Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 54:4 — 4. (Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 41:14). shame of thy youth—Israel's unfaithfulness as wife of Jehovah, almost from her earliest history. reproach of widowhood—Israel's punishment in her consequent dismissal from God and barrenness of spiritual children in Babylon and her present dispersion (Isaiah 54:1; Isaiah 49:21; Jeremiah 3:24; Jeremiah 3:25; Jeremiah 31:19; Hosea 2:2-5).

Isaiah 56:9 — 9. beasts—Gentile idolatrous nations hostile to the Jews, summoned by God to chastise them (Jeremiah 12:7-9; Jeremiah 50:17; Ezekiel 34:5): the Chaldeans and subsequently the Romans. The mention of the "outcasts of Israel" (Isaiah 56:8) brings in view the outcasting, caused by the sins of their rulers (Isaiah 56:8- :). to devour—namely, Israel.

Isaiah 62:2 — 2. (Isaiah 11:10; Isaiah 42:1-6; Isaiah 49:7; Isaiah 49:22; Isaiah 49:23; Isaiah 60:3; Isaiah 60:5; Isaiah 60:16). new name—expression of thy new and improved condition (Isaiah 60:16- :), the more valuable and lasting as being conferred by Jehovah Himself (Isaiah 62:12; Isaiah 65:15; Revelation 2:17; Revelation 3:12).

Jeremiah 1:15 — 15. families—the tribes or clans composing the various kingdoms of Babylon; the specification of these aggravates the picture of calamity ( :-). throne at . . . gates—the usual place of administering justice. The conquering princes will set up their tribunal there (Jeremiah 39:3; Jeremiah 39:5; Jeremiah 52:9). Or the reference is to the military pavilion (Jeremiah 52:9- :) [MAURER].

Jeremiah 10:5 — 5. upright—or, "They are of turned work, resembling a palm tree" [MAURER]. The point of comparison between the idol and the palm is in the pillar-like uprightness of the latter, it having no branches except at the top. speak not— ( :-). cannot go—that is, walk (Psalms 115:7; Isaiah 46:1; Isaiah 46:7). neither . . . do good— (Isaiah 41:23).

Jeremiah 18:20 — 20. In the particulars here specified, Jeremiah was a type of Jesus Christ (Psalms 109:4; Psalms 109:5; John 15:25). my soul—my life; me (John 15:25- :). I stood before thee . . . to turn away thy wrath—so Moses (John 15:25- :; compare Ezekiel 22:30). So Jesus Christ, the antitype of previous partial intercessors (Ezekiel 22:30- :).

Jeremiah 23:16 — 16. make you vain—They seduce you to vanity, that is, idolatry, which will prove a vain trust to you (Jeremiah 2:5; 2 Kings 17:15; Jonah 2:8), [GESENIUS]. Rather, "they delude you with vain promises of security" (Jeremiah 23:17; compare Jeremiah 23:17- :) [MAURER]. of their own heart—of their own invention (Jeremiah 23:21; Jeremiah 14:14).

Jeremiah 33:22 — 22. (Genesis 15:5; Genesis 22:17). The blessing there promised belonged to all the tribes; here it is restricted to the family of David and the tribe of Levi, because it was on these that the welfare of the whole people rested. When the kingdom and priesthood flourish in the person of Messiah, the whole nation shall temporally and spiritually prosper.

Jeremiah 47:1 — 1. Pharaoh-necho probably smote Gaza on his return after defeating Josiah at Megiddo ( :-) [GROTIUS]. Or, Pharaoh-hophra (Jeremiah 37:5; Jeremiah 37:7) is intended: probably on his return from his fruitless attempt to save Jerusalem from the Chaldeans, he smote Gaza in order that his expedition might not be thought altogether in vain [CALVIN] (Amos 1:6; Amos 1:7).

Jeremiah 48:10 — 10. work of . . . Lord—the divinely appointed utter devastation of Moab. To represent how entirely this is God's will, a curse is pronounced on the Chaldeans, the instrument, if they do it negligently (Margin) or by halves (Judges 5:23); compare Saul's sin as to Amalek (1 Samuel 15:3; 1 Samuel 15:9), and Ahab's as to Syria (1 Kings 20:42).

Jeremiah 50:8 — 8. (Jeremiah 51:6; Jeremiah 51:45; Isaiah 48:20; Zechariah 2:6; Zechariah 2:7; Revelation 18:4). Immediately avail yourselves of the opportunity of escape. be as . . . he-goats before . . . flocks—Let each try to be foremost in returning, animating the weak, as he-goats lead the flock; such were the companions of Ezra (Ezra 1:5; Ezra 1:6).

Jeremiah 6:11 — 11. fury of . . . Lord—His denunciations against Judah communicated to the prophet. weary with holding in— (Jeremiah 20:9). I will pour—or else imperative: the command of God (see Jeremiah 20:9- :), "Pour it out" [MAURER]. aged . . . full of days—The former means one becoming old; the latter a decrepit old man [MAURER] (Job 5:26; Isaiah 65:20).

Ezekiel 8:5 — 5. gate of . . . altar—the principal avenue to the altar of burnt offering; as to the northern position, see 2 Kings 16:14. Ahaz had removed the brazen altar from the front of the Lord's house to the north of the altar which he had himself erected. The locality of the idol before God's own altar enhances the heinousness of the sin.

Daniel 8:4 — 4. ram pushing westward—Persia conquered westward Babylon, Mesopotamia, Syria, Asia Minor. northward—Colchis, Armenia, Iberia, and the dwellers on the Caspian Sea. southward—Judea, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya; also India, under Darius. He does not say eastward, for the Persians themselves came from the east ( :-). did according to his will— (Daniel 11:3; Daniel 11:16; compare Daniel 5:19).

Hosea 10:4 — 4. words—mere empty words. swearing falsely in making a covenant—breaking their engagement to Shalmaneser ( :-), and making a covenant with So, though covenants with foreigners were forbidden. judgment . . . as hemlock—that is, divine judgment shall spring up as rank, and as deadly, as hemlock in the furrows (Deuteronomy 29:18; Amos 5:7; Amos 6:12). GESENIUS translates, "poppy." GROTIUS, "darnel."

Zechariah 12:12 — 12-14. A universal and an individual mourning at once. David . . . Nathan—representing the highest and lowest of the royal order. Nathan, not the prophet, but a younger son of David (2 Samuel 5:14; Luke 3:31). apart—Retirement and seclusion are needful for deep personal religion. wives apart—Jewish females worship separately from the males (Exodus 15:1; Exodus 15:20).

Matthew 23:5 — 5. But all their works they do for to be seen of men—Whatever good they do, or zeal they show, has but one motive—human applause. they make broad their phylacteries—strips of parchment with Scripture-texts on them, worn on the forehead, arm, and side, in time of prayer. and enlarge the borders of their garments—fringes of their upper garments ( :-).

John 21:5 — 5. Children—This term would not necessarily identify Him, being not unusual from any superior; but when they did recognize Him, they would feel it sweetly like Himself. have ye any meat?—provisions, supplies, meaning fish. They answered . . . No—This was in His wonted style, making them tell their case, and so the better prepare them for what was coming.

Acts 3:1 — 1-11. Peter and John—already associated by their Master, first with James (Mark 1:29; Mark 5:37; Mark 9:2), then by themselves (Luke 22:8; and see John 13:23; John 13:24). Now we find them constantly together, but John (yet young) only as a silent actor. went up—were going up, were on their way.

Acts 3:3 — 1-11. Peter and John—already associated by their Master, first with James (Mark 1:29; Mark 5:37; Mark 9:2), then by themselves (Luke 22:8; and see John 13:23; John 13:24). Now we find them constantly together, but John (yet young) only as a silent actor. went up—were going up, were on their way.