Bible Commentaries

Genesis 35:1-29 — formulæ. The oak] It was here perhaps that Joshua, hundreds of years later, bade the Israelites put away the strange gods which were among them (Joshua 24:23-26). 5.They were divinely protected from any revenge the Shechemites may have meditated. 7. El-beth-el] ’the God of Bethel,’ or ’the God of the House of God.’ 8. Allon-ba-chuth] ’oak of weeping.’ Deborah and Eliezer (Genesis 24) are good examples of the honourable position assigned to servants in times

1 Chronicles 1:1-54 — chapters of this book, and occur frequently throughout the remaining chapters, relate to (a) peoples, (b) localities, (c) families. Those which refer to peoples (1 Chronicles 1:5.) and to localities (1 Chronicles 2:42-43, 1 Chronicles 2:50; 1 Chronicles 7:8) for the most part imply nearness of position, not blood relationship; it is only those which refer to families which are genealogies in the strict sense. Such became extremely important after the exile when descent from Aaron was rigorously required

Job 5:1-27 — prosperity of the wicked; but in a moment he sees there is no room for envy. He would not accept their position at any price, so sudden and sure was their downfall. 4. Crushed in the gate] the gate of the city, where justice was administered: cp. Psalms 127:5. There are none to support their cause or to influence the judge. 5. The thorns] the protecting thorn hedge. 6, 7. Affliction is not accidental, but is due to man’s sinful nature. Although] RV ’for.’ 8. 1] RV ’As for me, I.’

Psalms 102:1-28 — humiliation of his people. In Psalms 102:14 he speaks of his fellow-countrymen in the plural, and his shrinking from premature death (Psalms 102:11, Psalms 102:23-24) breathes a distinctly personal note. He is wasted away with lonely sorrow (Psalms 102:1-7, Psalms 102:9), mocked by enemies (Psalms 102:8), and conscious that his affliction is a token of God’s displeasure (Psalms 102:10). But the eternity and changelessness of God are the ground of his hope (Psalms 102:12, Psalms 102:24-28) both for

Psalms 4:1-8 — Samuel 15:4). Lord, lift thou up] a striking transition from the vain quests of men to the one source of the chief good. The light of thy countenance] favour, such as earthly kings express by a smiling face: see Numbers 6:26; Psalms 80:3, Psalms 80:7, Psalms 80:19. 7. More than in the time] RV ’more than they have when,’ etc. ’They’ seems to refer to the enemies of the writer. He in his hardships is happier than they in their plenty: the peace of God is better than the mirth

Psalms 58:1-11 — of is exercised by Israelites or by foreigners, and so the Ps. has been variously placed before and after the exile. In any case it cannot be regarded as David’s. For its subject it should be compared with Psalms 82. Title.—See on Psalms 57. 1. O congregation] RV ’in silence.’ Both are doubtful renderings of a word which occurs only here. The reading now generally accepted gives the meaning, ’O ye gods,’ or ’mighty ones,’ in the sense of ’judges’:

Psalms 84:1-12 — This Ps. sets forth the attractiveness of the Temple and its worship (Psalms 84:1-4), and the happiness of the pilgrims who gather to it from different parts of the land (Psalms 84:5-7). After a prayer for God’s favour (Psalms 84:8-9), it speaks of the privilege of the humblest office in the Temple (Psalms 84:10), and closes by describing the graciousness of God (Psalms 84:11), and the blessedness of trusting Him (Psalms 84:12).

Leviticus 24:1-23 — Oil for the Lamps. The Shewbread. Laws on Blasphemy 1-4. Oil for the Lamps in the Tabernacle. On the construction of the Lampstand see Exodus 25:31-40, and with the present passage cp. Exodus 27:20-21 and notes there. 5-9. The Table of Shewbread is described in Exodus 25:23-30 (see notes there). On this table, which stood in the Holy Place, twelve new unleavened loaves were laid each sabbath day, and after lying for seven days were removed

Leviticus 4:1-35 — La ofrenda por el pecado (4: 1-5: 13) y la ofrenda por la culpa (5: 14-6: 7) Estas son formas posteriores y especializadas del holocausto. Presuponen un estado de cosas en el que la buena relación entre Dios y el oferente ha sido interrumpida por el pecado, y el propósito de ambos es hacer expiación o encubrir el pecado de

Isaiah 1:1-31 — corrupto de la nación, Jehová se vengará mediante un juicio mediante el cual, mientras prueba la destrucción de los pecadores, el pueblo será purificado y su carácter ideal será realizado por el resto que quede ( Isaías 1:24 : cp. Isaías 1:9). Isaías 1:7 ofrece alguna indicación de la fecha , donde el profeta declara que la tierra es devastada por invasores extranjeros y que la capital está aislada de la ayuda exterior. En consecuencia, la profecía podría asignarse a (1) la invasión de Rezín y Peka

Isaiah 26:1-21 — divine protection takes the place of material bulwarks. 4. Everlasting strength] RM ’a rock of ages.’ Rock is applied as a title to God (Isaiah 30:29; Deuteronomy 32:4). 5. Lofty city] the power hostile to God’s people (Isaiah 24:10). 7. Uprightness] ’straightness,’ implying freedom from impediment. Weigh] RV ’direct.’ 8. In the way of thy judgments] i.e. in the way which God, by His judgments or decrees, set out for His people to walk in. The context (Isaiah

Jeremiah 12:1-17 — 1-4. The prosperity of the wicked perplexes Jeremiah. 1. Wherefore, etc.] The question was one which much exercised men of pre-Christian times who had no clear view of any but temporal rewards and punishments. See Psalms 37, 39, 49, 73, and Job (specially Jeremiah 21:7) The plots of his fellow-townsmen at Anathoth (see Jeremiah 11) were probably the occasion of this outburst of Jeremiah’s. 2. Near in their mouth, etc.] They honour God with their lips but their heart

Daniel 1:1-21 — uno de una banda de judíos llevados cautivos a Babilonia por Nabucodonosor en el tercer año de Joacim ( Dn 1:1-2 ). Junto con tres de sus jóvenes compatriotas es elegido para ser entrenado durante tres años para la asistencia personal al rey ( Dn 1:3-7 ). Como la comida y la bebida que se les proporciona a los que están en esta posición son ceremonialmente inmundas, Daniel decide no participar de ellas. Después de una apelación infructuosa al funcionario principal a cargo, persuade a un funcionario

Hosea 11:4 — protector de Dios; (2) Su fidelidad. Oseas probablemente tiene en mente Éxodo 3:15 . Jehová era el Dios de los patriarcas, que cumpliría las promesas que les había hecho. Memorial ] aquello por lo que se conoce a una persona, su nombre: ver Éxodo 3:15 . 7-14 . Israel también es injusto y despiadado. En la búsqueda de ganancias no son mejores que los paganos, aunque se enorgullecen de su honestidad. Jehová los advierte desde hace mucho tiempo; ahora los castigará; sus santuarios serán completamente destruidos. 7

Numbers 5:1-31 — Various Ceremonial Laws 1-4. On the seclusion of lepers and unclean persons, see Leviticus 13-15. 5-10. On the law of restitution, see Leviticus 5:14 to Leviticus 6:7, to which the present passage is a supplement, providing that if the injured person dies and has no kindred to whom the price of restitution may be paid, it has to be given to the priest. Numbers 5:9-10 prescribe that the heave offerings (see on Leviticus

Nahum 3:1-19 — The Doom of Nineveh 1-7. Another threat against Nineveh, showing that disaster has come upon her on account of her sins. The keynote of the whole chapter is the fierce cry, Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies, etc. In ancient states the capital was virtually the

Zechariah 12:1-14 — The Deliverance of Jerusalem Many scholars believe that in Zechariah 12-14 (omitting Zechariah 13:7-9) we have a third separate prophecy, the oldest in the book of Zechariah, written subsequent to the death of king Josiah, 609 b.c. (cp. the mourning in the valley of Megiddon, Zechariah 12:11), but prior to the fall of the kingdom of Judah, 586 b.c.

Deuteronomy 10:1-22 — more than their plain duty, in view of their past experience of His goodness: cp. Micah 6:8. 13. The path of duty is also that of safety and welfare. 14, 15. Although God is Lord of heaven and earth, He has singled out this small nation (Deuteronomy 7:7-8) for His special favour. 16. See on Leviticus 19:23. 17, 18. Great as God is, He cares for the lowly: see Psalms 138:6. ’Be ye therefore merciful even as your Father is merciful.’ 20. This was our Lord’s third answer to the tempter:

John 9:1-41 — probably as an infant before birth. To the Jews who attributed intelligence to unborn children (Genesis 25:22-26; Luke 1:41) this last was a natural idea. 3. As in Luke 13:1-5, Jesus rebukes the hasty inference, common among the Jews (see e.g. Job 4:7), that misfortunes are always the direct result of sin. As a matter of fact diseases often come as part of the present order of nature, and not as special judgments: cp. Luke 13:4. A great moral difficulty is involved in such a state of things, but

Romans 3:20 — Por lo tanto] RV 'porque'. Las obras de la ley] RM 'obras de la ley', es decir, realizadas para merecer la salvación mediante el cumplimiento de una tarea asignada: cp. Romanos 7:7 ; Gálatas 3:19 ; Gálatas 3:21 . "La ley es un factor en la vida moral adecuado para familiarizar al intelecto con la norma divina de conducta, pero incapaz de armonizar la vida del hombre con sus preceptos" (Robertson, HDB). Sin carne ] cp. Salmo