Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 37:1 — 1.And it came to pass. The Prophet declares that the only hope of safety that was left to the pious king was to bring his complaints before God as a righteous judge; as it is said in the Psalm, that “in the same manner as servants or handmaids,

Isaiah 37:23 — an ample shield, for they who fight against us wage war with the living God. Nor were these words spoken merely for the sake of a single age, but on the contrary, as this promise is perpetual, “I will be thy God and thy shield,” (Genesis 15:1,) “I will be a friend to thy friends, and an adversary to thy adversaries,” (Genesis 12:3; Exodus 23:22,) so the less strength that is left to us, let us be more fully convinced that the power of God is close at hand. Since therefore

Isaiah 41:7 — and indeed is somewhat obscure; and even the Jewish writers are not agreed as to the meaning of the words. I see no reason why חרש (cherish) should be here understood to mean simply a carpenter, for it means any kind of workman. (139) The word מהליק, (mahalik,) which means one that strikes, is generally rendered in the accusative case; I prefer to render it, in the nominative case. פעם (pagnam) (140) is generally translated

Isaiah 44:28 — they shew clearly that it was not by a human spirit that Isaiah spoke. No one would ever have thought that there would be a person named “Cyrus,” who should fly from the most distant and barbarous countries to deliver the people of God. (190) As to the objection made by infidels, that those things might have been forged by the Jews after they were fulfilled, it is so foolish and absurd that there is no necessity for refuting it. The Jews perused those prophecies, while they were held

Isaiah 45:8 — elements, which are ready to yield obedience to God, receive orders as to what he wishes them to do. And thus the stream of the discourse will flow on continuously, which otherwise will be abruptly broken off, if we understand this passage to be a prayer. (197) And let the clouds drop righteousness. This form of expression is frequently employed in Scripture; such as, “And the mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the hills righteousness.” (Psalms 72:3.) And again, “Piety and

Isaiah 46:13 — 13.I will bring near my righteousness. If that interpretation which I mentioned a little before be preferred, that those persons are called “far from righteousness” who are incapable of receiving the grace of God, the meaning will remain unaltered;

Isaiah 48:1 — 1.Hear this, O house of Jacob. He now addresses his discourse to the Jews; whom also he had chiefly in his eye, in the whole of the preceding chapter; for he was not sent to the Babylonians, but addresses them in such a manner as to wish that the Jews,

Isaiah 50:8 — uprightly perform their duty. Now, although either hypocrites or despisers never cease to annoy the servants of God, yet Isaiah advances to meet them, as if none would venture to pick a quarrel or utter a slander; not that he can keep them in check, (19) but because they will gain nothing by all their attempts. He therefore declares, that he looks down with utter contempt on the false accusations which the enemies of sound doctrine pour out against its teachers. There is no crime with which they do

Isaiah 54:15 — 15.Behold, he who assembleth shall assemble. The general import is, that, although many rise up for the purpose of overwhelming the Church, yet all their efforts and attacks shall fail; and he appears to promise God’s assistance not only against

Isaiah 65:8 — are sometimes spared on account of good men, whom God does not wish to destroy or to involve in the same judgment, as various examples of Scripture sufficiently shew. The Lord would have spared Sodom, if he had found but ten good men in it. (Genesis 18:32.) All who sailed along with Paul, to the number of “two hundred and seventy-six,” (Acts 27:37,) were “given to him” and rescued from shipwreck, that the power which He manifested in his servant might be more illustriously

Jeremiah 10:23 — thus: I know Jehovah, that his way is not like that of men, Nor like a human being doth he proceed and order his going. This construction is wholly inadmissible. Had Jehovah been in the objective case, it would have את before it. See 1 Samuel 3:7. Then the rest of the verse is a paraphrase and not a version; and such a paraphrase as the original will not bear. To “walk” and to “stablish” are in the same predicament, both infinitives; and so they are rendered

Jeremiah 17:9 — with impunity deride God and his ministers: I, says Jehovah, I will inquire and search; for it belongs to me to examine the hearts of men.” We hence see that there is an implied reproof, when he says, that the heart is insidious and wicked; (175) as though he had said, “Ye think yourselves in this instance wise; is not God also wise?” Isaiah says ironically the same, “Woe to them who go down to Egypt and make secret covenants, and who trust in horses, as though they could

Jeremiah 23:30 — they agreed upon among themselves; and they did this as though every one had derived his oracle from heaven. I have, therefore, no doubt but that the Prophet condemns these hidden consultations when he says that every one stole from his neighhour. (113) We indeed see the same thing now under the Papacy, for the monks and unprincipled men of the same character have their own false doctrines; and when they ascend the pulpit, every one speaks as though he was endued with some special gift; and yet

Jeremiah 29:14 — it was incredible, that a people so dispersed could be collected together, the Prophet says, “from all nations and from all places.” The same thing is declared in the Psalm, “He will gather the dispersions of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2) For when the Jews looked on their dreadful dispersion, they could entertain no hope. We see then how the Prophet encouraged them still to hope, and bade them to struggle against this trial. The sentence seems to have been taken from Moses, for

Jeremiah 29:23 — esteem as nothing the judgments of God. In order then to correct this evil, Jeremiah again repeats that Zedekiah and Ahab were not punished by the king of Babylon, but by God himself, because they committed villany in Israel. Some render, נבלה, nubele, enormity or abomination; but I am disposed to render it villany, or turpitude, or filthiness. (221) They, then, committed a filthy thing He afterwards specifies two kinds, that they committed adultery with the wives of their

Jeremiah 3:8 — repenting, when she had such a striking example of vengeance set before her eyes. But it may be here asked, how could it be said that a bill of divorce had been given to the Israelites, when he denies by the Prophet Isaiah that he had given it? (Isaiah 50:1.) But the Prophet here takes another view of the subject; for he does not speak here of the bills of divorce, such as were usually given, when a husband repudiated a wife who had been chaste and faithful; but he speaks of that lawful divorce, when a

Jeremiah 33:1 — except God made frequent repetitions. And this was also the reason why Paul said, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses everything should be established, when he said that he would come the second and the third time to Corinth. (2 Corinthians 13:1) He intimated that his coming would not be useless, for except they repented they could not have escaped by pretending ignorance, as hypocrites are wont to do. It was, then, God’s purpose to confirm by many prophecies what he had once testified

Jeremiah 34:13 — servants, as though he had said, that they came forth from their prisons, because he had been pleased to draw them out, not that they might domineer for ever over their brethren, but only for a time. He relates here the law given by Moses in Exodus 21:0, as we have stated. At the end of seven, years (94) every one shall set free his brother, a Hebrew, who had been sold to him, and him who has served him six years he shall let free from him, that is, that he should not be with him; but your fathers

Jeremiah 6:13 — God and every kind of wickedness prevailed, not only in one part but in the whole community, so that there was no soundness from the head to the soles of the feet. We now, then, perceive what the Prophet means by saying, From the small to the great (173) And this appears still clearer from the end of the verse, where he says, From the prophet to the priest He amplifies here what he had said of the small and the great. Hence we see, that by the great he understands not those of mature or advanced

Jeremiah 6:23 — here made of defense; but it is the same as though the Prophet had said, that they would come furnished with bows and spears, that they might shoot at a distance. The word כידון, kidun, means a spear and a lance; (182) and it means also a shield: but in this place the Prophet, I doubt not, means a spear; as though he had said, “They will strike at a distance, or near at hand.” He afterwards adds, that they would be cruel, according to what Isaiah says,