Bible Commentaries

Exodus 13:5 — (5) The Canaanites, and the Hittites . . . —The full number of the Canaanitish nations was seven, five of which are here enumerated. The other two were the Perizzites and the Girgashites, which seem to have been the least important. The most important

1 Kings 22:3 — (3) Ramoth in Gilead.—The city is first mentioned (in Deuteronomy 4:43; Joshua 20:8; Joshua 21:38) as a city of refuge in the territory of Gad; then (in 1 Kings 4:13) as the centre of one of the provinces of Solomon, including the towns of Jair, and

1 Kings 4:26 — (26) Forty thousand.—By comparison with the parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 9:25, and with the notice in 1 Kings 10:26 (one thousand four hundred), it seems clear that for “forty thousand” “four thousand” should be read. They were kept in various “chariot

1 Chronicles 22:13 — (13) Then shalt thou prosper.—The verse makes it quite clear that obedience was an indispensable condition to the full realisation of the promise. (Comp. 1 Chronicles 22:10 with the actual after-course of history.) Yet the word of the Lord does not

1 Chronicles 4:18 — (18) And his wife Jehudijah [Margin is right, the Jewess] bare Jered.—It is obvious that a contrast with the sons of some non-Jewish wife is intended, and these latter ought already to have been mentioned. Clearly, therefore, the sentence “And these

1 Chronicles 4:8 — (8) Coz begat Anub.—Coz (thorn) is unknown. Anub.—LXX., Ενωβ. Comp. Anâb, (Joshua 11:21; Joshua 15:50), a town in the hill-country near Debir (Kirjathsepher). The word appears to mean “grape-town” so that “Coz begat Anub” reminds us of Matthew 7:16.

1 Chronicles 6:77-81 — THE CITIES OF THE MERARITES.(Comp. Joshua 21:34-38.) 1 Chronicles 6:77-81. (77) Unto the rest of the children of Merari.—Rather, Unto the sons of Merari, the remaining Levites, as at Joshua 21:34. The cities of the Kohathites and Gershonites having

2 Chronicles 13:19 — (19) Took cities from him.—The three cities and their districts were only temporarily annexed to Judah. According to 1 Kings 15:17-21, Baasha, King of Israel, attempted in the next reign to fortify Ramah, which was only about five miles north of Jerusalem.

Ezra 2:43-58 — (43-58) The Nethinims.—By the etymology those given: known by this name only in the later books. (See 1 Chronicles 9:2.) They were hieroduli, or temple-bondsmen: the lowest order of the ministry, performing the more laborious duties of the sanctuary.

Psalms 82:1 — (1) Standeth.—In the Hebrew a participle, with an official ring about it. (See Isaiah 3:13.) It is used to designate departmental officers (1 Kings 4:5; 1 Kings 4:7; 1 Kings 4:27; 1 Kings 9:23. Comp. 1 Samuel 22:9; Ruth 2:5-6). Thus the psalm opens

Deuteronomy 31:1-8 — XXXI. Deuteronomy 31:1-8. MOSES RESIGNS HIS CHARGE AS LEADER TO JOSHUA. (1) And Moses went and spake.—The expression is unusual. Possibly it means “went on to speak.” The Palestine Targum has, “He went into the house of instruction and spake.” The LXX.

Joshua 1:1 — LA COMISIÓN DE JOSHUA ( Josué 1:1 ). (1) Después de la muerte de Moisés ... el Señor le habló a Josué ... el ministro de Moisés. - La comisión de Joshua fue la primera de su tipo, pero no la última. Ningún hombre antes de Josué había recibido órdenes

Joshua 12 overview — XII.THIRD DIVISION OF THE BOOK.SUMMARY OF THE CONQUERED TERRITORY. (a) According to kings. (2) Sihon king of the Amorites . . .—For a description of his territory see Deuteronomy 2:31-37. (4) Og king of Bashan.—See Deuteronomy 3:11. (6) Them did Moses

Joshua 8:29 — (29) And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree.—(See Note on Deuteronomy 21:22-23.) Heb., on the tree. Why “the tree”? It would appear from Joshua 8:2; Joshua 10:1, that the king of Jericho was also hanged; possibly both were hanged on the same tree, and

Joshua 8:30 — THE LAW SET UP IN THE HEART OF THE COUNTRY. (30) Then Joshua built.—The word then is not “and” in the Hebrew; as is too often the case where “then” occurs in our English Old Testament. It is a note of time. Josephus places this transaction later. The

Judges 1:1 — (1) Now.—The “now” should rather be rendered And, as in Leviticus 1:1, Numbers 1:1, Joshua 1:1, 1 Samuel 1:1, 2 Samuel 1:1, 2 Kings 1:1. The word connects this book with the last, “as a link in the chain of books which relate in unbroken connection

Judges 1:2 — (2) The Lord said.—The answer is given to the priest by the Urim, and he announces it to the people. Judah shall go up.—The phrase “go up” is used in a military sense (Joshua 6:5). The question had not been, “Who shall be our leader?” but, “Which tribe

Judges 2:1 — (1) An angel of the Lord.—The words “Maleak Jehovah” are used of Haggai, in Haggai 1:13; of prophets in Isaiah 42:19; Malachi 3:6; of priests in Malachi 2:7. Hence from very ancient times these words have been interpreted as, “a messenger of the Lord”

Judges 4:11 — (11) Heber the Kenite.—See Judges 1:16; Judges 3:31; Numbers 10:29. Which was of the children of Hobab.—Rather, had separated himself from Kain,from the children of Hobab. Nomadic settlements are constantly liable to send off these separate colonies.

Judges 4:2 — (2) Sold them.—See Judges 2:14. Jabin.—The name means, “he is wise.” It may have been a dynastic name, like Abimelech, Melchizedek, Pharaoh, Hadad, Agag, &c. King of Canaan—i.e., of some great tribe or nation of the Canaanite8. In Joshua 11:1 Jabin