Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 1:2 — sent to consult Baalzebub, that is, the god of flies, who was considered the patron deity of medicine. A temple to that idol was erected at Ekron, which was resorted to far and wide, though it afterwards led to the destruction of the place (Zechariah 9:5; Amos 1:8; Zephaniah 2:4). "After visiting Ekron, 'the god of flies' is a name that gives me no surprise. The flies there swarmed, in fact so innumerably, that I could hardly get any food without these troublesome insects getting into it" [VAN DE VELDE].

2 Kings 1:6 — sent to consult Baalzebub, that is, the god of flies, who was considered the patron deity of medicine. A temple to that idol was erected at Ekron, which was resorted to far and wide, though it afterwards led to the destruction of the place (Zechariah 9:5; Amos 1:8; Zephaniah 2:4). "After visiting Ekron, 'the god of flies' is a name that gives me no surprise. The flies there swarmed, in fact so innumerably, that I could hardly get any food without these troublesome insects getting into it" [VAN DE VELDE].

Psalms 40:12 — calamities in the wide sense. This meaning of the word is very common (Psalms 31:11; Psalms 38:4; compare Psalms 38:4- :, Cain's punishment; Psalms 38:4- :, that of Sodom; Psalms 38:4- :, of the witch of En-dor; also 2 Samuel 16:12; Job 19:29; Isaiah 5:18; Isaiah 53:11). This meaning of the word is also favored by the clause, "taken hold of me," which follows, which can be said appropriately of sufferings, but not of sins (compare Job 27:20; Psalms 69:24). Thus, the difficulties in referring this

Ecclesiastes 7:1 — and garment are scented, and only for a time. The "name" given by God to His child (Revelation 3:12) is for ever and in all lands. So in the case of the woman who received an everlasting name from Jesus Christ, in reward for her precious ointment (Isaiah 56:5; Mark 14:3-9). Jesus Christ Himself hath such a name, as the Messiah, equivalent to Anointed (Mark 14:3-41.14.9- :). and the day of [his] death, c.—not a general censure upon God for creating man but, connected with the previous clause, death is

Song of Solomon 2:12 — The mention of the "turtle's" cooing better accords with our text. The turtledove is migratory (Jeremiah 8:7- :), and "comes" early in May; emblem of love, and so of the Holy Ghost. Love, too, shall be the keynote of the "new song" hereafter (Isaiah 35:10; Revelation 1:5; Revelation 14:3; Revelation 19:6). In the individual believer now, joy and love are here set forth in their earlier manifestations (Mark 4:28).

Song of Solomon 2:3 — 3. Her reply. apple—generic including the golden citron, pomegranate, and orange apple (Proverbs 25:11). He combines the shadow and fragrance of the citron with the sweetness of the orange and pomegranate fruit. The foliage is perpetual; throughout the year a succession of blossoms, fruit, and perfume (James 1:17). among the sons—parallel to "among

Isaiah 16:3 — 3-5. GESENIUS, MAURER, c., regard these verses as an address of the fugitive Moabites to the Jews for protection they translate Isaiah 16:4, "Let mine outcasts of Moab dwell with thee, Judah"; the protection will be refused by the Jews, for the pride of Moab

Isaiah 38:17 — only in reference to the soul's redemption from hell by Jesus Christ ( :-), who went down to the pit for that purpose Himself (Psalms 88:4-6; Zechariah 9:11; Zechariah 9:12; Hebrews 13:20). "Sin" and sickness are connected (Psalms 103:3; compare Isaiah 53:4; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 9:5; Matthew 9:6), especially under the Old Testament dispensation of temporal sanctions; but even now, sickness, though not invariably arising from sin in individuals, is connected with it in the general moral view. cast

Isaiah 5:17 — be partakers of the rich privileges (John 10:16- :) which the Jews ("fat ones," John 10:16- :) fell from. Thus "after their (own) manner" will express that the Christian Church should worship God in freedom, released from legal bondage (John 4:23; Galatians 5:1).

Isaiah 59:17 — God's prerogative, :-), or "cloak of zeal" (in the sense of judicial fury punishing the wicked; this zeal belongs properly to God, 2 Kings 10:16; Romans 10:2; Philippians 3:6; "zeal," in the sense of anxiety for the Lord's honor, they have, Numbers 25:11; Numbers 25:13; Psalms 69:9; 2 Corinthians 7:11; 2 Corinthians 9:2); and for "salvation," which is of God alone (2 Corinthians 9:2- :), they have as their helmet, "the hope of salvation" (1 Thessalonians 5:8). The "helmet of salvation" is attributed

Ezekiel 18:2 — God's justice had become so common as to have assumed a proverbial form. The sin of Adam in eating the forbidden fruit, visited on his posterity, seems to have suggested the peculiar form; noticed also by Jeremiah ( :-); and explained in Lamentations 5:7, "Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities." They mean by "the children" themselves, as though they were innocent, whereas they were far from being so. The partial reformation effected since Manasseh's wicked reign, especially

Ezekiel 8:1 — 1. sixth year—namely, of the captivity of Jehoiachin, as in :-, the "fifth year" is specified. The lying on his sides three hundred ninety and forty days (Ezekiel 4:5; Ezekiel 4:6) had by this time been completed, at least in vision. That event was naturally a memorable epoch to the exiles; and the computation of years from it was to humble the Jews, as well as to show their perversity in not having repented, though

Daniel 2:35 — 35. broken . . . together—excluding a contemporaneous existence of the kingdom of the world and the kingdom of God (in its manifested, as distinguished from its spiritual, phase). The latter is not gradually to wear away the former, but to destroy it at

Daniel 2:39 — 39. That Medo-Persia is the second kingdom appears from Daniel 5:28; Daniel 8:20. Compare 2 Chronicles 36:20; Isaiah 21:2. inferior—"The kings of Persia were the worst race of men that ever governed an empire" [PRIDEAUX]. Politically (which is the main point of view here) the power of the central government in

Hosea 14:8 — shadow of the cypress, but that which the cypress has not, namely, fruit, all spiritual and temporal blessings. It may be also implied, that whatever spiritual graces Ephraim seeks for or may have, are not of themselves, but of God (Psalms 1:3; John 15:4; John 15:5; John 15:8; James 1:17). God's promises to us are more our security for mortifying sin than our promises to God (Isaiah 27:9).

Micah 6:9 — the connection; and the rarity of the Hebrew expression, as compared with the frequency of that in the other reading, makes it less likely to be an interpolation. hear . . . the rod, c.—Hear what punishment (compare Micah 6:13 Isaiah 9:3; Isaiah 10:5; Isaiah 10:24) awaits you, and from whom. I am but a man, and so ye may disregard me; but remember my message is not mine, but God's. Hear the rod when it is come, and you feel its smart. Hear what counsels, what cautions it speaks. appointed it—

Zechariah 11:12 — as their "servant," which He was to them in order to fulfil the Father's will ( :-). if not, forbear—They withheld that which He sought as His only reward, their love; yet He will not force them, but leave His cause with God (Isaiah 49:4; Isaiah 49:5). Compare the type Jacob cheated of his wages by Laban, but leaving his cause in the hands of God (Genesis 31:41; Genesis 31:42). So . . . thirty pieces of silver—thirty shekels. They not only refused Him His due, but added insult to injury by giving

Zechariah 11:8 — they had accepted Messiah, they would have had all three combined in Him, and would have been themselves spiritually prophets, priests, and kings to God. Refusing Him, they lost all three, in every sense. one month—a brief and fixed space of time (Hosea 5:7). Probably alluding to the last period of the siege of Jerusalem, when all authority within the city was at an end [HENDERSON]. loathed them—literally, "was straitened" as to them; instead of being enlarged towards them in love (2 Corinthians 6:11; 2

Deuteronomy 12:5 — 5. unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose . . . to put his name there . . . thou shalt come—They were forbidden to worship either in the impure superstitious manner of the heathen, or in any of the places frequented by them. A particular

2 Samuel 23:5 — 5. Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure—"the light of the morning," that is, the beginning of David's kingdom, was unlike the clear brilliant dawn of an Eastern day but