Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 3:5 — 5. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream—It was probably at the close of this season, when his mind had been elevated into a high state of religious fervor by the protracted services. Solomon felt an intense desire, and he had offered an earnest

1 Chronicles 28:4 — 4, 5. he hath chosen Solomon—The spirit of David's statement is this:—It was not my ambition, my valor, or my merit that led to the enthronement of myself and family; it was the grace of God which chose the tribe, the family, the person—myself in the first

Ezra 2:1 — 1. children of the province—that is, Judea (Ezra 5:8), so called as being now reduced from an illustrious, independent, and powerful kingdom to an obscure, servile, tributary province of the Persian empire. This name is applied by the sacred historian to intimate that the Jewish exiles, though now released

Job 1:7 — 7. going to and fro—rather, "hurrying rapidly to and fro." The original idea in Arabic is the heat of haste (Matthew 12:43; 1 Peter 5:8). Satan seems to have had some peculiar connection with this earth. Perhaps he was formerly its ruler under God. Man succeeded to the vice royalty (Genesis 1:26; Psalms 8:6). Man then lost it and Satan became prince of this world. The Son of man (Psalms

Job 35:10 — 10-13. But the reason is that the innocent sufferers often do not humbly seek God for succor; so to their "pride" is to be laid the blame of their ruin; also because (Job 35:13-16) they, as Job, instead of waiting God's time in pious trust, are prone to despair of His justice, when it is not immediately visible (Job 35:13-18.35.16- :). If the sufferer would apply to God with a humbled, penitent spirit, He would hear. Where,

Ecclesiastes 12:13 — God—The antidote to following creature idols, and "vanities," whether self-righteousness (Ecclesiastes 7:16; Ecclesiastes 7:18), or wicked oppression and other evils (Ecclesiastes 8:12; Ecclesiastes 8:13), or mad mirth (Ecclesiastes 2:2; Ecclesiastes 7:2-5), or self-mortifying avarice (Ecclesiastes 8:13; Ecclesiastes 8:17), or youth spent without God (Ecclesiastes 11:9; Ecclesiastes 12:1). this is the whole duty of man—literally, "this is the whole man," the full ideal of man, as originally contemplated,

Ecclesiastes 9:5 — 5. know that they shall die—and may thereby be led "so to number their days, that they may apply their hearts to wisdom" (Ecclesiastes 7:1-4; Psalms 90:12). dead know not anything—that is, so far as their bodily senses and worldly affairs are concerned

Isaiah 28:29 — 29. This also—The skill wherewith the husbandman duly adjusts his modes of threshing is given by God, as well as the skill ( :-) wherewith he tills and sows (Isaiah 28:24; Isaiah 28:25). Therefore He must also be able to adapt His modes of treatment to the several moral needs of His creatures. His object in sending tribulation (derived from the Latin tribulum, a "threshing instrument," Luke 22:31; Romans 5:3) is to sever the moral chaff

Isaiah 31:5 — 5. As in the image of "the lion," the point of comparison is the fearless might of Jehovah; so in that of the birds, it is His solicitous affection (Deuteronomy 32:11; Psalms 91:4; Matthew 23:37). flying—Rather, "which defend" their young with their

Isaiah 34:8 — when God will retaliate on those who have contended with Zion. Her controversy is His. Edom had thought to extend its borders by laying hold of its neighbor's lands and has instigated Babylon to cruelty towards fallen Judah (Psalms 137:7; Ezekiel 36:5); therefore Edom shall suffer the same herself (Lamentations 4:21; Lamentations 4:22). The final winding up of the controversy between God and all enemies of Him and His people is also foreshadowed (Isaiah 61:2; Isaiah 63:4; Isaiah 66:14-16; Malachi

Isaiah 5:25 — 25. anger . . . kindled— (2 Kings 22:13; 2 Kings 22:17). hills . . . tremble—This probably fixes the date of this chapter, as it refers to the earthquake in the days of Uzziah (Amos 1:1; Zechariah 14:5). The earth trembled as if conscious of the presence

Isaiah 6:7 — 7. mouth . . . lips—(See on Isaiah 6:5). The mouth was touched because it was the part to be used by the prophet when inaugurated. So "tongues of fire" rested on the disciples (Acts 2:3; Acts 2:4) when they were being set apart to speak in various languages of Jesus. iniquity—conscious unworthiness

Isaiah 65:1 — have granted access unto Me to them," c. (so :-, "Should I be inquired of" :-). found— :- renders this, "I was made manifest." As an instance of the sentiment in the clause, "I am sought," c., see John 12:21 of the sentiment in this clause, Acts 9:5. Compare as to the Gentile converts, Ephesians 2:12; Ephesians 2:13. Behold me— (Ephesians 2:13- :). nation . . . not called by my name—that is, the Gentiles. God retorts in their own words (Ephesians 2:13- :) that their plea as being exclusively

Jeremiah 11:5 — 5. oath— (Psalms 105:9; Psalms 105:10). a land flowing with milk and honey—(See on Psalms 105:10- :). as it is this day—These are the concluding words of God to the Israelites when formerly brought out of Egypt, "Obey . . . that I may at this time make

Jeremiah 13:16 — God, that you revere His majesty. So Joshua exhorted Achan to "give glory to God" by confessing his crime, thereby showing he revered the All-knowing God. stumble—image from travellers stumbling into a fatal abyss when overtaken by nightfall (Isaiah 5:30 Isaiah 59:9; Isaiah 59:10; Amos 8:9). dark mountains—literally, "mountains of twilight" or "gloom," which cast such a gloomy shadow that the traveller stumbles against an opposing rock before he sees it (John 11:10; John 12:35). shadow of death—the densest

Deuteronomy 10:4 — 4, 5. he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing—that is, not Moses, who under the divine direction acted as amanuensis, but God Himself who made this inscription a second time with His own hand, to testify the importance He attached to the ten

Deuteronomy 15:12 — 12. if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee—The last extremity of an insolvent debtor, when his house or land was not sufficient to cancel his debt, was to be sold as a slave with his family (Leviticus 25:39; 2 Kings 4:1; Nehemiah 5:1-13; Job 24:9; Matthew 18:25). The term of servitude could not last beyond six years. They obtained their freedom either after six years from the time of their sale or before the end of the seventh year. At the year of jubilee,

Joshua 7:5 — 5. chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim—that is, unto the "breakings" or "fissures" at the opening of the passes. and smote them in the going down—that is, the declivity or slope of the deep, rugged, adjoining wady. wherefore the hearts

1 Samuel 13:5 — 5. The Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen—Either this number must include chariots of every kind—or the word "chariots" must mean the men fighting in them (2 Samuel 10:18; 1

2 Samuel 19:5 — 5. Thou hast shamed . . . the faces of all thy servants—by withdrawing thyself to indulge in grief, as if their services were disagreeable and their devotion irksome to thee. Instead of hailing their return with joy and gratitude, thou hast refused them