Bible Commentaries

Genesis 13:7 — gave the freedom of choice to Lot. The conduct of Abraham was not only disinterested and peaceable, but generous and condescending in an extraordinary degree, exemplifying the Scripture precepts (Matthew 6:32; Romans 12:10; Romans 12:11; Philippians 2:4).

Genesis 37:4 — 4. could not speak peaceably unto him—did not say "peace be to thee" [ :-, c.], the usual expression of good wishes among friends and acquaintances. It is deemed a sacred duty to give all this form of salutation and the withholding of it is an unmistakable

Exodus 14:22 — him, the immense number who through infancy and old age were incapable of hastening their movements, together with all the appurtenances of the camp, the strong and steadfast character of the leaders' faith was strikingly manifested (Joshua 2:10; Joshua 4:23; Psalms 66:6; Psalms 74:13; Psalms 106:9; Psalms 136:13; Isaiah 63:11-13; 1 Corinthians 10:1; Hebrews 11:29).

Exodus 36:37 — and more elegant than wooden doors. This chapter contains an instructive narrative: it is the first instance of donations made for the worship of God, given from the wages of the people's sufferings and toils. They were acceptable to God (Philippians 4:18), and if the Israelites showed such liberality, how much more should those whose privilege it is to live under the Christian dispensation (1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Corinthians 16:2).

1 Chronicles 16:4 — 4-6. he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord—No sooner was the ark deposited in its tent than the Levites, who were to officiate in the choirs before it, entered upon their duties. A select number of the musicians were

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

1 Chronicles 29:3 — 3, 4. Moreover . . . I have of mine own proper good, c.—In addition to the immense amount of gold and silver treasure which David had already bequeathed for various uses in the service of the temple, he now made an additional contribution destined to a specific

Psalms 119:105 — the sun. He would blind our eyes in our present fallen state; but we may bless God for the light shining as in a dark place, to guide us until the Sun of Righteousness shall come, and we shall be made capable of seeing Him (2 Peter 1:19; Revelation 22:4). The lamp is fed with the oil of the Spirit. The allusion is to the lamps and torches carried at night before an Eastern caravan.

Ecclesiastes 10:11 — 11. A "serpent will bite" if "enchantment" is not used; "and a babbling calumniator is no better." Therefore, as one may escape a serpent by charms (Psalms 58:4; Psalms 58:5), so one may escape the sting of a calumniator by discretion (Psalms 58:5- :), [HOLDEN]. Thus, "without enchantment" answers to "not whet the edge" (Ecclesiastes 10:10), both expressing, figuratively, want of judgment. MAURER translates,

Song of Solomon 5:4 — 4. A key in the East is usually a piece of wood with pegs in it corresponding to small holes in a wooden bolt within, and is put through a hole in the door, and thus draws the bolt. So Jesus Christ "puts forth His hand (namely, His Spirit, Ezekiel 3:14),

Isaiah 1:27 — redeemed—temporarily, civilly, and morally; type of the spiritual redemption by the price of Jesus Christ's blood (1 Peter 1:18; 1 Peter 1:19), the foundation of "judgment" and "righteousness," and so of pardon. The judgment and righteousness are God's first (Isaiah 42:21; Romans 3:26); so they become man's when "converted" (Romans 8:3; Romans 8:4); typified in the display of God's "justice," then exhibited in delivering His covenant-people, whereby justice or "righteousness" was produced in them. converts—so MAURER. But

Numbers 11:16 — 16, 17. the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders— (Exodus 3:16; Exodus 5:6; Exodus 24:9; Exodus 18:21; Exodus 18:24; Leviticus 4:15). An order of seventy was to be created, either by a selection from the existing staff of elders or by the appointment of new ones, empowered to assist him by their collective wisdom and experience in the

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

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, such slaves

John 15:1-27 — espiritualmente con Cristo, o estén adheridos a él sólo externa y mecánicamente. A los estériles él “quitará” (véase la nota acerca del v. 6); a los fructíferos “limpiará” (“podará”)—sacándoles como hace el labrador, todo lo que es espeso o exuberante (Marco 4:19), “para que lleve más fruto”; operación a menudo penosa, mas no menos necesaria y beneficiosa que en la labranza natural. Ya vosotros sois limpios (“por razón de”) la palabra que os he hablado—ya en una condición purificada y fructífera, en consecuencia

Joshua 18:4 — 4-9. Give out from among you three men for each tribe—Though the lot determined the part of the country where each tribe was to be located, it could not determine the extent of territory which might be required; and the dissatisfaction of the children

Joshua 20:4 — 4. he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city—It was the place of public resort, and on arriving there he related his tale of distress to the elders, who were bound to give him shelter and the means

1 Samuel 19:4 — 4-7. Jonathan spake good of David—He told his father he was committing a great sin to plot against the life of a man who had rendered the most invaluable services to his country and whose loyalty had been uniformly steady and devoted. The strong remonstrances

1 Samuel 31:1 — 1. Now the Philistines fought against Israel—In a regular engagement, in which the two armies met (1 Samuel 28:1-4), the Israelites were forced to give way, being annoyed by the arrows of the enemy, which, destroying them at a distance before they came to close combat, threw them into panic and disorder. Taking advantage of the heights of Mount Gilboa, [the Israelites]

1 Samuel 5:3 — 3, 4. they of Ashdod arose early—They were filled with consternation when they found the object of their stupid veneration prostrate before the symbol of the divine presence. Though set up, it fell again, and lay in a state of complete mutilation; its head