Bible Commentaries

Exodus 10:1-29 — The Eighth and Ninth Plagues 1-20. The Eighth Plague:—Locusts. 2. See on Exodus 7:4-5; 3. This question shows that Pharaoh was responsible for the hardening of his heart: see on Exodus 4:21. 4-6. Travellers are unanimous in bearing witness to the terrible ravages caused by a visitation of locusts. They fly in dense swarms, sometimes

Exodus 6:1-30 — of Pharaoh. So RV renders, ’by a strong hand,’ i.e. under the compelling force of Jehovah’s judgments: see on Exodus 3:19. 3. The name of God Almighty] Heb. El Shaddai, which occurs first in the revelation made to Abraham (Genesis 17:1 cp. also Genesis 28:3; Genesis 48:3). It is here said that God was not known in the patriarchal times by the name Jehovah. This constitutes a difficulty, as the name has been already used in passages earlier than this, e.g. in Genesis 2:4; Genesis

1 Kings 4:1-34 — ’chronicler’), though some suppose that his function was to remind the king of state matters that required his attention. 4. Abiathar] Abiathar was priest during a very brief period of Solomon’s reign: see 1 Kings 2:26, 1 Kings 2:27. 5. The officers] probably the officers named in 1 Kings 2:7-19. Principal officer] RV ’priest.’ The term is used in 2 Samuel 8:18 of David’s sons, and in 2 Samuel 20:26 of Ira a Jainite, who perhaps belonged to the tribe of Manasseh—both

1 Kings 6:1-38 — (hacia el W.) se llamaba el Oráculo o Lugar Santísimo, que tenían entre sí la misma relación que la nave y el presbiterio de nuestras propias iglesias. El templo de Salomón se asemejaba en el plano general al Tabernáculo como se describe en Éxodo 25-27, siendo su largo y ancho exactamente el doble. En idea, era, como el Tabernáculo, la morada del Dios de Israel (ver 1 Reyes 8:18 , y compárese con Éxodo 25:8 ), donde Él recibió y tuvo comunión con Sus adoradores ( 2 Reyes 19:14 , Compárese con

2 Kings 22:1-20 — that carried out previously by Joash (2 Kings 12:4.), and a collection of money had been made for the purpose: see 2 Chronicles 34:9. 5. The doers of the work.. to the doers of the work] The first were the overseers, the second were the labourers. 7. There was no reckoning] cp. 2 Chronicles 12:15. 8. The book of the law] As the book found in the Temple was brief enough to be read at a single assembly (2 Kings 23:2), whereas the reading of the Law by Ezra occupied several days (Nehemiah 8:18), it

2 Kings 6:1-33 — honest enough to be the more concerned for his loss because the axe was not his own. 8. The king of Syria] perhaps the Benhadad of 2 Kings 6:24 and 1 Kings 20:1. 13. Dothan] commanding a pass which crossed the ridge of Carmel (the mountain of 2 Kings 6:17). 17. Round about Elisha] cp. Psalms 34:7; Psalms 91:4; God’s servants often experience providential succour in times of danger, though they cannot confidently reckon upon protection from earthly peril. What alone is assured to them, if they continue

1 Chronicles 21:1-30 — Job and Zechariah the name is still only a title; but in Chronicles it has become a proper name (being used without the article). 5. A thousand thousand, etc.] 2 Samuel 24:9 represents Israel as 800,000 and Judah 500,000. According to 1 Chronicles 27:24 the numbers were not entered in the official records, and they have probably undergone corruption in the course of transmission. 6. But Levi, etc.] This is not mentioned in 2 S. If the numbering of the people was due to a presumptuous reliance upon

Job 2:1-13 — his life is endangered. Let Job suffer this last and greatest trial, then his integrity will fail him (so the Adversary insinuates) and he will renounce God. His life the Satan is not permitted to touch, short of that he has full liberty, and uses it. 7. Sore boils] lit. ’an evil inflammation.’ The disease with which Job was afflicted is commonly taken to be elephantiasis, a terrible form of leprosy. It has also been identified with the ’Oriental sore,’ also with ecthyma, for

Psalms 49:1-20 — power of death. Psalms 49:12, Psalms 49:20 form, by their similarity, a kind of refrain. 1. People] RV ’peoples,’ explained by inhabitants of the world. 4. Parable.. dark saying] We might render, ’proverb.. riddle’: see Psalms 78:2; Proverbs 1:6. 5. When the iniquity of my heels, etc.] RV ’When iniquity at my heels,’ etc. RM gives a still better sense, connecting Proverbs 1:5-6, ’When the iniquity of them that would supplant me compasseth me about, even of

Proverbs 8:1-36 — world. There is also a trace here of the idea which at a later time asserted itself very strongly, that a medium was required to bridge over the distance betwixt the Spiritual Creator and the material universe. Job 28, 38; Sirach 1:1-21; Sirach 24; Wisd 7:8-8:21 should be read along with this c. 2. The high places are the walls and towers, vantage-points for a speaker. 5. Wisdom] rather, ’prudence’ or ’sagacity.’ 12. Read, ’I, Wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling,’

Isaiah 28:1-29 — This chapter must be assigned (Isaiah 28:1) to a date prior to the capture of Samaria by the Assyrians (722 b.c.) and fall of the northern kingdom. 1-6. Samaria’s luxury and self-indulgence pave the way to ruin. 7-10. Judah likewise is given up to indulgence and heeds not the prophet’s warning, 11-13. Therefore Jehovah will teach the people

Jeremiah 10:1-25 — (see Intro.), yet contains this chapter. 2. Signs of heaven] portents in the sky, such as comets and meteors. 3. People] nations. 5. Upright as the palm tree] RV ’like a palm tree, of turned work.’ These idols are as stiff and lifeless. 7. To thee doth it appertain] Thine is the supreme kingship. 8. The stock, etc.] RV ’the instruction of idols, it is but a stock’: an idol is wood, and can never get beyond it. 9. Tarshish] probably Tartessus in Spain, or perhaps Tarsus

Jeremiah 23:1-40 — justice; He shall be called Jehovah-Tsidkenu (’The Lord is our righteousness’); and His name shall be the sign that God will make His people righteous: cp. Jeremiah 33:16. Cp. also ’Immanuel’ (’God with us’), Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 8:10. 7, 8. See on Jeremiah 16:14.; The deliverance after the captivity will be even more wonderful than that from Egypt. 9-40. Rebuke of false prophets and priests. Their disgrace is foretold. 10. Swearing] RM ’the curse’ (of

Malachi 3:1-18 — consumed.’ As this yields no antithesis, it is not improbable that there is a corruption in the text. The argument seems to be, ’I have not changed, but you have not kept your part of the covenant; you have not performed my words.’ 7. Cp. Zechariah 1:2. 9. Cp. Nehemiah 13:10. 11. The devourer] i.e. locusts: cp. Joel 1:4; Amos 4:2. 13. The godly are here addressed, and in their lack of faith are reminded that ’the Lord is mindful of His own.’ 14. Cp. Psalms 73:13; Isaiah

Mark 3:1-35 — Choice of the Twelve 1-6. The withered hand (Matthew 12:9; Luke 6:6). See on Mt. 6. Herodians] see on Matthew 22:16. 7-12. Withdrawal of Jesus. Multitudes healed. See on Matthew 12:15-17. St. Mark’s account is much fuller. Observe here (a) the extraordinary sensation made by the appearance of Jesus, as shown by the great distances from which the multitudes were

1 Corinthians 5:1-13 — delivering him solemnly to Satan in the name of Jesus our Lord, that his soul may be saved even if his body perish. (6) How senseless is your self-conceit in presence of this impurity. Do ye not realise that you are all in danger of being degraded by it? (7) Put away this leaven of unholiness, then, and remain free from it. Remember how at the Passover all leaven was put away; and now that our Paschal Lamb Christ Jesus has been sacrificed, and our feast of unleavened bread begun, (8) let us celebrate our

2 Corinthians 8:1-24 — service.’ 1. Do you to wit] RV ’make known to you.’ The grace of God] the inspiration to give liberally. The churches of Macedonia] i.e. Philippi, Beroea, and Thessalonica, with, perhaps, others unknown to us: cp. Acts 16:12 to Acts 17:14; Acts 20:4. 2. Their deep poverty] The Christians of Macedonia were very poor, and so their liberality was all the more marked. 3. Beyond their power.. of themselves] Their giving was bountiful and spontaneous. 4. The RV gives a better meaning:

1 Peter 1:1-25 — chosen. Christians, like Israel of old, are God’s chosen people. The ’Dispersion’ was a term used to describe the Jews who had been scattered among the nations since the time of the captivity: cp. Isaiah 11:12; Zephaniah 3:10; John 7:35; James 1:1. Pontus, Galatia, etc.] These names include the whole of what we call Asia Minor, N. and W. of the Taurus range. The order is natural if we suppose St. Peter’s messenger carried the letter from Rome to a port of Pontus, then made

1 Peter 4:1-19 — life.’ 1. Hath ceased from sin] cp. Romans 6:2, Romans 6:11. Suffering braces a man’s mind, so that temptation loses its power over him, and the opposition of the heathen compelled Christians to be strangers to their mode of life: cp. Sirach 17:3. 3. Will] RV ’desire,’ contrasted with the will of God. 4. Speaking evil of you] ’Of you,’ as RV shows, is not in the Gk. These men spoke the same kind of blasphemy as the mockers in 2 Peter 3:8. 6. This V. refers back to

1 Samuel 1:1-28 — for so limiting it. lord of hosts] This title of God occurs here for the first time, and its use was probably occasioned by the warlike character of the book. As used in the books of Samuel, ’the hosts’ are the armies of Israel (1 Samuel 17:45), but afterwards the idea was extended to the hosts of angels (Psalms 103:20-21). Shiloh] Joshua set up the Tabernacle there (Joshua 18:1), as being central and in the territory of his own tribe. For its position, see Judges 21:19. And the two sons