Bible Commentaries

Jeremiah 10:11 — words, "Thus shall ye say to them," are in Chaldee, and thinks it to be a marginal gloss. But it is found in all the oldest versions. It was an old Greek saying: "Whoever thinks himself a god besides the one God, let him make another world" (Psalms 96:5). shall perish— (Isaiah 2:18; Zechariah 13:2). these heavens—the speaker pointing to them with his fingers.

Jeremiah 27:7 — and Labosodarchod were not in the direct male line; so that the prophecy held good to "his son and his son's son," and the intermediate two are omitted. time of his land—that is, of its subjugation or its being "visited" in wrath (Jeremiah 27:22; Jeremiah 25:12; Jeremiah 29:10; Jeremiah 50:27; Daniel 5:26). serve themselves of him—make him their servant (Jeremiah 25:14; Isaiah 13:22). So "his day" for the destined day of his calamity (Isaiah 13:22- :).

Jeremiah 28:13 — to take up a light cross in our way, than to pull a heavier on our own heads. We may escape destroying providences by submitting to humbling providences. So, spiritually, contrast the "easy yoke" of Christ with the "yoke of bondage" of the law (Acts 15:10; Galatians 5:1).

Jeremiah 31:5 — 5. Samaria—the metropolis of the ten tribes; here equivalent to Israel. The mountainous nature of their country suited the growth of the vine. eat . . . as common—literally, "shall profane," that is, shall put to common use. For the first three years

Jeremiah 41:5 — 5. beards shaven, c.—indicating their deep sorrow at the destruction of the temple and city. cut themselves—a heathen custom, forbidden (Leviticus 19:27 Leviticus 19:28; Deuteronomy 14:1). These men were mostly from Samaria, where the ten tribes, previous

Lamentations 2:1 — (Matthew 11:23); dashed down from the highest prosperity to the lowest misery. beauty of Israel—the beautiful temple (Psalms 29:2; Psalms 74:7; Psalms 96:9, Margin; Isaiah 60:7; Isaiah 64:11). his footstool—the ark (compare 1 Chronicles 28:2; Psalms 99:5; Psalms 132:7). They once had gloried more in the ark than in the God whose symbol it was; they now feel it was but His "footstool," yet that it had been a great glory to them that God deigned to use it as such. Beth.

Ezekiel 33:21 — 21. twelfth year . . . tenth month—a year and a half after the capture of the city (Jeremiah 39:2; Jeremiah 52:5; Jeremiah 52:6), in the eleventh year and fourth month. The one who escaped (as foretold, Ezekiel 24:26) may have been so long on the road through fear of entering the enemy's country [HENDERSON]; or, the singular is used for the plural in a collective

Ezekiel 34:26 — 26. them and the places round about my hill—The Jews, and Zion, God's hill ( :-), are to be sources of blessing, not merely to themselves, but to the surrounding heathen (Isaiah 19:24; Isaiah 56:6; Isaiah 56:7; Isaiah 60:3; Micah 5:7; Zechariah 8:13). The literal fulfilment is, however, the primary one, though the spiritual also is designed. In correspondence with the settled reign of righteousness internally, all is to be prosperity externally,

Ezekiel 35:14 — 14. (Isaiah 65:13; Isaiah 65:14). "The whole earth" refers to Judea and the nations that submit themselves to Judea's God; when these rejoice, the foes of God and His people, represented by Edom as a nation, shall be desolate. Things shall be completely reversed;

Ezekiel 36:26 — 26. new heart—mind and will. spirit—motive and principle of action. stony heart—unimpressible in serious things; like the "stony ground" (Matthew 13:5; Matthew 13:20), unfit for receiving the good seed so as to bring forth fruit. heart of flesh—not "carnal" in opposition to "spiritual"; but impressible and docile, fit for receiving the good seed. In Matthew 13:20- : they are commanded, "Make you

Ezekiel 43:9 — but as "carcasses." Hence these defunct kings are associated with the "high places" in Isaiah 26:13- : [FAIRBAIRN]. Leviticus 26:30; Jeremiah 16:18, confirm this. Manasseh had built altars in the courts of the temple to the host of heaven (2 Kings 21:5; 2 Kings 23:6). I will dwell in the midst . . . for ever— (Revelation 21:3).

Daniel 1:4 — written in the East. As Moses was trained in the learning of the Egyptian sages, so Daniel in that of the Chaldeans, to familiarize his mind with mysterious lore, and so develop his heaven-bestowed gift of understanding in visions (Daniel 1:4 Daniel 1:5; Daniel 1:17).

Daniel 8:2 — Shushan—Susa. Though then comparatively insignificant, it was destined to be the capital of Persia after Cyrus' time. Therefore Daniel is transported into it, as being the capital of the kingdom signified by the two-horned ram (Nehemiah 1:1; Esther 1:2-5). Elam—west of Persia proper, east of Babylonia, south of Media. Daniel was not present there personally, but in vision. Ulai—called in PLINY Euloeligus; by the Greeks, Choaspes. Now Kerah, or Karasu. So in Esther 1:2-17.1.5- : he receives a vision

Daniel 9:16 — righteousness—not stern justice in punishing, but Thy faithfulness to Thy promises of mercy to them who trust in Thee (Psalms 31:1; Psalms 143:1). thy city—chosen as Thine in the election of grace, which changes not. for . . . iniquities of . . . fathers— (Exodus 20:5). He does not impugn God's justice in this, as did the murmurers (Ezekiel 18:2; Ezekiel 18:3; compare Ezekiel 18:3- :). thy people . . . a reproach—which brings reproach on Thy name. "All the nations that are about us" will say that Thou, Jehovah,

Hosea 11:3 — 3. taught . . . to go—literally, "to use his feet." Compare a similar image, Deuteronomy 1:31; Deuteronomy 8:2; Deuteronomy 8:5; Deuteronomy 8:15; Deuteronomy 32:10; Deuteronomy 32:11; Nehemiah 9:21; Isaiah 63:9; Amos 2:10. God bore them as a parent does an infant, unable to supply itself, so that it has no anxiety about food, raiment, and its going forth. Amos 2:10- :, which

Hosea 6:5 — 5. I hewed them by the prophets—that is, I announced by the prophets that they should be hewn asunder, like trees of the forest. God identifies His act with that of His prophets; the word being His instrument for executing His will (Jeremiah 1:10; Ezekiel

Amos 4:1 — and wanton cattle such as the rich pasture of Bashan (east of Jordan, between Hermon and Gilead) was famed for (Deuteronomy 32:14; Psalms 22:12; Ezekiel 39:18). Figurative for those luxurious nobles mentioned, Amos 3:9; Amos 3:10; Amos 3:12; Amos 3:15. The feminine, kine, or cows, not bulls, expresses their effeminacy. This accounts for masculine forms in the Hebrew being intermixed with feminine; the latter being figurative, the former the real persons meant. say to their masters—that is, to their

Obadiah 1:12 — Version agrees with the context better. the day of thy brother—his day of calamity. became a stranger—that is, was banished as an alien from his own land. God sends heavy calamities on those who rejoice in the calamities of their enemies (Proverbs 17:5; Proverbs 24:17; Proverbs 24:18). Contrast the opposite conduct of David and of the divine Son of David in a like case (Proverbs 24:18- :). spoken proudly—literally, "made great the mouth"; proudly insulting the fallen (Proverbs 24:18- :, Margin;

Obadiah 1:18 — 18. fire—See the same figure, Numbers 21:28; Isaiah 5:24; Isaiah 10:17. house of Jacob . . . Joseph—that is, the two kingdoms, Judah and Ephraim or Israel [JEROME]. The two shall form one kingdom, their former feuds being laid aside (Isaiah 11:12; Isaiah 11:13; Isaiah 37:22-28; Jeremiah 3:18; Hosea 1:11). The

Habakkuk 1:8 — straight on: you would fancy it was flying through the air." more fierce—rather, "more keen"; literally, "sharp." evening wolves—wolves famished with fasting all day and so most keen in attacking the fold under covert of the approaching night (Jeremiah 5:6; Zephaniah 3:3; compare Zephaniah 3:3- :). Hence "twilight" is termed in Arabic and Persian "the wolf's tail"; and in French, entre chien et loup. spread themselves—proudly; as in Jeremiah 50:11; Malachi 4:2, it implies strength and vigor. So also