Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 4:5 — 5. over the officers—that is, the provincial governors enumerated in :-. principal officer, and the king's friend—perhaps president of the privy council, and Solomon's confidential friend or favorite. This high functionary had probably been reared along with Solomon. That he should heap those honors on the sons of Nathan was most natural, considering the close intimacy of the father with the late king, and the deep obligations under which Solomon personally lay to the prophet.

2 Kings 14:5 — 5. as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand—It was an act of justice no less than of filial piety to avenge the murder of his father. But it is evident that the two assassins must have possessed considerable weight and influence, as the king was obliged to retain them in his service, and durst not, for fear of their friends and supporters, institute proceedings against them until his power had been fully consolidated.

Psalms 31:2 — 2-4. He seeks help in God's righteous government (Psalms 5:8), and begs for an attentive hearing, and speedy and effectual aid. With no other help and no claim of merit, he relies solely on God's regard to His own perfections for a safe guidance and release from the snares of his enemies. On the terms "rock," c., (compare Psalms 17:2 Psalms 18:2; Psalms 18:50; Psalms 20:6; Psalms 23:3; Psalms 25:21).

Proverbs 2:16 — 16-19. Deliverance from another danger. the strange woman—This term is often used for harlot, or loose woman (Judges 11:1; Judges 11:2), married (Proverbs 7:5; Proverbs 7:19) or not (Proverbs 7:19- :), so called, because such were, perhaps at first, foreigners, though "strange" may also denote whatever is opposed to right or proper, as "strange fire" (Proverbs 7:19- :); "strange incense" (Proverbs 7:19- :). flattereth—literally, "smooths." her words— (Proverbs 7:19- :).

Isaiah 14:21 — 21. Prepare, c.—charge to the Medes and Persians, as if they were God's conscious instruments. his children—Belshazzar's (Exodus 20:5). rise—to occupy the places of their fathers. fill . . . with cities—MAURER translates, "enemies," as the Hebrew means in 1 Samuel 28:16 Psalms 139:20; namely, lest they inundate the world with their armies. VITRINGA translates, "disturbers." In English Version the meaning is, "lest they fill the land with such cities" of pride as Babylon was.

Isaiah 15:9 — 9. Dimon—same as Dibon ( :-). Its waters are the Arnon. full of blood—The slain of Moab shall be so many. bring more—fresh calamities, namely, the "lions" afterwards mentioned (2 Kings 17:25; Jeremiah 5:6; Jeremiah 15:3). VITRINGA understands Nebuchadnezzar as meant by "the lion"; but it is plural, "lions." The "more," or in Hebrew, "additions," he explains of the addition made to the waters of Dimon by the streams of blood of the slain.

Isaiah 17:5 — 5. harvestman, &c.—The inhabitants and wealth of Israel shall be swept away, and but few left behind just as the husbandman gathers the corn and the fruit, and leaves only a few gleaning ears and grapes ( :-). with his arm—He collects the standing grain with one arm, so that he can cut it with the sickle in the other hand. Rephaim—a fertile plain at the southwest of Jerusalem toward Beth-lehem and the country of the Philistines ( :-).

Isaiah 21:13 — 13. upon—that is, respecting. forest—not a grove of trees, but a region of thick underwood, rugged and inaccessible; for Arabia has no forest of trees. travelling companies—caravans: ye shall be driven through fear of the foe to unfrequented routes (Isaiah 33:8; Judges 5:6; Jeremiah 49:8 is parallel to this passage). Dedanim—In North Arabia (Genesis 25:3; Jeremiah 25:23; Ezekiel 25:13; Ezekiel 27:20; a different "Dedan" occurs Ezekiel 27:20- :).

Isaiah 21:3 — 3. Isaiah imagines himself among the exiles in Babylon and cannot help feeling moved by the calamities which come on it. So for Moab (Isaiah 15:5; Isaiah 16:11). pain—(Compare Isaiah 13:8; Ezekiel 30:4; Ezekiel 30:19; Nahum 2:10). at the hearing—The Hebrew may mean, "I was so bowed down that I could not hear; I was so dismayed that I could not see" (Genesis 16:2; Psalms 69:23) [MAURER].

Isaiah 28:13 — 13. But—rather, "Therefore," namely, because "they would not hear" ( :-). that they might go—the designed result to those who, from a defect of the will, so far from profiting by God's mode of instructing, "precept upon precept," c., made it into a stumbling-block (Hosea 6:5 Hosea 8:12; Matthew 13:14). go, and fall—image appropriately from "drunkards" (Isaiah 28:7; Isaiah 28:8, which they were) who in trying to "go forward fall backward."

Isaiah 32:13 — 13. (Isaiah 5:6; Isaiah 7:23). houses of joy—pleasure-houses outside of Jerusalem, not Jerusalem itself, but other cities destroyed by Sennacherib in his march (Isaiah 7:23- :). However, the prophecy, in its full accomplishment, refers to the utter desolation of Judea and its capital by Rome, and subsequently, previous to the second coming of the King (Psalms 118:26; Luke 13:35; Luke 19:38); "the joyous city" is in this view, Jerusalem (Luke 19:38- :).

Isaiah 33:24 — 24. sick—SMITH thinks the allusion is to the beginning of the pestilence by which the Assyrians were destroyed, and which, while sparing the righteous, affected some within the city ("sinners in Zion"); it may have been the sickness that visited Hezekiah ( :-). In the Jerusalem to come there shall be no "sickness," because there will be no "iniquity," it being forgiven ( :-). The latter clause of the verse contains the cause of the former (Mark 2:5-9).

Isaiah 5:22 — 22, 23. Sixth Woe—against corrupt judges, who, "mighty" in drinking "wine" (a boast still not uncommon), if not in defending their country, obtain the means of self-indulgence by taking bribes ("reward"). The two verses are closely joined [MAURER]. mingle strong drink—not with water, but spices to make it intoxicating (Proverbs 9:2; Proverbs 9:5; Song of Solomon 8:2). take away the righteousness—set aside the just claims of those having a righteous cause.

Isaiah 55:10 — 10. The hearts of men, once barren of spirituality, shall be made, by the outpouring of the Spirit under Messiah, to bear fruits of righteousness (Isaiah 5:6; Deuteronomy 32:2; 2 Samuel 23:4; Psalms 72:6). snow—which covers plants from frost in winter; and, when melted in spring, waters the earth. returneth not—void; as in Isaiah 55:11; it returns not in the same shape, or without "accomplishing" the desired end. bud—germinate.

Isaiah 58:5 — 5. for a man to afflict his soul—The pain felt by abstinence is not the end to be sought, as if it were meritorious; it is of value only in so far as it leads us to amend our ways (Isaiah 58:6; Isaiah 58:7). bow . . . head . . . sackcloth—to affect the outward tokens, so as to "appear to men to fast" (Matthew 6:17; Matthew 6:18; 1 Kings 21:27; Esther 4:3).

Isaiah 58:6 — 6. loose . . . bands of wickedness—that is, to dissolve every tie wherewith one has unjustly bound his fellow men ( :-, c.). Servitude, a fraudulent contract, &c. undo . . . heavy burdens—Hebrew, "loose the bands of the yoke." oppressed—literally, "the broken." The expression, "to let go free," implies that those "broken" with the yoke of slavery, are meant (Nehemiah 5:10-12 Jeremiah 34:9-11; Jeremiah 34:14; Jeremiah 34:16). JEROME interprets it, broken with poverty; bankrupt.

Jeremiah 30:14 — 14. lovers—the peoples formerly allied to thee, Assyria and Egypt (compare :-). seek thee not—have cast away all concern for thee in thy distress. wound of an enemy—a wound such as an enemy would inflict. God condescends to employ language adapted to human conceptions. He is incapable of "enmity" or "cruelty"; it was their grievous sin which righteously demanded a grievous punishment, as though He were an "enemy" (Jeremiah 5:6; Job 13:24; Job 30:21).

Jeremiah 39:18 — 18. life . . . for a prey—(See on Jeremiah 39:2; Jeremiah 39:2- :; Jeremiah 39:4). put . . . trust in me— (Jeremiah 38:7-9). Trust in God was the root of his fearlessness of the wrath of men, in his humanity to the prophet (1 Chronicles 5:20; Psalms 37:40). The "life" he thus risked was to be his reward, being spared beyond all hope, when the lives of his enemies should be forfeited ("for a prey").

Jeremiah 6:28 — 28. grievous revolters—literally, "contumacious of the contumacious," that is, most contumacious, the Hebrew mode of expressing a superlative. So "the strong among the mighty," that is, the strongest ( :-). See Jeremiah 5:23; Hosea 4:16. walking with slanders— (Jeremiah 9:4). "Going about for the purpose of slandering" [MAURER]. brass, c.—that is, copper. It and "iron" being the baser and harder metals express the debased and obdurate character of the Jews (Isaiah 48:4 Isaiah 60:17).

1 Samuel 17:5 — 5. helmet of brass—The Philistine helmet had the appearance of a row of feathers set in a tiara, or metal band, to which were attached scales of the same material, for the defense of the neck and the sides of the face [OSBORN]. a coat of mail—a kind of corslet, quilted with leather or plates of metal, reaching only to the chest, and supported by shoulder straps, leaving the shoulders and arms at full liberty.