Bible Commentaries

Genesis 14:21-24 — Abram identified El Elyon with Yahweh (Genesis 14:22). His willingness to take no spoil from the battle for himself demonstrates Abram’s desire that God would receive all the glory for his prosperity. He also appears not to have wanted to be indebted to the wicked king of Sodom. This man may

Genesis 27:46-5 — the map "Abraham’s Travels Outside the Promised Land" under my comments on 11:27-32 for its location.] Evidently Rebekah had kept Esau’s hatred for Jacob from his aged father because she believed Isaac was near death (Genesis 27:41). Rebekah’s deceit secured the blessing for Jacob, but it resulted in his having to flee from his home. As far as Genesis records, Rebekah never saw him again. ". . . her broaching the subject of Jacob’s marriage was a masterstroke:

Exodus 11 overview — Moses made this announcement to Pharaoh before leaving his presence (cf. Exodus 10:29; Exodus 11:8). Thus this chapter unfolds the narrative in logical rather than chronological order. Exodus 11:1-2 give the foundation for the announcement in Exodus 11:4-8. Chronologically Exodus 11:1-3 point back to Exodus 3:19-22. Whereas Moses and Aaron had been the mediators through whom God had sent the first nine plagues, this last one came directly from God.

Exodus 26:1-14 — The curtains 26:1-14 The extent to which these curtains were visible from inside the tabernacle is not clear in the text and has been the subject of debate by commentators. They were of four colors that some writers have interpreted as having symbolic significance on the

1 Chronicles 7:1-40 — 5. The remaining families of Israel ch. 7 The tribes the writer listed were Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Asher. Why did he omit Dan and Zebulun? The inclusion of these tribes would have resulted in a total of 14 tribes since he had counted Levi and had dealt with both halves of Manasseh separately. Evidently to keep the whole number of tribes at 12 he omitted these. [Note: John Sailhamer, First and Second Chronicles, p. 26.] Another possibility is that perhaps

2 Chronicles overview — 2 2.    The temple proper 2Ch_3:1-9 3.    The temple furnishings 2Ch_3:10 to 2Ch_5:1 C.    The dedication of the temple 2Ch_5:2 to 2Ch_7:10 1.    The installation of the ark 2Ch_5:2-14 2.    Solomon’s address 2Ch_6:1-11 3.    Solomon’s prayer 2Ch_6:12-42 4.    The celebration of the people 2Ch_7:1-10 D.    God’s blessings and curses 2Ch_7:11-22 E.    Solomon’s

Leviticus 16:20-22 — by vicarious atonement. The goat slain represented the judgment on sin that resulted in death necessary for atonement. The goat sent off into the wilderness with the sinner’s guilt imputed to it symbolized the removal of guilt (cf. Leviticus 14:4-7). The word "scapegoat" comes from the AV description of the goat that "escaped" into the wilderness. In Hebrew "scapegoat" is azazel. There were two forms of the laying on of hands in the Old Testament. The Jews performed

Leviticus 27:30-34 — 4. The redemption of tithes 27:30-34 God claimed as His possession one tenth of the seed, fruit, and livestock of the Israelites. If the owner wished to keep some of this himself, he had to pay the value of what he kept to God plus 20 percent. This tithe

Isaiah 5 overview — grapes ch. 5 This is the third and last of Isaiah’s introductory oracles. The first one (ch. 1) introduced the book as a whole by presenting major themes with which the prophet proceeded to deal in chapters 2-66. The second, chiastic one (chs. 2-4), presented the tension between what God intended Israel to be, and what she had become. This third prophetic sermon (ch. 5) was a clever presentation of the present condition of Israel in Isaiah’s day and its consequences. It starts out deceptively

Isaiah 63:17 — to act for them, to step in and deliver them. He strengthened his appeal by referring to Israel as the Lord’s "servants" and His "heritage," terms of relationship that God Himself had used to describe His people (cf. Isaiah 41:9; Isaiah 42:19; Isaiah 43:10; Isaiah 44:1; Isaiah 45:4; Deuteronomy 4:20). "This is the prayer of intercession, the passionate entering into of the need of those for whom we are praying, and a storming of the gates of heaven with every tool we

Ezekiel 7 overview — Together they make up a lamentation. Here the nature of the coming judgment of Jerusalem and Judah receives primary emphasis. "There are six parts to this summary message. First, God’s determination to bring judgment is announced (Ezekiel 7:1-4). Second is the repeated call for judgment to come (Ezekiel 7:5-9). Third, the imminence and certainty of judgment is announced (Ezekiel 7:10-13). Fourth, the total destruction of the nation is announced (Ezekiel 7:14-18). Fifth, the uselessness of

Hosea overview — appears to have been the writer. UNITY Historically almost all Jewish and Christian scholars have regarded the whole book as the product of Hosea. Some critics, however, believe later editors (redactors) added the prophecies concerning Judah (e.g., Hos_4:15; Hos_5:5; Hos_5:10; Hos_5:12-14; Hos_6:4; Hos_6:11; et al.), since most of the book contains prophecies against Israel, the Northern Kingdom. [Note: E.g., W. R. Harper, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Amos and Hosea, pp. clix-clxii; H. W.

Amos overview — Introduction TITLE AND WRITER The title of the book comes from its writer. The prophet’s name means "burden-bearer" or "load-carrier." Places Mentioned in Amos Amos was a sheepherder (Heb. noqed; cf. 2Ki_3:4) or sheep breeder, and he described himself as a herdsman (Heb. boqer; Amo_7:14). He was more than a shepherd (Heb. ro’ah). He evidently owned or managed large herds of sheep and or goats and was probably in charge of shepherds. Amos also described

Numbers 20:14-21 — The Edomites’ resistance 20:14-21 The cloudy pillar led the Israelites, but apparently Moses had reason to believe that God was directing them eastward into the territory of Edom and from there north to Transjordan. Consequently he sent messengers to the King of Edom requesting permission

1 John 5:16 — wrote that the assumed modifier of "death" should be "eternal." [Note: Randall K. J. Tan, "Should We Pray for Straying Brethren? John’s Confidence in 1 John 5:16-17," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 45:4 (December 2002):599-609; and Yarbrough, pp. 306-13.] This interpretation may result in concluding, erroneously I believe, that the brethren in view were either never saved in the first place or lost their salvation. Some sins bring God’s swift

Revelation 13:6 — He will blaspheme God by claiming to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:4). This is evidently what he will do throughout the Great Tribulation, not just at one point in it. Enoixen, "he opened," is a constative aorist. [Note: Robertson, 6:401.] The phrase "he opened his mouth" often indicates the beginning

Revelation 15:7 — One of the living creatures (Revelation 4:6) gave each angel a bowl full of God’s wrath. It is interesting that God described the prayers of the saints as being held in bowls in Revelation 5:8. These prayers thus connect with the outpouring of these judgments in a suggestive cause and

Revelation 21:1 — on a redeemed earth, not in a heavenly realm removed from earthly existence." [Note: Ladd, p. 275.] Is this a creation out of nothing (ex nihilo) like the creation of the first heaven and earth (Genesis 1)? [Note: Thomas, Revelation 8-22, pp. 439-40; Beasley-Murray, p. 307; et al.] Or is it a thorough renovation of the present heaven and earth? [Note: Gale Z. Heide, "What Is New about the New Heaven and the New Earth? A Theology of Creation from Revelation 21 and 2 Peter 3," Journal

Revelation 22:3 — There will no longer be a curse because the tree of life will heal (redeem?) the nations. The curse in view is probably the curse that God pronounced on the old creation at the Fall (cf. Zechariah 14:11; Malachi 4:6). God will have intimate fellowship with His people because this curse has now been lifted. Evidently believers (His bond-servants in the new creation; cf. Revelation 1:1) will occupy themselves serving God and the Lamb in the new earth.

Revelation 5:11 — An innumerable host of angels now joined the four creatures and 24 elders in ascribing worth to the Lamb (cf. Daniel 7:10; Psalms 68:17-18; Matthew 2:13). The word order "myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands" may seem anticlimactic. "The word order is deliberate and the resultant anticlimax