Bible Commentaries

Genesis 34:18-31 — We can explain the agreement of the men of the city, including Hamor (meaning "donkey," a valued and respected animal) and Shechem (Genesis 34:18), to undergo circumcision. Other nations besides Jacob’s family practiced this rite at this time as an act of consecration. [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, 1:313-14.] Jacob was not suggesting that these men convert from one religion to another.

Exodus 20:4-6 — The second commandment 20:4-6 "As the first commandment forbids any association with other gods to those who would be Yahweh’s, the second commandment and the two that follow it set special dimensions of their relationship with him." [Note: Ibid.] This command

Exodus 25:1-9 — exalted being different from His people. However this verse also states that such a God would "dwell among" His people. [Note: See Angel Manuel Rodriguez, "Sanctuary Theology in the Book of Exodus," Andrews University Seminary Studies 24:2 (Summer 1986):127-45.]   2.    Tabernacle (Exodus 25:9) means "dwelling place" and emphasizes God’s purpose of abiding near His people. The tabernacle looked like the other nomads’ tents that the Israelites

Exodus 30:1-10 — The altar of incense and the incense offering 30:1-10 The place of this altar in the tabernacle has been a problem for some readers of the Book of Hebrews. Hebrews 9:4 can be understood as describing its location as being inside the holy of holies with the ark. The writer of Hebrews probably meant that the veil, not the holy of holies, had the altar of incense and the ark of the covenant connected with it (Hebrews

Isaiah 17 overview — Aram-Damascus was its capital) and the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim being its leading tribe), which had formed an alliance to Judah’s north in 735-732 B.C. Even though the oracle is addressed to Damascus, it focuses quickly on Israel (Isaiah 17:4). It is probably a mosaic composition alluding to events that happened over many years of Isaiah’s ministry that the prophet pieced together under divine inspiration. As in all these oracles, Isaiah’s interest was not primarily in the course

Isaiah 19 overview — putting confidence in other foreign powers. Whatever people trust in place of God eventually disappoints them. The prediction of Egypt’s smiting (Isaiah 19:1-15) begins and ends with references to the Lord’s action (Isaiah 19:1; Isaiah 19:14-15). In between, the prophet announced Egypt’s social (Isaiah 19:2-4), economic (Isaiah 19:5-10), and political (Isaiah 19:11-13) collapse. The whole point is that God ultimately controls the fate of nations-not social, economic, and political

Lamentations 5 overview — V. THE RESPONSE OF THE GODLY (THE FIFTH LAMENT) CH. 5 This poem, like the one in chapter 3, contains verses of only two lines each. It is the only non-acrostic chapter in the book, though like chapters 1, 2, and 4, it consists of 22 verses. The doleful qinah meter is also absent in this chapter, giving it a somewhat more positive tone. However, 45 words end in u (in all verses except 19), which gives the chapter a rather mournful tone when read aloud in Hebrew. The

Numbers 1:1-54 — from Sinai to Canaan was also a preparation for the possession of the promised land." [Note: C. F. Keil and Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: Pentateuch, 3:1.] 1. The first census and the organization of the people chs. 1-4 "The two censuses (chs. 1-4, 26) are key to understanding the structure of the book. The first census (chs. 1-4) concerns the first generation of the Exodus community; the second census (ch. 26) focuses on the experiences of the second generation,

Matthew 1:1 — generation) as its title. [Note: Carson, "Matthew," p. 61.] While the noun genesis (birth) occurs again in Matthew 1:18, there it introduces the birth narrative of Jesus. In the Septuagint the same phrase, biblos geneseos, occurs in Genesis 2:4; Genesis 5:1 where in each case a narrative follows it, as here. Genealogies are quite common in the Old Testament, of course, and the presence of one here introduces a Jewish flavor to Matthew’s Gospel immediately. "Each use of the formula

Deuteronomy 12:1-14 — The central sanctuary 12:1-14 When Israel entered the land the people were to destroy all the places and objects used in pagan worship by the Canaanites (Deuteronomy 12:2-4). Pagan peoples generally have felt that worshipping on elevated sites brings them into closer contact with

Deuteronomy 33:1-5 — from Sinai and appear from Seir and Paran at the same time, or at least without reference to actual historical movement which, of course, would necessitate the order Sinai, Paran, and Seir (cf. Numbers 10:12; Numbers 13:3; Numbers 13:26; Numbers 20:14; Numbers 21:4; Deuteronomy 1:19; Deuteronomy 2:4). The real point here in Deuteronomy 33:2 is that the Lord manifested himself gloriously to his people from his earthly dwelling places or at least his usual places of self-disclosure, namely, mountaintops."

Deuteronomy 34:1-12 — E. Moses’ death and burial: narrative epilogue ch. 34 "A testament is of force only after the death of the testator [cf. Hebrews 9:16-17]. So the Deuteronomic Covenant in its testamentary aspect . . . would not become operative until after the death of Moses. Only then would Joshua succeed

John 9 overview — ch. 9 This chapter continues the theme of Jesus as the Light of the World (John 8:12; John 9:5). When the Light shone, some received spiritual sight, as this blind man received physical and spiritual sight. However the Light blinded others (John 9:39-41). The chapter shows the continuing polarization of opinion that marked Jesus’ ministry as the differences between those who believed on Him and those who disbelieved became more apparent. "There are more miracles of the giving of sight to

James 2:14 — 1. James’ assertion 2:14 The Arminian interpretation of this verse (view one above) is as follows. If a person claims to be a Christian but gives no evidence of true faith by the way he lives, he may never have been saved or he may no longer be saved. One Reformed view (view

Judges 18:7-10 — The report of the spies 18:7-10 The five Danites continued northward about 100 miles and finally came upon an area they felt would be ideal for their needs. They discovered the isolated town of Laish (Leshem, Joshua 19:47) that they believed they could capture fairly easily. [Note: See John C. H. Laughlin, "Dan," Biblical Illustrator 9:4 (Summer 1983):40-46; and "Avraham Biram-Twenty Years of Digging at Tell Dan," Biblical Archaeology Review 13:4

Revelation 21:4 — Revelation 21:3 describes the benefits of the New Jerusalem positively, and Revelation 21:4 does so negatively. Probably God will wipe away all tears at the inception of the eternal state rather than at some time after that. These are tears caused by life in the old creation, not tears of repentance. This reference to wiping away tears highlights

1 Samuel 11:12-15 — this time. What Samuel called for was a ceremony to renew the Mosaic Covenant. [Note: Klaus Baltzer, The Covenant Formulary, pp. 66-68; William J. Dumbrell, Covenant and Creation, p. 135; and Lyle M. Eslinger, Kingship of God in Crisis, pp. 37, 383-428.] It was to be similar to those that had taken place in Joshua’s day (Joshua 8, 24), in which the nation would dedicate itself afresh to Yahweh and His Law as a nation (cf. Deuteronomy 29). As mentioned earlier, it is not clear whether Gilgal

1 Samuel 2:27-36 — 4. The oracle against Eli’s house 2:27-36 The rest of the chapter explains why God would put Eli’s sons to death (1 Samuel 2:25). The specific criticism that the man of God (a prophet, cf. 1 Samuel 9:9-10) directed against Eli and his sons

2 Samuel 10:1-19 — Youngblood, p. 920.] The phrase "Now it happened" or "Now it was" (2 Samuel 10:1; 2 Samuel 13:1) always opens a new section. [Note: Wolfgang Roth, "You Are the Man! Structural Interaction in 2 Samuel 10-12." Semeia 8 (1977):4; John I. Lawlor, "Theology and Art in the Narrative of the Ammonite War (2 Samuel 10-12)," Grace Theological Journal 3:2 (1982):193.] Descriptions of Israel’s victories over the Ammonites (2 Samuel 10:1 to 2 Samuel 11:1; 2 Samuel 12:26-31)

2 Samuel 16:15-29 — The counsel of Ahithophel and Hushai 16:15-17:29 This is the central unit of chapters 5-20, and its central focus is the judgment that Hushai’s advice was better than Ahithophel’s (2 Samuel 17:14). This advice is the pivot on which the fortunes of David turned in his dealings with Absalom. Hushai was loyal to David primarily because David was the Lord’s anointed (2 Samuel 16:18). His words to Absalom implied that he was supporting the