Bible Commentaries

Genesis 42:15 — 15. By the life of Pharaoh—It is a very common practice in Western Asia to swear by the life of the king. Joseph spoke in the style of an Egyptian and perhaps did not think there was any evil in it. But we are taught to regard all such expressions in the light of an oath (Matthew 5:34; James 5:12).

Job 15:23 — 23. Wandereth in anxious search for bread. Famine in Old Testament depicts sore need ( :-). Contrast the pious man's lot ( :-). knoweth—has the firm conviction. Contrast the same word applied to the pious (Job 5:24; Job 5:25). ready at his hand—an Arabic phrase to denote a thing's complete readiness and full presence, as if in the hand.

Job 36:7 — 7. ( :-). God does not forsake the godly, as Job implied, but "establishes," or makes them sit on the throne as kings (1 Samuel 2:8; Psalms 113:7; Psalms 113:8). True of believers in the highest sense, already in part (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6); hereafter fully (Revelation 5:10; Job 22:5). and they are—that they may be.

Job 5:16 — 16. the poor hath hope—of the interposition of God. iniquity stoppeth her mouth— (Psalms 107:42; Micah 7:9; Micah 7:10; Isaiah 52:15). Especially at the last day, through shame (Judges 1:15; Matthew 22:12). The "mouth" was the offender (Job 5:15), and the mouth shall then be stopped (Job 5:15- :) at the end.

Job 6:20 — 20. literally, "each had hoped"; namely, that their companions would find water. The greater had been their hopes the more bitter now their disappointment; they came thither—to the place. and were ashamed—literally, "their countenances burn," an Oriental phrase for the shame and consternation of deceived expectation; so "ashamed" as to disappointment (Romans 5:5).

Psalms 44:9 — 9. But—contrasting, cast off as abhorrent (Psalms 43:2). goest not forth—literally, "will not go" (2 Samuel 5:23). In several consecutive verses the leading verb is future, and the following one past (in Hebrew), thus denoting the causes and effects. Thus (2 Samuel 5:23- :), when defeated, spoiling follows; when delivered as sheep, dispersion follows, &c.

Song of Solomon 3:7 — Solomon 3:10, Jesus Christ is seen dwelling in believers, who are His "chariot" and "body." In Song of Solomon 3:11, the consummation in glory. bed—palanquin. His body, literally, guarded by a definite number of angels, threescore, or sixty (Matthew 26:53), from the wilderness (Matthew 4:1; Matthew 4:11), and continually (Luke 2:13; Luke 22:43; Acts 1:10; Acts 1:11); just as six hundred thousand of Israel guarded the Lord's tabernacle (Acts 1:11- :), one for every ten thousand. In contrast to the "bed of

Isaiah 17:14 — 14. eventide . . . before morning—fulfilled to the letter in the destruction "before morning" of the vast host that "at eveningtide" was such a terror ("trouble") to Judah; on the phrase see Psalms 90:6; Psalms 30:5. he is not—namely, the enemy. us—the Jews. A general declaration of the doom that awaits the foes of God's people (Psalms 30:5- :).

Isaiah 42:6 — righteousness—rather, "for a righteous purpose" [LOWTH]. (See Isaiah 42:21). God "set forth" His Son "to be a propitiation (so as) to declare His (God's) righteousness, that God might be just, and (yet) the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Romans 3:25; Romans 3:26; compare see on Romans 3:26- :; Isaiah 45:13; Isaiah 50:8; Isaiah 50:9). hold . . . hand—compare as to Israel, the type of Messiah, Isaiah 50:9- :. covenant—the medium of the covenant, originally made between God and Abraham (Isaiah

Jeremiah 12:16 — 16. swear by my name— (Jeremiah 4:2; Isaiah 19:18; Isaiah 65:16); that is, confess solemnly the true God. built—be made spiritually and temporally prosperous: fixed in sure habitations (compare Jeremiah 24:6; Jeremiah 42:10; Jeremiah 45:4; Psalms 87:4; Psalms 87:5; Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 2:21; 1 Peter 2:5).

Jeremiah 49:2 — 2. Rabbah—"the great," metropolis of Ammon ( :-). Its destruction is foretold also in Ezekiel 25:5; Amos 1:14; Amos 1:15. her daughters—the towns and villages, dependencies of the metropolis (Amos 1:15- :). shall . . . be heir—shall possess those who possessed him. The full accomplishment of this is still future; partially fulfilled under the Maccabees (1 Maccabees 5:6).

Ezekiel 5:1 — Egyptian afflictions foreshadowed in the former, for their guilt was greater than that of their forefathers. thine head—as representative of the Jews. The whole hair being shaven off was significant of severe and humiliating (2 Samuel 10:4; 2 Samuel 10:5) treatment. Especially in the case of a priest; for priests (2 Samuel 10:5- :) were forbidden "to make baldness on their head," their hair being the token of consecration; hereby it was intimated that the ceremonial must give place to the moral. balances—implying

Micah 6:3 — 3. my people—the greatest aggravation of their sin, that God always treated them, and still treats them, as His people. what have I done unto thee?—save kindness, that thou revoltest from Me (Jeremiah 2:5; Jeremiah 2:31). wherein have I wearied thee?—What commandments have I enjoined that should have wearied thee as irksome (1 John 5:3)?

Haggai 2:5 — 5. According to the word that—literally, "(I am with you) the word (or thing) which I covenanted"; that is, I am with you as I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt (Exodus 19:5; Exodus 19:6; Exodus 34:10; Exodus 34:11). The covenant promise of

Zechariah 10:12 — 12. I . . . strengthen them in . . . Lord— (Hosea 1:7). I, the Father, will strengthen them in the name, that is, the manifested power, of the Lord, Messiah, the Son of God. walk . . . in his name—that is, live everywhere and continually under His protection, and according to His will (Genesis 5:22; Psalms 20:1; Psalms 20:7; Micah 4:5).

Matthew 8:2 — symbol of SIN, considered as (1) loathsome, (2) spreading, (3) incurable. And while the ceremonial ordinances for detection and cleansing prescribed in this case by the law of Moses ( :-) held forth a coming remedy "for sin and for uncleanness" (Psalms 51:7; 2 Kings 5:1; 2 Kings 5:7; 2 Kings 5:10; 2 Kings 5:13; 2 Kings 5:14), the numerous cases of leprosy with which our Lord came in contact, and the glorious cures of them which He wrought, were a fitting manifestation of the work which He came to accomplish.

1 Corinthians 6:7 — 7. utterly a fault—literally, "a shortcoming" (not so strong as sin). Your going to law at all is a falling short of your high privileges, not to say your doing so before unbelievers, which aggravates it. rather take wrong— (Proverbs 20:22; Matthew 5:39; Matthew 5:40); that is, "suffer yourselves to be wronged."

Galatians 1:9 — 9. said before—when we were visiting you (so "before" means, :-). Compare Galatians 5:2; Galatians 5:3; Galatians 5:21. Translate, "If any man preacheth unto you any gospel BESIDE that which," c. Observe the indicative, not the subjunctive or conditional mood, is used, "preacheth," literally, "furnisheth you with any gospel." The fact

Galatians 5:16 — 16. This I say then—Repeating in other words, and explaining the sentiment in :-, What I mean is this." Walk in the Spirit—Greek, "By (the rule of) the (Holy) Spirit." Compare Galatians 5:16-18; Galatians 5:22; Galatians 5:25; Galatians 6:1-8; Romans 7:22; Romans 8:11. The best way to keep tares out of a bushel is to fill it with wheat. the flesh—the natural man, out of which flow the evils specified (Romans 8:11- :). The spirit and

Colossians 2:17 — 17. things to come—the blessings of the Christian covenant, the substance of which Jewish ordinances were but the type. Compare "ages to come," that is, the Gospel dispensation ( :-). Hebrews 2:5, "the world to come." the body is of Christ—The real substance (of the blessings typified by the law) belongs to Christ (Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 10:1).