Bible Commentaries

Psalms 119:4 — 4-6. precepts—are those directions which relate to special conduct, from a word meaning "to inspect." statutes—or ordinances, positive laws of permanent nature. Both words originally denote rather positive than moral laws, such as derive force from

Psalms 19:7 — fear (as its cause) and judicial decision. It is distinct and certain, reliable, right, pure, holy, and true. Hence it revives those depressed by doubts, makes wise the unskilled ( :-), rejoices the lover of truth, strengthens the desponding (Psalms 13:4; Psalms 34:6), provides permanent principles of conduct, and by God's grace brings a rich reward.

Ecclesiastes 8:2 — 2. the king's—Jehovah, peculiarly the king of Israel in the theocracy; Ecclesiastes 8:3; Ecclesiastes 8:4, prove it is not the earthly king who is meant. the oath of God—the covenant which God made with Abraham and renewed with David; Solomon remembered Psalms 89:35, "I have sworn," c. (Psalms 89:35- :), and the penalties if David's children should forsake it (Psalms 89:30-32) inflicted on Solomon himself; yet God not "utterly" forsaking him (Psalms 89:33; Psalms 89:34).

Ecclesiastes 8:3 — 3. hasty—rather, "Be not terror-struck so as to go out of His sight." Slavishly "terror-struck" is characteristic of the sinner's feeling toward God; he vainly tries to flee out of His sight ( :-); opposed to the "shining face" of filial confidence (Ecclesiastes 8:1; John 8:33-36; Romans 8:2; 1 John 4:18). stand not—persist not. for he doeth—God inflicts what punishment He pleases on persisting sinners (Job 23:13; Psalms 115:3). True of none save God.

Isaiah 10:26 — 26. slaughter of—"stroke upon." Midian— (Isaiah 9:4; Judges 7:25). as his rod was upon the sea—rather, understanding "stroke" from the previous clause, "according to the stroke of His rod upon the Red Sea" (Exodus 14:16; Exodus 14:26). His "rod" on the Assyrian (Isaiah 10:24; Isaiah 10:26) stands in bold contrast to the Assyrian used as a "rod" to strike others (Isaiah 10:5). after the manner of Egypt—as He lifted it up against Egypt at the Red Sea.

Isaiah 22:15 — 15. Go, get thee unto—rather, "Go in to" (that is, into the house to). treasurer—"him who dwells in the tabernacle" [JEROME]; namely, in a room of the temple set apart for the treasurer. Rather, "the king's friend," or "principal officer of the court" (1 Kings 4:5; 1 Kings 18:3; 1 Chronicles 27:33, "the king's counsellor") [MAURER]. "This" is prefixed contemptuously (1 Chronicles 27:33- :). unto Shebna—The Hebrew for "unto" indicates an accosting of Shebna with an unwelcome message.

Isaiah 26:9 — 9. With, . . . soul . . . I—literally, "I . . . my soul," in apposition; the faithful Jews here speak individually. The overthrow of the foe and the restoration of the Jews are to follow upon prayer on the part of the latter and of all God's people (Isaiah 62:1-4; Isaiah 62:6; Isaiah 62:7; Psalms 102:13-17). in the night— (Psalms 63:6; Song of Solomon 3:1). world . . . learn . . . righteousness—the remnant left after judgments (Psalms 58:10; Psalms 58:11; Zechariah 14:16).

Isaiah 30:28 — 28. (Isaiah 11:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:8). reach . . . neck—the most extreme danger; yet as the head, or capital of Judah, was to be spared (Isaiah 8:8), so the head, or sovereign of Assyria, Sennacherib, should escape. sieve of vanity—Rather, "the winnowing fan of

Isaiah 34:4 — 4. (Psalms 102:26; Joel 2:31; Joel 3:15; Matthew 24:29). dissolved— (Matthew 24:29- :). Violent convulsions of nature are in Scripture made the images of great changes in the human world (Matthew 24:29- :), and shall literally accompany them at the winding up of the present dispensation. scroll—Books were in those days sheets of parchment rolled together (Matthew 24:29- :). fall down—The stars shall fall when the heavens in which they are fixed pass away. fig tree— (Matthew 24:29- :).

Isaiah 43:9 — 9. who . . . can declare this—who among the idolatrous soothsayers hath predicted this; that is, as to Cyrus being the deliverer of Israel? former—predictions, as in Isaiah 42:9 [MAURER]. Or, things that shall first come to pass (see on Isaiah 42:9- :) [BARNES]. let them bring forth their witnesses—as I do mine (Isaiah 42:9- :). justified—declared veracious in their pretended prophecies. or—rather, "and"; let men hear

Isaiah 49:22 — 22. lift . . . hand—that is, beckon to (see on Isaiah 49:1). standard— (Isaiah 49:1- :). bring . . . sons in . . . arms—The Gentiles shall aid in restoring Israel to its own land (Isaiah 60:4; Isaiah 66:20). Children able to support themselves are carried on the shoulders in the East; but infants, in the arms, or astride on one haunch (Isaiah 66:20- :). "Thy sons" must be distinct from "the Gentiles," who carry them; and therefore cannot primarily refer to converts among the Gentiles.

Isaiah 55:4 — 4. him—the mystical David (Ezekiel 37:24; Ezekiel 37:25; Jeremiah 30:9; Hosea 3:5). Given by God (Isaiah 49:6). witness—He bore witness even unto death for God, to His law, claims, and plan of redeeming love (John 18:37; Revelation 1:5). Revelation is a "testimony"; because it is propounded to be received on the authority of the Giver, and not merely because it can be proved by arguments. commander—"preceptor" [HORSLEY]; "lawgiver" [BARNES]. to the people—rather, "peoples."

Isaiah 57:18 — 18. Rather, "I have seen his ways (in sin), yet will I heal him," that is, restore Israel spiritually and temporally (Jeremiah 33:6; Jeremiah 3:22; Hosea 14:4; Hosea 14:5) [HORSLEY]. I will . . . restore comforts unto him and to his mourners—However, the phrase, "his mourners," favors English Version; "his ways" will thus be his ways of repentance; and God's pardon on "seeing" them answers to the like promise (Isaiah 61:2; Isaiah 61:3; Jeremiah 31:18; Jeremiah 31:20).

Isaiah 65:13 — 13. eat—enjoy all blessings from me (Song of Solomon 5:1). hungry— (Amos 4:6; Amos 8:11). This may refer to the siege of Jerusalem under Titus, when 1,100,000 are said to have perished by famine; thus Isaiah 65:15 will refer to God's people without distinction of Jew and Gentile receiving "another name," namely, that of Christians [HOUBIGANT]. A further fulfilment may still remain, just before the creation of the "new heavens and earth," as the context, Isaiah 65:15- :, implies.

Jeremiah 20:4 — 4. terror . . . to all thy friends—who have believed thy false promises ( :-). The sense must be in order to accord with "fear round about" (Jeremiah 20:3). I will bring terror on thee and on all thy friends, that terror arising from thyself, namely, thy false prophecies. Thou and thy prophecies will be seen, to the dismay both of thee and thy dupes, to have caused their ruin and thine. MAURER'S translation is therefore not needed, "I will give up thee and all thy friends to terror."

Daniel 7:22 — 22. Ancient of days came—The title applied to the Father in :- is here applied to the Son; who is called "the everlasting Father" (Isaiah 9:6). The Father is never said to "come"; it is the Son who comes. judgment was given to . . . saints—Judgment includes rule; "kingdom" in the end of this verse (1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:4). Christ first receives "judgment" and the "kingdom," then the saints with Him (Daniel 7:13; Daniel 7:14).

Daniel 9:14 — 14. watched upon the evil—expressing ceaseless vigilance that His people's sins might not escape His judgment, as a watchman on guard night and day (Job 14:16; Jeremiah 31:28; Jeremiah 44:27). God watching upon the Jews' punishment forms a striking contrast to the Jews' slumbering in their sins. God is righteous—True penitents "justify" God, "ascribing righteousness to Him," instead of complaining of their punishment as too severe (Nehemiah 9:33; Job 36:3; Psalms 51:4; Lamentations 3:39-42).

Hosea 4:7 — 7. As they were increased—in numbers and power. Compare Hosea 4:6, "thy children," to which their "increase" in numbers refers. so they sinned—(Compare Hosea 10:1; Hosea 13:6). will I change their glory into shame—that is, I will strip them of all they now glory in (their numbers and power), and give them shame instead. A just retribution: as they changed their glory into shame, by idolatry (Psalms 106:20; Jeremiah 2:11; Romans 1:23; Philippians 3:19).

Hosea 4:8 — 8. eat . . . sin of my people—that is, the sin offerings (Leviticus 6:26; Leviticus 10:17). The priests greedily devoured them. set their heart on their iniquity—literally, "lift up the animal soul to lust after," or strongly desire. Compare Leviticus 10:17- :, Margin; Psalms 24:4; Jeremiah 22:27. The priests set their own hearts on the iniquity of the people, instead of trying to suppress it. For the more the people sinned, the more sacrificial victims in atonement for sin the priests gained.

Hosea 8:2 — 2. My God, we know thee—the singular, "My," is used distributively, each one so addressing God. They, in their hour of need, plead their knowledge of God as the covenant-people, while in their acts they acknowledge Him not (compare Matthew 7:21; Matthew 7:22; Titus 1:16; also Isaiah 29:13; Jeremiah 7:4). The Hebrew joins "Israel," not as English Version, with "shall cry," but "We, Israel, know thee"; God denies the claim thus urged on the ground of their descent from Israel.