Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 10:27 — 27. his burden—the Assyrians' oppression (Isaiah 9:3). Judah was still tributary to Assyria; Hezekiah had not yet revolted, as he did in the beginning of Sennacherib's reign. because of— (Isaiah 9:3- :). the anointing—namely, "Messiah" (Daniel 9:24). Just as in Isaiah 9:4-6, the "breaking of the yoke of" the enemies' "burden and staff" is attributed to Messiah, "For unto us a child is born," c., so it is here. MAURER not so well translates, "Because of the fatness" an image of the Assyrians fierce

Isaiah 11 overview — temporary national subject, with which he began, but the glories described pertain to Messiah's reign. Hezekiah cannot, as some think, be the subject; for he was already come, whereas the "stem of Jesse" was yet future ("shall come") (compare Micah 4:11; Micah 5:1; Micah 5:2; Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 23:6; Jeremiah 33:15; Jeremiah 33:16; Romans 15:12).

Isaiah 16:2 — 2. cast out of . . . nest—rather, "as a brood cast out" (in apposition with "a wandering bird," or rather, wandering birds), namely, a brood just fledged and expelled from the nest in which they were hatched [HORSLEY]. Compare Isaiah 10:14; Deuteronomy 32:11. daughters of Moab—that is, the inhabitants of Moab. So 2 Kings 19:21; Psalms 48:11; Jeremiah 46:11; Lamentations 4:22 [MAURER]. at the fords—trying to cross the boundary river of Moab, in order to escape out of the land. EWALD

Isaiah 3:16 — wanton—rather, "making the eyes to glance about," namely, wantonly (Psalms 75:5- :) [MAURER]. But LOWTH, "falsely setting off the eyes with paint." Women's eyelids in the East are often colored with stibium, or powder of lead (see on Psalms 75:5- : Jeremiah 4:30, Margin). mincing—tripping with short steps. tinkling—with their ankle-rings on both feet, joined by small chains, which sound as they walk, and compel them to take short steps; sometimes little bells were attached (Isaiah 3:18; Isaiah 3:20).

Isaiah 30:1 — 1. take counsel—rather, as Isaiah 30:4; Isaiah 30:6 imply, "execute counsels." cover . . . covering—that is, wrap themselves in reliances disloyal towards Jehovah. "Cover" thus answers to "seek to hide deeply their counsel from the Lord" (Isaiah 29:15). But the Hebrew is literally, "who

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 wings; "to fly" is a secondary meaning of the Hebrew word [MAURER]. "Hovering over" to protect their young [G. V. SMITH]. passing over—as the destroying angel passing over, so as

Isaiah 44:9 — 9. (Isaiah 40:18; Isaiah 40:20; Isaiah 41:29). delectable things—the idols in which they take such pride and delight. not profit— (Isaiah 41:29- :). they are their own witnesses—contrasted with, "Ye are My witnesses" (Isaiah 44:8). "They," that is, both the

Isaiah 57:2 — persecutions which he suffered in this world (Job 3:13; Job 3:17). The Margin not so well translates, "he shall go in peace" (Psalms 37:37; Luke 2:29). rest—the calm rest of their bodies in their graves (called "beds," Luke 2:29- :; compare Isaiah 14:18; because they "sleep" in them, with the certainty of awakening at the resurrection, Isaiah 14:18- :) is the emblem of the eternal "rest" (Hebrews 4:9; Revelation 14:13). each one walking in . . . uprightness—This clause defines the character of

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 of acting as God's messenger. purged—literally, "covered," that is, expiated, not by any physical effect of fire to cleanse from sin, but in

Jeremiah 13:4 — 4. Euphrates—In order to support the view that Jeremiah's act was outward, HENDERSON considers that the Hebrew Phrath here is Ephratha, the original name of Beth-lehem, six miles south of Jerusalem, a journey easy to be made by Jeremiah. The non-addition

Jeremiah 3:6 — of Israel's doom, and yet promises Israel final restoration; the latter a threat of Babylonian invasion; as Nabopolassar founded the Babylonian empire, 625 B.C., the seventeenth of Josiah, this prophecy is perhaps not earlier than that date (Jeremiah 4:5; Jeremiah 5:14; Jeremiah 6:1; Jeremiah 22:1-30); and probably not later than the second thorough reformation in the eighteenth year of the same reign. backsliding—literally, "apostasy"; not merely apostate, but apostasy itself, the essence of it

Jeremiah 31:6 — mountain, but the whole mountainous region of the ten tribes. our God—from whom we formerly revolted, but who is now our God. An earnest of that good time to come is given in the partial success of the gospel in its first preaching in Samaria (John 4:1-42; Acts 8:5-25).

Jeremiah 45 overview — CHAPTER 45 :-. JEREMIAH COMFORTS BARUCH. After the completion of the prophecies and histories appertaining to the Jewish people and kings, Jeremiah subjoins one referring to an individual, Baruch; even as there are subjoined to the epistles of Paul addressed

Jeremiah 51:3 — 3. Against him that bendeth—namely, the bow; that is, the Babylonian archer. let the archer bend—that is, the Persian archer (Jeremiah 50:4). The Chaldean version and JEROME, by changing the vowel points, read, "Let not him (the Babylonian) who bendeth his bow bend it." But the close of the verse is addressed to the Median invaders; therefore it is more likely that the first part of the

Jeremiah 8:7 — are never at rest, yet show a steady sagacity, which God's people do not. times—namely, of migrating, and of returning. my people—This honorable title aggravates the unnatural perversity of the Jews towards their God. know not, c.— (Jeremiah 5:4 Jeremiah 5:5; Isaiah 1:3).

Ezekiel 16:4 — 4. Israel's helplessness in her first struggling into national existence, under the image of an infant (Hosea 2:3) cast forth without receiving the commonest acts of parental regard. Its very life was a miracle (Hosea 2:3- :). navel . . . not cut—Without proper

Ezekiel 26:3 — 3, 4. nations . . . as the sea . . . waves—In striking contrast to the boasting of Tyre, God threatens to bring against her Babylon's army levied from "many nations," even as the Mediterranean waves that dashed against her rock-founded city on all sides.

Ezekiel 29:11 — overthrow by Nebuchadnezzar and the deliverance by Cyrus, was about forty years. The ideal forty years' wilderness state of social and political degradation, rather than a literal non-passing of man or beast for that term, is mainly intended (so Ezekiel 4:6; Isaiah 19:2; Isaiah 19:11).

Ezekiel 5:2 — in :- being explained in Ezekiel 5:12 to mean pestilence and famine); that which remained was to be scattered among the nations. A few only of the last portion were to escape, symbolized by the hairs bound in Ezekiel's skirts (Ezekiel 5:3; Jeremiah 40:6; Jeremiah 52:16). Even of these some were to be thrown into the fiery ordeal again (Ezekiel 5:4; Jeremiah 41:1; Jeremiah 41:2; Jeremiah 44:14, &c.). The "skirts" being able to contain but few express that extreme limit to which God's goodness

Hosea 2:18 — being by being subject to God. To be realized fully in millennial times ( :-). break the bow . . . out of the earth—rather, "out of the land"; that is, I will break and remove war out of the earth ( :-); and "out of the land" of Israel first (Isaiah 2:4; Ezekiel 39:9; Ezekiel 39:10; Zechariah 9:9; Zechariah 9:10). lie down—A reclining posture is the usual one with Orientals when not in action. safely— (Zechariah 9:10- :).