Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 15:16 — 16. Menahem . . . smote Tiphsah—Thapsacus, on the Euphrates, the border city of Solomon's kingdom (1 Kings 4:24). The inhabitants refusing to open their gates to him, Menahem took it by storm. Then having spoiled it, he committed the most barbarous excesses, without regard either to age or sex. 1 Kings 4:24- :. MENAHEM'S REIGN.

Job 26:4 — 4. For whose instruction were thy words meant? If for me I know the subject (God's omnipotence) better than my instructor; :- is a sample of Job's knowledge of it. whose spirit—not that of God (Job 32:8); nay, rather, the borrowed sentiment of Eliphaz (Job 4:17-19; Job 15:14-16).

Job 3:4 — 4. let not God regard it—rather, more poetically, "seek it out." "Let not God stoop from His bright throne to raise it up from its dark hiding-place." The curse on the day in :-, is amplified in Job 3:4; Job 3:5; that on the night, in Job 3:6-10.

Psalms 7:4 — 4. If I have injured my friend. yea, I have delivered, c.—This makes a good sense, but interrupts the course of thought, and hence it is proposed to render, "if I have spoiled my enemy"—in either case (compare 1 Samuel 24:4-17 1 Samuel 31:8; 1 Samuel 31:11).

Proverbs 9:1-18 — CAPITULO 9 Continúa la recomendación de la sabiduría, bajo la figura de un huésped dadivoso, y sus beneficios bajo la de una fiesta ( Lucas 14:16). La descripción de los invitados se sigue por la de los que rechazan el buen consejo; y con las invitaciones de la sabiduría se contrasta la seducción de la mujer mala. 1. casa—(cf. el cap. 8:34). siete columnas—el número siete por muchos, o bastantes

Ecclesiastes 9:7 — 7. Addressed to the "righteous wise," spoken of in Ecclesiastes 9:1. Being "in the hand of God," who now accepteth "thy works" in His service, as He has previously accepted thy person (Genesis 4:4), thou mayest "eat . . . with a cheerful (not sensually 'merry') heart" (Ecclesiastes 3:13; Ecclesiastes 5:18; Acts 2:46).

Isaiah 26:17 — 17. An image of anguish accompanied with expectation, to be followed by joy that will cause the anguish utterly to be forgotten. Zion, looking for deliverance, seemingly in vain, but really about to be gloriously saved (Micah 4:9; Micah 4:10-13; Micah 5:1-3; John 16:21; John 16:22).

Isaiah 45:13 — 13. him—Cyrus, type of Messiah, who redeems the captives of Satan "without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1), "freely" (gratuitously) (Isaiah 52:3; Isaiah 61:1; Zechariah 9:11; Romans 3:24). in righteousness—to fulfil My righteous purpose (see on Romans 3:24- :; Isaiah 45:4; Isaiah 45:4- :).

Isaiah 45:17 — 17. in the Lord— (Isaiah 45:24; Isaiah 45:25), contrasted with the idols which cannot give even temporary help (Isaiah 45:25- :); in Jehovah there is everlasting salvation (Isaiah 26:4). not . . . ashamed—opposed to the doom of the idolaters, who, in the hour of need, shall be "ashamed" (see on Isaiah 26:4- :).

Isaiah 6:2 — seraphim in God's service. Perhaps Satan's form as a serpent (nachash) in his appearance to man has some connection with his original form as a seraph of light. The head of the serpent was the symbol of wisdom in Egypt (compare Numbers 21:8; 2 Kings 18:4). The seraphim, with six wings and one face, can hardly be identified with the cherubim, which had four wings (in the temple only two) and four faces (2 Kings 18:4- :). (But compare Revelation 4:8). The "face" and "feet" imply a human form; something

Jeremiah 14:2 — 2. gates—The place of public concourse in each city looks sad, as being no longer frequented (Isaiah 3:26; Isaiah 24:4). black—that is, they mourn (blackness being indicative of sorrow), (Isaiah 24:4- :). unto the ground—bowing towards it. cry—of distress (1 Samuel 5:12; Isaiah 24:11).

Jeremiah 2:15 — 15. lions—the Babylonian princes (Jeremiah 4:7; compare Jeremiah 4:7- :). The disaster from the Babylonians in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign, and again three years later when, relying on Egypt, he revolted from Nebuchadnezzar, is here referred to (Jeremiah 46:2; 2 Kings 24:1; 2 Kings 24:2).

Jeremiah 5:10 — 10. Abrupt apostrophe to the Babylonians, to take Jerusalem, but not to destroy the nation utterly (see on Jeremiah 4:27). battlements—rather, tendrils [MAURER]: the state being compared to a vine (Jeremiah 4:27- :), the stem of which was to be spared, while the tendrils (the chief men) were to be removed.

Amos 3:8 — 8. As when "the lion roars" (compare Amos 1:2; Amos 3:4), none can help but "fear," so when Jehovah communicates His awful message, the prophet cannot but prophesy. Find not fault with me for prophesying; I must obey God. In a wider sense true of all believers (Acts 4:20; Acts 5:29).

Zephaniah 1:3 — 3. Enumeration in detail of the "all things" (Zephaniah 1:2; compare Jeremiah 9:10; Hosea 4:3). the stumbling-blocks—idols which cause Judah to offend or stumble (Ezekiel 14:3; Ezekiel 14:4; Ezekiel 14:7). with the wicked—The idols and their worshippers shall be involved in a common destruction.

Acts 5:41 — 41. departed . . . rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name—"thought worthy by God to be dishonored by man" (Matthew 5:12; 1 Peter 4:14; 1 Peter 4:16) [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. This was their first taste of persecution, and it felt sweet for His sake whose disciples they were.

1 Corinthians 10:18 — 18. Israel after the flesh—the literal, as distinguished from the spiritual, Israel (Romans 2:29; Romans 4:1; Romans 9:3; Galatians 4:29). partakers of the altar—and so of God, whose is the altar; they have fellowship in God and His worship, of which the altar is the symbol.

1 Corinthians 16:4 — 4. meet—"worth while." If your collections be large enough to be worth an apostle's journey (a stimulus to their liberality), I will accompany them myself instead of giving them letters credential ( :-; compare :-). with me—to guard against all possible suspicion of evil (2 Corinthians 8:4; 2 Corinthians 8:19-21).

James overview — churches (and particularly one like that of James, addressed to the Israelite believers scattered abroad) should be for a time less known. The first mention of James' Epistle by name occurs early in the third century, in ORIGEN [Commentary on John 1:19, 4.306], who was born about 185, and died A.D. 254. CLEMENT OF ROME ([First Epistle to the Corinthians, 10]; compare James 2:21; James 2:23; [First Epistle to the Corinthians, 11]; compare James 2:25; Hebrews 11:31) quotes it. So also HERMAS [Shepherd] quotes

Revelation 11:4 — 4. standing before the God of the earth—A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and ANDREAS read "Lord" for "God": so :-. Ministering to (Luke 1:19), and as in the sight of Him, who, though now so widely disowned on "earth," is its rightful King, and shall