Bible Commentaries

Ezekiel 7:10 — 10. rod . . . blossomed, pride . . . budded—The "rod" is the Chaldean Nebuchadnezzar, the instrument of God's vengeance (Isaiah 10:5; Jeremiah 51:20). The rod sprouting (as the word ought to be translated), c., implies that God does not move precipitately, but in successive steps. He as it were has planted the ministers of His vengeance, and leaves them to grow till all is ripe for

Hosea 7:14 — 14. not cried unto me—but unto other gods [MAURER], (Job 35:9; Job 35:10). Or, they did indeed cry unto Me, but not "with their heart": answering to "lies," Job 35:10- : (see on Hosea 7:13). when they howled upon their beds—sleepless with anxiety; image of deep affliction. Their cry is termed "howling," as

Joel 2:30 — destruction [JOSEPHUS, Wars of the Jews]. To these the language here may allude; but the figures chiefly symbolize political revolutions and changes in the ruling powers of the world, prognosticated by previous disasters (Amos 8:9; Matthew 24:29; Luke 21:25-27), and convulsions such as preceded the overthrow of the Jewish polity. Such shall probably occur in a more appalling degree before the final destruction of the ungodly world ("the great and terrible day of Jehovah," compare Malachi 4:5), of which

Amos 1:4 — "Shalmanubar," king of Assyria. The kind of tribute from Jehu is mentioned: gold, pearls, precious oil, c. [G. V. SMITH]. The Ben-hadad here is the son of Hazael (2 Kings 13:3), not the Ben-hadad supplanted and slain by Hazael (2 Kings 8:7 2 Kings 8:15). The phrase, "I will send a fire," that is, the flame of war (2 Kings 8:15- :), occurs also in Amos 1:7; Amos 1:10; Amos 1:12; Amos 1:14; Amos 2:2; Amos 2:5; Jeremiah 49:27; Hosea 8:14.

Amos 4:6 — 6-11. Jehovah details His several chastisements inflicted with a view to reclaiming them: but adds to each the same sad result, "yet have ye not returned unto Me" (Isaiah 9:13; Jeremiah 5:3; Hosea 7:10); the monotonous repetition of the same burden marking their pitiable obstinacy. cleanness of teeth—explained by the parallel, "want of bread." The famine alluded to is that mentioned in 2 Kings 8:1 [GROTIUS]. Where there is no food

Amos 7:4 — Tiglath-pileser [GROTIUS]. devoured the . . . deep—that is, a great part of Israel, whom he carried away. Waters are the symbol for many people (Numbers 21:28- :). did eat up a part—namely, all the land (compare Amos 4:7) of Israel east of Jordan (1 Chronicles 5:26; Isaiah 9:1). This was a worse judgment than the previous one: the locusts ate up the grass: the fire not only affects the surface of the ground, but burns up the very roots and reaches even to the deep.

Micah 1:5 — 5. For the transgression of Jacob is all this—All these terrors attending Jehovah's coming are caused by the sins of Jacob or Israel, that is, the whole people. What is the transgression of Jacob?—Taking up the question often in the mouths of the people when

Micah 2:13 — 13. The breaker—Jehovah-Messiah, who breaks through every obstacle in the way of their restoration: not as formerly breaking forth to destroy them for transgression (Exodus 19:22; Judges 21:15), but breaking a way for them through their enemies. they—the returning Israelites and Jews. passed through the gate—that is, through the gate of the foe's city in which they had been captives. So the image of the resurrection (Judges 21:15- :)

Micah 2:6 — ministry they might have been saved from shame (ignominious captivity), shall not (that is, no longer) prophesy to them" (Isaiah 30:10; Amos 2:12; Amos 7:16). MAURER translates the latter clause, "they shall not prophesy of such things" (as in Micah 2:3-5, these being rebellious Israel's words); "let them not prophesy"; "they never cease from insult" (from prophesying insults to us). English Version is supported by the parallelism: wherein the similarity of sound and word implies how exactly God makes

Zechariah 3:5 — 5. And I said—Here the prophet, rejoicing at the change of raiment so far made, interposes to ask for the crowning assurance that the priesthood would be fully restored, namely, the putting the miter or priestly turban on Joshua: its fair color symbolizing

Zechariah 5:3 — corrupted conscience, written on their hearts ( :-). cut off—literally, "cleared away." as on this side . . . as on that side—both sides of the roll [VATABLUS]. From this place . . . from this place (repeated twice, as "the house" is repeated in Zechariah 5:4) [MAURER]; so "hence" is used, Genesis 37:17 (or, "on this and on that side," that is, on every side) [HENDERSON]. None can escape, sin where he may: for God from one side to the other shall call all without exception to judgment [CALVIN]. God will

Matthew 10:5 — 5. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not—The Samaritans were Gentiles by blood; but being the descendants of those whom the king of Assyria had

Matthew 4:5 — 5. Then the devil taketh him up—rather, "conducteth Him." into the holy city—so called (as in Isaiah 48:2; Nehemiah 11:1) from its being "the city of the Great King," the seat of the temple, the metropolis of all Jewish worship. and setteth him on

Mark 16:5 — 5. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man—In :- he is called "the angel of the Lord"; but here he is described as he appeared to the eye, in the bloom of a life that knows no decay. In Matthew he is represented as sitting on the stone outside

Luke 12:5 — 5. Fear Him . . . Fear Him—how striking the repetition here! Only the one fear would effectually expel the other. after he hath killed, c.—Learn here—(1) To play false with one's convictions to save one's life, may fail of its end after all, for God

Acts 17:30 — where to repent—(compare Colossians 1:6 Colossians 1:23; Titus 1:11) —a tacit allusion to the narrow precincts of favored Judaism, within which immediate and entire repentance was ever urged. The word "repentance" is here used (as in Luke 13:3; Luke 13:5; Luke 15:10) in its most comprehensive sense of "repentance unto life."

Romans 6:1 — been made. Against the doctrine of a purely gratuitous justification, the objection is plausible nor has there ever been an age in which it has not been urged. That it was brought against the apostles, we know from :-; and we gather from Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 2:16; Judges 1:4, that some did give occasion to the charge; but that it was a total perversion of the doctrine of Grace the apostle here proceeds to show.

1 Corinthians 3:9 — "God" thrice repeated, requires, "For (in proof that "each shall receive reward according to his own labor," namely, from God) it is of God that we are the fellow workers (laboring with, but under, and belonging to Him as His servants, 2 Corinthians 5:20; 2 Corinthians 6:1; compare 2 Corinthians 6:1- :; see on 2 Corinthians 6:1- :) of God that ye are the field (or tillage), of God that ye are the building" [ALFORD]. "Building" is a new image introduced here, as suited better than that of husbandry,

1 Corinthians 8:6 — the "many lords" of heathendom (Hebrews 2:10- :). by whom— (John 1:3; Hebrews 1:2). we by him—as all things are "of" the Father by creation, so they (we believers especially) are restored to Him by the new creation (Colossians 1:20; Revelation 21:5). Also, as all things are by Christ by creation, so they (we especially) are restored by Him by the new creation.

2 Corinthians 8:2 — riches of liberality" (not as Margin, "simplicity"; though the idea of singleness of motive to God's glory and man's good, probably enters into the idea); (compare Romans 12:8, and Margin; 2 Corinthians 9:11, Margin; see on 2 Corinthians 9:13; James 1:5).