Bible Commentaries

Genesis 45:1-28 — Joseph makes Himself known to his Brethren. Pharaoh invites Jacob and his Family to Settle in Egypt 5-7. Joseph declares that the events of the past all witnessed to the providential care of God. 6. Earing] i.e. ploughing, cognate with Lat. aro, ’I plough.’ The word is now obsolete. 8. A father to Pharaoh] a title of honour and respect:

Genesis 48:1-22 — and Manasseh giving their names to tribes (Numbers 1), which received territory on the conquest of Canaan. 3. Luz] or Bethel: see on Genesis 28:19. 6. Any other children of Joseph would be reckoned as belonging to the tribes of Ephraim or Manasseh. 7. By me] RM ’to my sorrow.’ The mention of Rachel here may be only a fond reminiscence called forth by the presence of her grandchildren. But the v. would be perhaps more appropriately placed after Genesis 49:31, where Jacob is speaking of

Exodus 11:1-10 — ’behind the mill.’ Sometimes two servants tinned the stone, in which case they sat facing each other, each grasping the handle: cp. Matthew 24:41. Grinding was considered menial work, fit only for women and slaves: cp. Judges 16:21; Isaiah 47:1-2; Lamentations 5:13. 7. Move (lit. ’whet’) his tongue] a proverbial expression: cp. Joshua 10:21. 9, 10. These vv. sum up the purpose and effect of the preceding series of nine plagues.

1 Chronicles 15:1-29 — accompanied the ark on the first occasion (1 Chronicles 13:8), but the musical arrangements were now committed exclusively to the Levites who subsequently had charge of the music of the Temple services: 1 Chronicles 23:5; 2 Chronicles 5:12; 2 Chronicles 7:6. 18. Ben] The word means’ son of,’ and the name of Zechariah’s father has probably been lost. The word does not occur in the corresponding lists in 1 Chronicles 15:20, 1 Chronicles 16:5. The porters] This applies only to Obededom

1 Chronicles 23:1-32 — 4:3, but ’twenty-five’ is fixed in Numbers 8:24, possibly having in view different and lighter duties. By their polls] i.e. by heads. 9. Shimei] This was a fourth son of ’Laadan,’ not the ’Shimei’ of 1 Chronicles 23:7, 1 Chronicles 23:10, who was Laadan’s brother, II. Zizah] the ’Zina’ of 1 Chronicles 23:10. Jeush.. Beriah] These together constituted a third ’course’ belonging to the house of the elder Shimei, RV ’they became a

2 Chronicles 24:1-27 — supplementary, and give a different account of the closing years of the reign of Joash from that contained in 2 K. 6. According to .. Moses] This refers to the half-shekel required to be paid by every Israelite as an atonement for his soul: Exodus 30:13-16. 7. The sons of Athaliah] perhaps her adherents, rather than her children, who had been killed in the lifetime of their father Jehoram: 2 Chronicles 21:17. 15. An hundred and thirty] an age unprecedented since Joshua: Joshua 24:29. 16. Among the kings]

2 Chronicles 25:1-28 — 14:5-10 and 2 Kings 14:13-16. 5. Made them captains, etc.] better, ’arranged them according to their fathers’ houses under captains.’ From twenty years old] Under this age military service was not required: Numbers 1:3; 1 Chronicles 27:23. 7. With all.. Ephraim] added to explain the sense in which ’Israel’ is used, since ordinarily in Chronicles it is equivalent to Judah: see on 2 Chronicles 12:6. For the protest against an alliance with the northern kingdom cp. 2 Chronicles

Job 23:1-17 — continues to brood over the mysteries of God’s dealings with himself (Job 23), and with mankind (Job 24). All seems to betoken a God that hideth Himself. Yet he is evidently calmer and more trustful in God’s justice than in earlier speeches. 1-7. Job longs that he may find God and plead his cause before Him, confident that He wifl acquit him of guilt. 2b. RM ’My hand is heavy upon my groaning,’ i.e. I suppress it as much as I can. 6. Render, ’Would He contend with me with

Job 7:1-21 — Weaver’s shuttle] the implement which carries the thread swiftly backwards and forwards in weaving. Job has just been longing for death, but yet he feels that length of days is desirable in itself if freed from so much misery. Without hope] of recovery. 7. Good] i.e. happiness. 8. Thine eyes, etc.] render, ’Thine (God’s) eyes shall look for me, but I shall be no more.’ 9. Grave] better, as RV, ’Sheol,’ the place of the departed: see on Job 3:15-19. Note how hopeless is

Psalms 105:1-45 — mercies in the wilderness (Psalms 105:39-41), and finally His gift of Canaan to His people in fulfilment of His ancient promise (Psalms 105:42-45). 1. People] RV ’peoples.’ So in Psalms 105:20, Psalms 105:44. 14. Kings] Pharaoh (Genesis 12:17), and Abimelech (Genesis 20:17-18). 15. Anointed] a phrase not literally applicable to the patriarchs, but used by the Psalmist because they were the heads of the nation, like the kings of later times. Prophets] Abraham is so called in Genesis 20:7. 19.

Psalms 15:1-5 — this Ps. we have a fine summary of the essentials of OT. piety. It sets forth the character and conduct required in the worshipper for acceptance with God. The occasion of its composition may have been the bringing of the ark to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:17). Cp. with the whole Ps. Isaiah 33:14, Isaiah 33:15. This is another of the Pss. for Ascension Day. 1. Abide] RV ’sojourn.’ The worshipper is conceived as the guest of God. Tabernacle] lit. ’tent,’ the kind of structure prepared

Psalms 56:1-13 — Psalms 56:10). 1. Daily] RV ’all the day long.’ So in Psalms 56:2. 2. Against me, O thou most High] RV ’proudly against me.’ 4. In God I will praise his word] By God’s help I will praise Him for the truth of His promises. 7. Shall they escape by iniquity?] A slight change of reading would give, ’Requite them according to their iniquity.’ People] RV ’peoples.’ This prayer would become more intelligible if national rather than personal enemies were

Proverbs 7:1-27 — enticing of a young man by a wicked woman. 2. The apple] lit. ’the little man’ of the eye, so called because an image is reflected from the pupil of the eye. It is a figure for the most precious and delicate things (Deuteronomy 32:10; Psalms 17:8). 3. The Jews wear a long leather band twisted round the arm and fingers during prayer. Passages of Scripture written on parchment and enclosed in a small leather box are at the same time worn on the forehead. 4. My sister] the title by which bride

Song of Solomon 4:1 — Description of her Charms. Her Invitation 1-7. This short poem belongs to the class which the Arabs call wasf, in which the bride’s charms are described: they are sung while she is being dressed, or when she exhibits herself in her nuptial array, or on the day subsequent to the ceremony.

Matthew 2:1-23 — Los sabios 1-12. La estrella en el este y la visita de los Magos (peculiar de San Mateo). El incidente encaja bien en la historia secular. Aproximadamente en el momento en que apareció la estrella (7 o 6 a. C.), Herodes el Grande, alarmado por una profecía de que el poder real estaba a punto de desaparecer de él y de su linaje, dio muerte a sus autores. Es evidente, por tanto, que el anuncio de los sabios de que había nacido realmente el suplantador

Matthew 24:3-51 — Gran profecía de la destrucción de Jerusalén y el fin del mundo ( Marco 13:8 ; Lucas 21:7 ). Muchas de las dificultades más graves de este gran discurso desaparecen al darse cuenta de que nuestro Señor se refería en él no a un evento sino a dos, y que el primero era típico del segundo. Esto es especialmente claro en el Evangelio de San Mateo.

Deuteronomy 2:1-37 — of Akaba (see Deuteronomy 2:8 and on Numbers 20:22), and so round Edom to the country of the Moabites. 9. The Moabites and the Ammonites (Deuteronomy 2:19) were related to the Israelites, being descended from Lot, the nephew of Abraham (Genesis 19:37-38). The Edomites were descended from Esau, the brother of Jacob. Ar] the capital of Moab, lying on the river Arnon, which formed the northern border of the country (Numbers 21:15, Numbers 21:28). 10-12. These vv. form an antiquarian parenthesis, like

Hebrews 4:1-16 — finished His work of creation. This is proved by the words ’and God rested’ in one place, and the words ’my rest’ in another. God’s rest is therefore a fact, and it is clearly His purpose that some shall enter into it. 7. After so long a time] i.e. the time between Moses and David. In David’s time the rest continued open, and therefore it is concluded that it is open still. 8. Jesus] RV, rightly, ’Joshua.’ The Gk. for both names is the same. If the

James 4:1-17 — brother is a murderer,’ 1 John 3:15); and, (2) the Epistle was not meant exclusively for Christian Jews. In the Jewish society of St. James’s day murder was frequently the first means by which a man sought to gratify his desires (Mark 15:7; Acts 21:38; Acts 23:14). With a passionate people like the Jews there was always a danger of a sudden attack and murder. 4. Adulterers and adulteresses] RV ’adulteresses’ (without ’adulterers and’), meaning, of course, those

1 Samuel 6:1-21 — Isaiah 2:6. 3. The trespass offering was always brought to atone for some wrong done to, or some right withheld from, God or man. 5. Aristotle relates that in harvest entire crops were sometimes destroyed in a single night by the ravages of field-mice. 7. The new cart and the kine who had worn no yoke were signs of respect. 9. Under ordinary circumstances the cows would not have left their calves. Beth-shemesh] the modern Ain-Shems, on the N. border of Judah. 18. Even unto the great stone] Read with