Bible Commentaries

Genesis 37:3 — wise son"—one who possessed observation and wisdom above his years—an old head on young shoulders. made him a coat of many colors—formed in those early days by sewing together patches of colored cloth, and considered a dress of distinction (Judges 5:30; 2 Samuel 13:18). The passion for various colors still reigns among the Arabs and other people of the East, who are fond of dressing their children in this gaudy attire. But since the art of interweaving various patterns was introduced, "the coats

Exodus 12:15 — 15. Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread, &c.—This was to commemorate another circumstance in the departure of the Israelites, who were urged to leave so hurriedly that their dough was unleavened ( :-), and they had to eat unleavened cakes ( :-).

Exodus 19:16 — thunder and lightning, more awful amid the deep stillness of the region and reverberating with terrific peals among the mountains, would rouse the universal attention a thick cloud was an apt emblem of the dark and shadowy dispensation (compare Matthew 17:5). the voice of a trumpet—This gave the scene the character of a miraculous transaction, in which other elements than those of nature were at work, and some other than material trumpet was blown by other means than human breath.

Exodus 31:3 — 3-5. I have filled him with the spirit of God—It is probable that he was naturally endowed with a mechanical genius, and had acquired in Egypt great knowledge and skill in the useful, as well as liberal, arts so as to be a first-class artisan, competent

1 Kings 5:13 — 13. Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel—The renewed notice of Solomon's divine gift of wisdom (1 Kings 5:12) is evidently introduced to prepare for this record of the strong but prudent measures he took towards the accomplishment of his work. So great a stretch of arbitrary power as is implied in this compulsory levy would have raised great discontent,

2 Kings 25:4 — 4. the city was broken up—that is, a breach was effected, as we are elsewhere informed, in a part of the wall belonging to the lower city (2 Chronicles 32:5; 2 Chronicles 33:14). the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's garden—The king's garden was (2 Chronicles 33:14- :) at the pool of Siloam, that is, at the mouth of the Tyropæon. A trace of the outermost

2 Chronicles 11:5 — 5-11. built cities for defence in Judah—This is evidently used as the name of the southern kingdom. Rehoboam, having now a bitter enemy in Israel, deemed it prudent to lose no time in fortifying several cities that lay along the frontier of his kingdom.

Ezra 1:5 — 5, 6. Then rose up the chief of the fathers, &c.—The paternal and ecclesiastical chiefs of the later captivity, those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with some also from other tribes (1 Chronicles 9:3), who retained their attachment to the pure

Leviticus 5:17 — it; but should a dish happen to have been at table in which he had reason to suspect some portion of that meat was intermingled, and he had, inadvertently, partaken of that unlawful viand, he was bound to bring a ram as a trespass offering [Leviticus 5:16]. These provisions were all designed to impress the conscience with the sense of responsibility to God and keep alive on the hearts of the people a salutary fear of doing any secret wrong.

Numbers 10:2 — were of solid silver—so as, from the purity of the metal, to give a shrill, distinct sound; and there were two of them, probably because there were only two sons of Aaron; but at a later period the number was greatly increased (Joshua 6:8; 2 Chronicles 5:12). And although the camp comprehended 2,500,000 of people, two trumpets would be quite sufficient, for sound is conveyed easily through the pure atmosphere and reverberated strongly among the valleys of the Sinaitic hills.

Numbers 15:38 — narrow strips, in a wing-like form, wrapped over the shoulders and on various parts of the attire. "Fringe," however, is the English rendering of two distinct Hebrew words—the one meaning a narrow lappet or edging, called the "hem" or "border" (Matthew 23:5; Luke 8:44), which, in order to make it more attractive to the eye and consequently more serviceable to the purpose described, was covered with a riband of blue or rather purple color; the other term signifies strings with tassels at the end, fastened

Numbers 16:5 — 5-11. he spake unto Korah and unto all his company—They were first addressed, not only because they were a party headed by his own cousin and Moses might hope to have more influence in that quarter, but because they were stationed near the tabernacle;

Numbers 16:8 — 5-11. he spake unto Korah and unto all his company—They were first addressed, not only because they were a party headed by his own cousin and Moses might hope to have more influence in that quarter, but because they were stationed near the tabernacle;

Nahum 1:1-15 — PERO MISERICORDIOSO A SU PUEBLO CREYENTE, DEBIERA INSPIRARLES LA CONFIANZA. NO PERMITIRA QUE LOS ASIRIOS LOS ATAQUEN OTRA VEZ. SINO QUE DESTRUIRA AL ENEMIGO. 1. Carga de Nínive—La condenación profética de Nínive. Nahum profetizó contra aquella ciudad 150 años después de Jonás. 2. celoso—en esta palabra hay severidad. y no obstante, tierno afecto. Nosotros somos celosos solamente de los que amamos: el marido de la esposa; un rey, de la lealtad de sus súbditos. Dios es celoso de los hombres, porque

Deuteronomy 25:5 — 5-10. the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother . . . shall take her to him to wife—This usage existed before the age of Moses (Genesis 38:8). But the Mosaic law rendered the custom obligatory (Genesis 38:8- :)

Deuteronomy 5:14 — reason was specially mentioned on this repetition of the law, to secure the privilege of sabbatic rest to servants, of which, in some Hebrew families, they had been deprived. In this view, the allusion to the period of Egyptian bondage (Deuteronomy 5:15), when they themselves were not permitted to observe the Sabbath either as a day of rest or of public devotion, was peculiarly seasonable and significant, well fitted to come home to their business and bosoms.

Judges 1:5 — 5, 6. Bezek—This place lay within the domain of Judah, about twelve miles south of Jerusalem. found Adoni-bezek—that is, "lord of Bezek"—he was "found," that is, surprised and routed in a pitched battle, whence he fled; but being taken prisoner, he

Judges 15:4 — 4, 5. went and caught three hundred foxes—rather, "jackals"; an animal between a wolf and a fox, which, unlike our fox, a solitary creature, prowls in large packs or herds and abounds in the mountains of Palestine. The collection of so great a number would

Ruth 1:2 — 2. Elimelech—signifies "My God is king." Naomi—"fair or pleasant"; and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, are supposed to be the same as Joash and Saraph ( :-). Ephrathites—The ancient name of Beth-lehem was Ephrath (Genesis 35:19; Genesis 48:7), which was continued after the occupation of the land by the Hebrews, even down to the time of the prophet Micah (Micah 5:2). Beth-lehem-judah—so called to distinguish it from a town of the same name in Zebulun. The family, compelled

1 Samuel 10:1 — nations. But there were two unctions to the kingly office; the one in private, by a prophet ( :-), which was meant to be only a prophetic intimation of the person attaining that high dignity—the more public and formal inauguration (2 Samuel 2:4; 2 Samuel 5:3) was performed by the high priest, and perhaps with the holy oil, but that is not certain. The first of a dynasty was thus anointed, but not his heirs, unless the succession was disputed (1 Kings 1:39; 2 Kings 11:12; 2 Kings 23:30; 2 Chronicles 23:11).