Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 56:1 — 1. judgment—equity. John the Baptist preached similarly a return to righteousness, as needed to prepare men for Messiah's first coming (Luke 3:3; Luke 3:8-14). So it shall be before the second coming (Luke 3:8-42.3.14- :). near to come— (Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17), also as to the second coming (Isaiah 62:10; Isaiah 62:11; Luke 21:28; Luke 21:31; Romans 13:11; Romans 13:12; Hebrews 10:25). righteousness—answering to

Isaiah 59:20 — spiritually. them that turn from— (Romans 11:26). "shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob"; so the Septuagint, Paul herein gives the full sense under inspiration. They turn from transgression, because He first turns them from it, and it from them (Psalms 130:4; Lamentations 5:21).

Isaiah 62:5 — 5. thy sons—rather, changing the points, which are of no authority in Hebrew, "thy builder" or "restorer," that is, God; for in the parallel clause, and in Isaiah 62:4, God is implied as being "married" to her; whereas her "sons" could hardly be said to marry their mother; and in Isaiah 49:18, they are said to be her bridal ornaments, not her husband. The plural form, builders, is used of God in reverence as "husbands" (see

Jeremiah 1:6 — 6. From the long duration of his office (Jeremiah 1:2; Jeremiah 1:3; Jeremiah 40:1; Jeremiah 43:8, c. Jer 43:8, c.), it is supposed that he was at the time of his call under twenty-five years of age. child—the same word is translated, "young man" (Jeremiah 43:8- :). The reluctance often shown by inspired ministers of God (Exodus

Jeremiah 12 overview — CHAPTER 12 :-. CONTINUATION OF THE SUBJECT AT THE CLOSE OF THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER. He ventures to expostulate with Jehovah as to the prosperity of the wicked, who had plotted against his life (Jeremiah 12:1-4); in reply he is told that he will have worse to endure, and that from his own relatives (Jeremiah 12:5; Jeremiah 12:6). The heaviest judgments, however, would be inflicted on the faithless people (Jeremiah 12:6- :); and then on the nations co-operating

Jeremiah 20:1 — the original "governors of the sanctuary and of the house of God," twenty-four in all, that is, sixteen of the sons of Eleazar and eight of the sons of Ithamar ( :-). This Pashur is distinct from Pashur, son of Melchiah (Jeremiah 21:1). The "captains" (Luke 22:4) seem to have been over the twenty-four guards of the temple, and had only the right of apprehending any who were guilty of delinquency within it; but the Sanhedrim had the judicial power over such delinquents [GROTIUS] (Jeremiah 26:8; Jeremiah 26:10;

Jeremiah 3:1 — have omitted, "The word of the Lord came to me," saying. shall he return unto her—will he take her back? It was unlawful to do so (Jeremiah 2:37- :). shall not—Should not the land be polluted if this were done? yet return— (Jeremiah 3:22; Jeremiah 4:1; Zechariah 1:3; compare Ezekiel 16:51; Ezekiel 16:58; Ezekiel 16:60). "Nevertheless," &c. (see on Ezekiel 16:60- :).

Jeremiah 3:17 — 17. Jerusalem—the whole city, not merely the temple. As it has been the center of the Hebrew theocracy, so it shall be the point of attraction to the whole earth (Isaiah 2:2-4; Zechariah 2:10; Zechariah 2:11; Zechariah 14:16-21). throne of . . . Lord—The Shekinah, the symbol of God's peculiar nearness to Israel (Zechariah 14:16-38.14.21- :) shall be surpassed by the antitype, God's own throne in Jerusalem (Psalms 2:6; Psalms

Jeremiah 31:40 — 40. valley of . . . dead—Tophet, where the bodies of malefactors were cast ( :-), south of the city. fields . . . Kidron—so 2 Kings 23:4. Fields in the suburbs reaching as far as Kidron, east of the city. horse gate—Through it the king's horses were

Jeremiah 4:2 — 2. And thou—rather, "And if (carried on from Jeremiah 4:1) thou shalt swear, 'Jehovah liveth,' in truth, c.", that is, if thou shalt worship Him (for we swear by the God whom we worship compare Deuteronomy 6:13; Deuteronomy 10:20; Isaiah 19:18; Amos 8:14) in sincerity, c. and the nations—Rather, this is

Jeremiah 6:14 — 14. hurt—the spiritual wound. slightly—as if it were but a slight wound; or, in a slight manner, pronouncing all sound where there is no soundness. saying—namely, the prophets and priests (Jeremiah 6:13). Whereas they ought to warn the people of impending

Jeremiah 6:4 — 4, 5. The invading soldiers encourage one another to the attack on Jerusalem. Prepare—literally, "Sanctify" war, that is, Proclaim it formally with solemn rites; the invasion was solemnly ordered by God (compare :-). at noon—the hottest part of the

Jeremiah 7 overview — befall the temple at Jerusalem. The prophecy given in detail here is summarily referred to there. After Josiah's death the nation relapsed into idolatry through Jehoiakim's bad influence; the worship of Jehovah was, however, combined with it (Jeremiah 7:4; Jeremiah 7:10).

Ezekiel 11:6 — 6. your slain—those on whom you have brought ruin by your wicked counsels. Bloody crimes within the city brought on it a bloody foe from without (Ezekiel 7:23; Ezekiel 7:24). They had made it a caldron in which to boil the flesh of God's people (Ezekiel 7:24- :), and eat it by unrighteous oppression; therefore God will make it a caldron in a different sense, one not wherein they may be safe in their guilt, but "out of

Ezekiel 14:4 — 4. and cometh—and yet cometh, reigning himself to be a true worshipper of Jehovah. him that cometh—so the Hebrew Margin reads. But the Hebrew text reading is, "according to it, according to the multitude of his idols"; the anticipative clause with the

Ezekiel 26:14 — 14. He concludes in nearly the same words as he began (Ezekiel 26:4; Ezekiel 26:5). built no more—fulfilled as to the mainland Tyre, under Nebuchadnezzar. The insular Tyre recovered partly, after seventy years (Isaiah 23:17; Isaiah 23:18), but again

Ezekiel 31:3 — of the Assyrian, that Egypt may the better know what she must expect. cedar in Lebanon—often eighty feet high, and the diameter of the space covered by its boughs still greater: the symmetry perfect. Compare the similar image (Ezekiel 17:3; Daniel 4:20-22). with a shadowing shroud—with an overshadowing thicket. top . . . among . . . thick boughs—rather [HENGSTENBERG], "among the clouds." But English Version agrees better with the Hebrew. The top, or topmost shoot, represents the king; the thick

Daniel 2:4 — 4. Here begins the Chaldee portion of Daniel, which continues to the end of the seventh chapter. In it the course, character, and crisis of the Gentile power are treated; whereas, in the other parts, which are in Hebrew, the things treated apply more

Hosea 8:4 — 4. kings . . . not by me—not with My sanction (1 Kings 11:31; 1 Kings 12:20). Israel set up Jeroboam and his successors, whereas God had appointed the house of David as the rightful kings of the whole nation. I knew it not—I approved it not (Psalms

Hosea 9:4 — 4. offer wine offerings—literally, "pour as a libation (Exodus 30:9; Leviticus 23:13). neither shall they be pleasing unto him—as being offered on a profane soil. sacrifices . . . as the bread of mourners—which was unclean (Deuteronomy 26:14; Jeremiah