Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 9:26-28 — Solomon’s navy 9:26-28 God blessed Solomon with an effective navy that brought added wealth from the south and the east. Ophir (1 Kings 9:28) evidently was in southeast Arabia (modern Oman and or the United Arab Emirates; 1 Kings 10:11; Job 22:24; Job 28:16). Other less likely sites that various scholars have proposed are southwest Arabia (modern Yemen), Somaliland (Somalia), and Supara in India. The writer documented in this section further evidence of God’s blessing on Solomon that came

Nehemiah 13:15-22 — 4. The observance of the Sabbath 13:15-22 Nehemiah discovered that foreign merchants were selling goods in Jerusalem on the Sabbath, and that the Jews were also preparing and transporting goods on that holy day. He rebuked both the merchants and the Jewish

Job 19:1-29 — 4. Job’s second reply to Bildad ch. 19 This speech is one of the more important ones in the book, because in it, Job reached a new low and a new high in his personal experience. He revealed here the extent of his rejection by his friends, relatives,

Psalms 116:7-11 — him he would die. They were lying to him. Read Psalms 116:8-9 again from the viewpoint of the Savior in the Upper Room. He not only knew He was facing death, but He also knew He would live again. The Apostle Paul quoted Psalms 116:10 in 2 Corinthians 4:13-15. He used it to assure believers that we will live again too.

Psalms 129:5-8 — seeds often blew onto the flat roofs of the Israelites’ houses, but they did not flourish long because they had little soil in which to root. In Israel it was customary to greet someone by wishing God’s blessing on him or her (cf. Ruth 2:4). However, the psalmist prayed that Israel’s enemies would receive no such greeting. God’s people should carefully thank Him for past deliverances, but should also continue to pray for His safekeeping in the future, since their enemies will

Psalms 132:17-18 — The "horn of David" that God promised would spring forth refers to a ruler that He would raise up from David’s descendants (cf. Daniel 7:24; Luke 1:69). The "lamp" is a figure for a leader (cf. 2 Samuel 21:17; 1 Kings 11:36). It refers to the same person God said He would prepare for His anointed, David. In other words, God promised to raise up one of David’s descendants

Psalms 34:8-10 — to experience the Lord’s goodness personally by relying on Him in their times of distress. He assured them that if they did, He would not disappoint them. "David gave a threefold witness of what the Lord does for His own: He saves (Psalms 34:4-8), He keeps (Psalms 34:7), and He satisfies (Psalms 34:8)." [Note: Wiersbe, The . . . Wisdom . . ., p. 158.] Young, self-reliant lions occasionally cannot provide for their own needs adequately, but people who trust in the Lord never suffer

Psalms 50:1-23 — introduction of Psalms 50:1-6, it is all one extended speech in the form of a decree with no room for negotiation." [Note: Breuggemann, p. 89.] The Levitical musician, Asaph, evidently wrote this psalm, as well as Psalms 73-83 (cf. 1 Chronicles 16:4-5).

Psalms 87:7 — prophetically to the time when all the redeemed will gather to Zion. This will take place in the Millennium when Jesus Christ makes it the world capital of His earthly kingdom. Then all nations will stream to it as the center of the earth (Isaiah 2:2; Micah 4:1). However, one day a new Jerusalem will replace the present city (Revelation 21). It will be the home of the Lamb and His faithful followers throughout eternity.

Song of Solomon 5:10-16 — by his hand had been of the highest quality. Some features in her description may be purely physical, such as his black hair (Song of Solomon 5:11). These verses show that a woman has the right to enjoy her husband’s body (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:4). "A normal person finds the erotic ultimately meaningful only if there is trust and commitment, delight in the other’s person as well as in the body." [Note: Kinlaw, p. 1234.]

Isaiah 10:5-16 — 3. Hope of God’s deliverance 10:5-11:16 Earlier God revealed that He would use Assyria to destroy Judah for her lack of trust in Yahweh (Isaiah 7:1 to Isaiah 8:22). Now He revealed that He would also destroy this destroyer (cf. Habakkuk 2:4-20). It is God who is sovereign, not Assyria, and He was with His people. "The Messianic prophecy, which turns its darker side towards unbelief in ch. vii., and whose promising aspect burst like a great light through the darkness in ch. viii. 5-ix.

Ezekiel 6 overview — of chap. 6 is on the individual responsibility of the people and prepares the way for the subsequent spoken messages." [Note: Cooper, p. 106. Allen, pp. 92-96, provided an excursus on and a chart of the parallels between Leviticus 26 and Ezekiel 4-6.]

Numbers 33:1-56 — recorded at God’s command this list of places from which the Israelites had set out on their journey from Egypt to Canaan. This is the only statement in Numbers that directly claims Mosaic authorship, though the whole book assumes it (cf. Exodus 17:14; Exodus 24:4; Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 31:9; Deuteronomy 31:22; Deuteronomy 31:24). This list constitutes a memorial to the grace and faithfulness of God in thus far fulfilling His promises to the patriarchs. As a reminder of God’s care of His

Micah 3 overview — Israel’s future blessings (Micah 2:12-13) while everything preceding exposed her sins and guilt. In this second oracle, the balance of emphasis is different. About one-third deals with present sins (ch. 3) and two-thirds with future blessings (chs. 4-5). A. Condemnation of Israel’s leaders ch. 3 This chapter consists of three sections. The first two point out the sinfulness of two groups of Israel’s leaders, civil and religious, and the last one climaxes to assure their punishment. The

Deuteronomy 6:10-19 — exclusive recognition, worship, and obedience 6:10-19 "The constant corollary of the demand for loyalty in ancient suzerainty treaties was the prohibition of allegiance to any and all other lords." [Note: Kline, "Deuteronomy," p. 164.] Prosperity (Deuteronomy 6:10-15) and adversity (Deuteronomy 6:16-19) would test the Israelites’ devotion to Yahweh. The Israelites were not to destroy many towns but only to kill their inhabitants, a rare policy in the history of warfare. [Note:

Joshua 11:1-3 — Hazor (lit. enclosure) was the leading city in northern Canaan with an area of 175 acres and a population of 30,000 to 40,000 people. [Note: Davis and Whitcomb, p. 74. See also The New Bible Dictionary, 1962 ed., s.v. "Hazor," by T. C. Mitchell.] Archaeologists calculate the population of walled cities in Canaan as about 200 people per acre. Hazor was at one

Joshua 13:8-14 — land on both sides of the Jabbok River east of the Jordan. "The Transjordanian tribes receive a disproportionate amount of attention in this book that records the Conquest and division of the land west of the Jordan (cf. Joshua 1:12-15; Joshua 4:12; Joshua 12:1-6; Joshua 13:8-33; Joshua 22:1-34). The author was eager to uphold the unity of the Twelve Tribes in spite of the geographic separation and an undercurrent of feeling that only the land west of the Jordan was truly the Promised Land."

Revelation 19:15 — Christ will strike down His enemies with a word that His long, tongue-shaped sword (Gr. hromphaia) symbolized (cf. Revelation 1:16; Isaiah 11:4; Isaiah 49:2). He will destroy His enemies with inflexible righteousness that the iron shepherd’s rod that will serve as His scepter pictures (cf. Revelation 2:27; Revelation 12:5; Psalms 2:9; Psalms 45). Ruling includes destroying as well as

Revelation 22:13 — Jesus Christ offered three titles for Himself that give assurance that He can and will fulfill His former promise to reward (cf. Revelation 1:4; Revelation 1:8; Revelation 1:17; Revelation 2:8; Revelation 21:6). Jesus Christ, as well as God the Father, is the Alpha and Omega (cf. Revelation 1:8; Revelation 21:6). This title stresses His eternality and sovereignty. "The first and the last"

1 Samuel 30:7-10 — God’s provision of guidance 30:7-10 David obtained an answer through the Urim and Thummim, which the high priest carried in the breast pocket of his ephod (cf. 1 Samuel 23:2; 1 Samuel 23:4; 1 Samuel 23:9). God no longer responded to Saul’s prayers (1 Samuel 28:15), but He did answer David’s (1 Samuel 30:8). David divided his troops into two groups as he had when he organized his attack against Nabal (1 Samuel 25:13). The many