Bible Commentaries

Genesis 25:31-34 — the writer’s inclusion of it here marks something about Esau that he did not want the reader to miss. "The cunning hunter fell into a better hunter’s trap, becoming prey to his own appetite." [Note: Ross, Creation and . . ., p. 449.] The writer showed that the natures of the two sons were very different; they were not identical twins. Esau cared only for physical and material things whereas Jacob valued the spiritual. Esau gave priority to the immediate satisfaction of his

Exodus 27:1-8 — blood ritually (Exodus 29:12). People occasionally clung to this altar as a place of refuge (cf. 1 Kings 1:50-51; 1 Kings 2:28). The priests also bound some animals to these horns when they sacrificed them (Psalms 118:27). There was a grate (Exodus 27:4) halfway to the ground inside the altar that allowed air to circulate under the sacrifices and ashes to fall to the ground below. The "ledge" appears to have projected out from the altar about half way up its sides. Perhaps the priests stood

Exodus 27:20-43 — 6. The investiture of the priests 27:20-28:43 Here begins the revelation of those things that related to the Israelites’ relationship with God (Exodus 27:20 to Exodus 30:38). The preceding section (Exodus 25:10 to Exodus 27:19) emphasized the revelation of the things that revealed God’s

1 Kings 2:1-9 — authority. "Statutes," "commandments," "ordinances," and "testimonies" are all different kinds of precepts in the Law. Solomon’s faithful obedience would also ensure an unbroken line of rulers (1 Kings 2:4; implied in 2 Samuel 7:12-16). Compare other important farewell addresses such as those by Jacob (Genesis 47:29 to Genesis 49:33) and Joshua (Joshua 23:1-16), as well as God’s charge to Joshua (Joshua 1:1-9). David also gave Solomon advice concerning

1 Kings 22:1-28 — Yahweh’s plan to terminate Ahab 22:1-28 Another significant battle occurred between the battle of Ramoth-gilead that the writer recorded in chapter 22 (853 B.C.) and the battles he recorded in chapter 20. Ahab and his Aramean ally Ben-Hadad II (860-841 B.C.) defeated their mutual foe King Shalmaneser III of Assyria at Qarqar on the Orontes River in Aram (also in 853 B.C.). [Note: William H. Shea, "A Note on the Date of the Battle of Qarqar," Journal of Cuneiform Studies 29 (1977):240-42.]

2 Kings 9:14-26 — Jehu’s assassination of Joram 9:14-26 Israel had evidently retaken Ramoth-gilead after Ben-Hadad I had defeated Ahab there 12 years earlier. Israel was now defending it against the attacking Arameans (2 Kings 9:14). The horsemen and Joram who asked Jehu, "Is it peace?" were

Ezra 10:9-15 — The cooperation of the people 10:9-15 This general assembly took place in late November or early December of 458 B.C. The people who were guilty agreed to divorce their foreign wives and to do this in various local towns that were convenient to their homes in the weeks and months that lay ahead. The Feast of Dedication fell on the twenty-fifth of this month.

Job 38:4-30 — God’s questions of Job 38:4-39:30 As Job’s friends had done, God began to break Job down blow by verbal blow. Finally all his pride was gone. However, where Job’s friends had failed, God succeeded. "The function of the questions needs to be properly understood.

Job 9:13-24 — The arbitrary actions of God 9:13-24 Rahab (lit. pride, Job 9:13) was a name ancient Near Easterners used to describe a mythical sea monster that was symbolic of evil. Such a monster, also called Leviathan (Job 7:12), was a major character in the creation legends of several ancient Near

Job 9:25-35 — Job," Journal of Biblical Literature 101 (1982):521-29.] Therefore he used legal terminology frequently in his dialogues. These legal metaphors are one of the key features of the book since they help us identify its purpose. [Note: Parsons, pp. 147-50.] Job’s frustration, expressed in Job 9:32-33, is understandable since God was both his legal adversary and his judge. This accounts for his urgent yet hopeless cry for a neutral party (mediator, umpire) to arbitrate a settlement between

Leviticus 11:1-8 — Note that God began positively. He told the Israelites what they could eat (Leviticus 11:2-3; cf. Genesis 1:29-30; Genesis 2:16-17). Then He gave them a list of unclean land animals (Leviticus 11:4-8). Perhaps animals with cloven hoofs were unclean because they had only two digits instead of the basic five and were therefore thought of as abnormal. [Note: G. S. Cansdale, Animals of the Bible, p. 43.] Apparently the technical definition of chewing

Leviticus 15:1-33 — 4. Uncleanness due to bodily discharges associated with reproduction ch. 15 This chapter concludes the regulations on uncleanness (chs. 11-15). "The uncleanness laws start with uncleanness that is permanent: that associated with various animals and

Numbers 18:1-32 — Hebrew Bible gives many insights to the modern reader as to the interests of God in our own worship. Often we think of worship in terms of what we like and appreciate. This misses the mark; worship is principally for God’s pleasure.   "4.    A general knowledge of the work of priests in the time of Hebrew worship gives the Christian reader significant insights into the priestly work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Book of Hebrews has an intense priestly orientation

John 1:1 — was nothing else, the Word existed. "John is writing about a new beginning, a new creation, and he uses words that recall the first creation. He soon goes on to use other words that are important in Genesis 1, such as ’life’ (John 1:4), ’light’ (John 1:4), and ’darkness’ (John 1:5). Genesis 1 described God’s first creation; John’s theme is God’s new creation. Like the first, the second is not carried out by some subordinate being. It is brought

Romans 7:25 — being does as well because we all possess some knowledge of the law of God, natural (general) revelation if not special revelation or the Mosaic Law, and a sinful human nature. The second question is this. Does the struggle Paul described in Romans 7:14-25 picture the experience of an unsaved person or a Christian?Arguments for the unsaved viewProCon1.This was the most popular view among the early church fathers.Other views held by the fathers have since proved false.2.The terminology "of flesh"

Judges 1:11-15 — it!   ". . . the prominence of Achsah also clearly anticipates the major roles that women will play throughout the book of Judges. Like Achsah, several women are portrayed as active and assertive in the public sphere, especially Deborah and Jael (chaps. 4-5). But, as the book of Judges proceeds, the portrayal of women changes considerably. They become not leaders like "Achsah, Deborah, and Jael, but rather the victims of abuse. . . . The next time a woman is riding on a donkey is

Judges 18:11-20 — Danites proceeded from Zorah and Eshtaol eastward up the Kesalon Valley to Kiriath-jearim and then northward into the Hill Country of Ephraim. They stopped at Micah’s house, noted his images and ephod, and pondered what they should do (Judges 18:14). What they should have done was execute Micah and the Levite since they were idolaters (Deuteronomy 13:6-11), but they too had departed from God. Instead they stole Micah’s images and his priest. They convinced his Levite that it would be better

Judges 8:4-12 — Gideon’s capture of the two Midianite kings 8:4-12 Succoth and Penuel (a variant of Peniel, cf. Genesis 32:30) were towns that stood on the east side of the Jordan beside the Jabbok River. The residents of these villages lived closer to the Midianites than most of the Israelites did, and they may

Ruth 1:1-5 — A. The deaths of Naomi’s husband and sons 1:1-5 God had promised the Israelites that if they departed from Him He would discipline them by sending famine on the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 28:17; Deuteronomy 28:23; Deuteronomy 28:38-40; Deuteronomy 28:42). [Note: See George M. Harton, "Fulfillment of Deuteronomy 28-30 in History and in Eschatology" (Th.D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1981).] The famine on Israel at this time indicates God’s judgment

2 Samuel 3:6-39 — suggests something of the sort when it speaks of a personal deal between these two men." [Note: James Vanderkam, "Davidic Complicity in the Deaths of Abner and Eshbaal: A Historical and Redactional Study," Journal of Biblical Literature 99:4 (1980):531-32.] The fact that Michal was Saul’s daughter was clearly part of the reason David requested her (2 Samuel 3:13). Reunion with her would have tied David in to Saul’s house and made him more acceptable to the northern tribes. "By