Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 11:1-43 — his wives. His luxury and sensuality led to more serious errors still. 5. Ashtoreth] the Phœnician name of the goddess worshipped by the Babylonians under the title of Ishtar, the goddess of love. Milcom] identical with the Molech of 1 Kings 11:7. 7. Build an high place] i.e. construct an altar or sanctuary upon a height. Chemosh] The name of this god occurs on the inscription of Mesha, king of Moab, who was contemporary with Ahab. Before Jerusalem] i.e. E. of Jerusalem, the corresponding expression

1 Kings 9:1-28 — enough to lead to its being called ’the Galilee (or Circuit) of the Gentiles’ (Isaiah 9:1). In NT. times it extended from the Leontes in the N. to the ridge of Carmel in the S. 13. Cabul] There was a city called Cabul in Asher (Joshua 19:27), and its name may have been taken to describe the district owing to its assonance with a Heb. phrase signifying ’as good as nothing.’ 14. Sixscore talents] weighing nearly 13,000 lb. 15. Millo] some part of the fortifications of Jerusalem

2 Kings 3:1-27 — Jehoram and Elisha. Victory over Moab 1. The eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat] according to 2 Kings 1:17, ’in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat.’ 2. The image of Baal] RV ’the pillar of Baal.’ No mention is made of this in the account of Ahab’s reign; but it is stated that Ahab erected an altar for Baal (1 Kings

Nehemiah 2:1-20 — sadness during the four months that had elapsed since the arrival of the news from Jerusalem. 2. Sore afraid] i.e. for the success of his intended request. 6. I set him a time] Nehemiah’s absence seems to have lasted twelve years (Nehemiah 5:14). 7. Convey me over] RV ’let me pass through,’ i.e. the Persian provinces between Shushan and Judæa. 8. The king’s forest] RM ’park,’ identified by some with certain gardens at Etham, some 6 m. from Jerusalem, in which

Job 14:1-22 — Speech (concluded) 1-6. Job pleads for God’s forbearance on the grounds of man’s shortness of life and sinful nature. 1, 2. The well-known Sentence in the Burial Service. 3. Open thine eyes] i.e. watch so vigilantly: cp. Job 14:16, Job 14:17. 4. Job pleads the innate sinfulness of man. 5, 6. Let man spend his days in peace, seeing that his time is but short: cp. Job 7. 7-12. A tree has a chance of a second growth after it is cut down. Not so man. With him death is final. Job here reaches

Job 33:1-33 — feels that God is inspiring his mind to speak aright. 6. RV ’Behold, I am toward God even as thou art.’ Job need have no fear in facing a man like himself, such as he had felt about God: cp. Job 9:32; Job 13:21. 9. Cp. Job 9:21; RV Job 10:7; Job 16:17; Job 27:4-6. But Elihu exaggerates Job’s protestation of innocence: cp. Job 7:21; Job 13:26. 10, 11. Cp. Job 13:24, Job 13:27; Job 19:11; Job 30:21. 12b. God is too great to have His actions questioned by mortals: to do so is presumptuous.

Psalms 12:1-8 — righteous. They are reliable, in contrast to the deceitful words of the wicked in Psalms 12:2. A furnace of earth] RV ’a furnace on the earth.’ The meaning is perhaps, ’silver tried in a furnace (and flowing out) on the earth.’ 7. This v. is the conclusion of the thought of the Ps., though Psalms 12:8 repeats the opening complaint.

Isaiah 13:1-22 — 1. Burden] The corresponding verb means ’to lift up’ (a) a load, (b) the voice (cp. Isaiah 3:7; Isaiah 42:2, Isaiah 42:11), used of Balaam lifting up his voice in oracular utterance (Numbers 24:3, Numbers 24:15, Numbers 24:23). Hence the noun signifies an utterance, or oracle (e.g. 2 Kings 9:25), and is often prefixed, as here, to prophetic utterances

Isaiah 40:1-31 — Deliverance 1, 2. The theme of the prophecies following: the period of Zion’s trouble and affliction is over. 3-26. Celestial voices give the message of restoration to God’s people, who are encouraged by the thought of His infinite power. 27-31. Trust in Jehovah is, therefore, the source of true strength. 2. Warfare] RM ’time of service,’ i.e. enforced service and hardship: cp. Job 7:1. Double] i.e. double (ample) penalty (Jeremiah 17:18), in the sufferings of the exile. 3-5.

Isaiah 42:1-25 — The Ideal Servant 1-9. The characteristics and functions of Israel as the ideal Servant of Jehovah. 10-17 A song of praise to Jehovah. 18-25. The deficiencies of the actual Israel, considered as Jehovah’s Servant. 1. My servant] On the conception of these chapters see Intro. Judgment] or ’right.’ The Servant’s office is to teach

Ezekiel 24:1-27 — silent sorrow was an emblem of the stupor into which the exiles would be cast when they should hear of the fall of Jerusalem. When the survivors of the siege should reach BabyIonia, however, Ezekiel’s silence would be at an end (Ezekiel 24:15-27). 1. The ninth year.. the tenth month] January-February, 587 b.c. For the date see 2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 39:1; Jeremiah 52:4. 3. Pot] RV ’caldron’: so in Ezekiel 24:6. 5. Burn.. the bones, etc.] We must read either with RV ’pile..

Hosea 1:1 — is probably speaking in the light of his later experiences. His wife was probably innocent of this evil when he married her—or if not the prophet was ignorant of her true character. 4. For the giving of names for a prophetic purpose cp. Isaiah 7:8-14; Isaiah 8:1-4. The name Jezreel (’God will sow’) signified, (1) the town which was the capital of Israel during Jehu’s dynasty, and the scene of the murders by which he established his rule (2 Kings 9); (2) the resowing of the

Numbers 6:1-27 — strictly from wine and all products of the vine, whether intoxicating or not (Numbers 6:3-4); (2) to let his hair grow (Numbers 6:5); and (3) to avoid all ceremonial defilement through contact with a dead body, even that of a near relative (Numbers 6:7). If he is accidentally defiled by the sudden death of any one beside him, he must perform rites of purification, and reconsecrate himself, counting as null whatever part of the period of the original vow may have elapsed (Numbers 6:9-12). At the expiration

Zechariah 3:1-10 — The Fourth Vision Joshua, better known under the later form Jeshua (Ezra 2:2; Ezra 3:2; Nehemiah 12:7-8, Nehemiah 12:10, etc.), was the son of Jehozadak, a member of the priestly order. He returned with the Jews from exile, and was prominently associated with Zerubbabel in the erection of the Second Temple. In 1 Esdras and Ecclus. the name appears simply

Ephesians 3:1-21 — apart for God’s service; they had accepted St. Paul’s doctrine of salvation for the Gentiles. The prophets are the NT. prophets, as in Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:28-31. 6. This is the mystery that has been revealed. 7. The Apostle of the Gentiles enlarges on the greatness of his special mission. Thrice here he calls it a grace given to him: cp. Galatians 2:7-9; Colossians 1:24. 8. Unsearchable] inexplorable; that cannot be traced out. Riches] the comprehensiveness

Philippians 3:15 — cristiano pensarán de esta manera '( Filipenses 3:10 ). Los perfectos reconocen la distancia de la meta; son los últimos en considerarse perfectos: cp. el tratamiento de Gr, presunción de sabiduría en 1 Corintios 2:6 ; 1 Corintios 8:1 ; 1 Corintios 14:37 ; 1 Corintios 14:38 . 15b, 16. Algunos miembros de esta Iglesia piensan de otra manera: no pueden seguir lo que acaba de decir San Pablo; conociendo su lealtad, puede esperar confiadamente su esclarecimiento —Dios se lo revelará también a ustedes (cp.

Philippians 4:9 — señala una vez más, como en el Filipenses 3 , a sí mismo, a su enseñanza personal ( las cosas que ambos aprendieron y recibieron ) y su comportamiento ( y oyeron y vieron en mí ). El Dios de paz estará contigo es una repetición virtual de Filipenses 4:7 : hombres de gran caridad y lealtad firme habitan en la paz de Dios en medio de todas las tormentas. VII. Reconocimiento de la contribución de Philippi ( Filipenses 4:10 ) § 18. Filipenses 4:10 . Con la bendición de Filipenses 4:9 (cp. Romanos 15:33

1 John 5:1-21 — redemptive work and represent its cleansing and atoning power. There is, perhaps, some allusion also to the ’blood and water’ to which St. John bore witness at the Cross (John 19:34), besides a symbolical reference to the two sacraments. 7, 8. All the words between that bear record in 1 John 5:7 and the spirit in 1 John 5:8 are omitted in RV. It is quite certain that these words did not belong to the original text. They are found in no Gk. MS earlier than the 14th cent., and axe quoted

1 Samuel 14:1-52 — passes.’ 9. It has been suggested that the reply would show that the Philistines were brave men, and Jonathan would give up the enterprise as impossible; but in view of 1 Samuel 14:6, it is better to take the sign as a purely arbitrary one: cp. Judges 7:4. 14. An half acre of land.. plow] RV ’half a furrow’s length in an acre of land,’ i.e. half the length of one of the sides of an acre. 15. There was a trembling both in the (fortified) camp and in the (open) country; all the people,

2 Samuel 17:1-29 — The Fall of Ahithophel Absalom follows the advice of Hushai rather than that of Ahithophel, who thereupon hangs himself. David retreats to Mahanaim. 3. The death of David would put an end to all resistance, and bring about peace. 7. At this time] RV ’this time.’ Hushai contrasts this suggestion of Ahithophel with his former advice (2 Samuel 16:21), which was good. 8. A man of war] Ahithophel’s advice, though plausible, was not sound. David was too experienced