carry him home. Some codices, with one early printed edition (Rabbinic), read "out of the [prison]

Jeremiah 50:7 — We offend not, &c. Compare verses: Jeremiah 50:15 , Jeremiah 50:23 , Jeremiah 50:29 ; Jeremiah 2:3 ; Jeremiah 25:14 , Jeremiah 25:15 , &c. offend. Hebrew. 'asham. App-44 . sinned. Hebrew. chata. Habitation = pasturage. Compare Jeremiah 31:23 . justice = righteousness. In Ch. Jeremiah 31:23 this is applied

Jeremiah 51:31 — accord with the history; for Herodotus says the Babylonians retired to the city, and "remained in their holds". Cyrus, having turned the waters of the Euphrates, entered the city, by the bed of the river, at each end (see Herod 1 191). Compare Daniel 5:3 , Daniel 5:4 , Daniel 5:23 , Daniel 5:30 . The Revised Version, "on every quarter", quite misses the point. This passage, therefore, belongs to the past fulfilment; while others still await a future fulfilment.

Daniel 1:3 — children = sons. and = even, or both. Some codices, with six early printed editions, omit this "and": reading "sons of Israel, of the king's seed" (or "seed-royal"). princes = nobles. Hebrew. partemim, a Persian word, found only here and Esther 1:3 ; Esther 6:9 . Not the same word as in verses: Daniel 1:7 , Daniel 1:8 , Daniel 1:10 , Daniel 7:11 , &c.

Hosea 8:13 — They sacrifice flesh, &c. See note on Jeremiah 7:21-23 .Zechariah 7:6 . offerings = sacrificial gifts. Hebrew. habhabim. Occurs only here. eat it = that they may eat it [as common food]. but. One school of Massorites read this "but" in the text. Compare Hosea 5:6 , and Hosea 9:4 .Jeremiah 14:10

Hosea 9:8 — The watchman. Note the series of contrasts, what Ephraim had been, and what Ephraim had now become, which commences here; with remarks following each. See Hosea 9:10 and Hosea 9:13 ; Hosea 10:1 , Hosea 10:9 ; Hosea 11:1 ; Hosea 13:1 . watchman. Used of a true prophet in Isaiah 21:6-11 .Jeremiah 6:17 ; Jeremiah 31:6 . Ezekiel 3:17 ; Ezekiel 33:7 . was. Render: "Ephraim [was so], e.g. in Joshua's days. my God: i.e. Hosea's

Amos 3:1 — Pentateuch (Exodus 12:51 , &c.) you only have I known, &c. See the Structure above. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 7:6 ). App-92 . Compare Psalms 147:19 , Psalms 147:20 . earth = soil. Hebrew. addamah. punish you = visit upon you, as in Amos 3:14 . Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 32:34 ). App-92 . iniquities. Hebrew. `avah. App-44 .

Deuteronomy 2:1 — turned = faced about. Compare Deuteronomy 1:7 . as = according as. the LORD spake. Jehovah spake at nine "sundry times" and in three "divers manners": 1. To me (Moses), Deuteronomy 2:1 , Deuteronomy 2:2 , Deuteronomy 2:17 ; Deuteronomy 9:13 ; Deuteronomy 32:48 . 2. To you, Deuteronomy 4:12 , Deuteronomy 4:15 ; Deuteronomy 10:4 . 3. To all your assembly, Deuteronomy 5:22 . spake = said, as in Deuteronomy 1:42 . Compare Numbers 21:4 . many days. These are distinguished from those

Judges 4:21 — nail of the tent = a tent peg. Constantly tents are taken down and put up by the women to the present day. So he died. The first often recorded deaths at the hands of women: Sisera (Judges 4:21 ); Abimelech (Judges 9:53 . 2 Samuel 11:21 ); Sheba (2 Samuel 20:22 ); the harlot's child (1 Kings 3:19 ); prophets (1 Kings 18:4 ); Naboth (1 Kings 21:9 , 1 Kings 21:10 ); a son by his mother (2 Kings 6:29 ); seed royal (2 Kings 11:1 . 2 Chronicles 22:10 ); Haman's sons (Esther