Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 5 overview — CHAPTER 5 :-. NAAMAN'S LEPROSY.

Psalms 75:5 — 5. speak . . . neck—insolently.

Proverbs 26:5 — 5. Answer—by reproof.

Isaiah 28:7 — 7. Though Judah is to survive the fall of Ephraim, yet "they also" (the men of Judah) have perpetrated like sins to those of Samaria (Isaiah 5:3; Isaiah 5:11), which must be chastised by God. erred . . . are out of the way—"stagger . . . reel." Repeated, to express the frequency of the vice. priest . . . prophet—If the ministers of religion sin so grievously, how much more the other rulers

Isaiah 29:21 — more impunity than on the rich; compare :-, "the meek . . . the poor." him that reproveth—rather, "pleadeth"; one who has a suit at issue. gate—the place of concourse in a city, where courts of justice were held (Ruth 4:11; Proverbs 31:23; Amos 5:10; Amos 5:12). just—one who has a just cause; or, Jesus Christ, "the Just One" [HORSLEY]. for a thing of naught—rather, "through falsehood," "by a decision that is null in justice" [BARNES]. Compare as to Christ, Proverbs 28:21; Matthew 26:15; Acts

Jeremiah 17:8 — 17:6- :); but he shall not sink under them, because the Lord is his secret strength, just as the "roots spread out by a river" (or, "water-course") draw hidden support from it (Jeremiah 17:6- :). careful—anxious, as one desponding (Luke 12:29; 1 Peter 5:7). drought—literally, "withholding," namely, of rain (1 Peter 5:7- :); he here probably alludes to the drought which had prevailed, but makes it the type of all kinds of distress.

Jeremiah 2:24 — 24. (Jeremiah 14:6; Job 39:5). "A wild ass," agreeing with "thou" (Job 39:5- :). at her pleasure—rather, "in her ardor," namely, in pursuit of a male, sniffing the wind to ascertain where one is to be found [MAURER]. occasion—either from a Hebrew root, "to meet"; "her meeting

Jeremiah 46:9 — Libyans—Phut, Mauritania, west of Egypt (compare Jeremiah 46:3- :). shield—The Libyans borrowed from Egypt the use of the long shield extending to the feet [XENOPHON, Cyropædia, 6 and 7]. Lydians—not the Lydians west of Asia Minor (Genesis 10:22; Ezekiel 30:5), but the Ludim, an African nation descended from Egypt (Mizraim) (Genesis 10:13; Ezekiel 30:5; Nahum 3:9). handle and bend the bow—The employment of two verbs expresses the manner of bending the bow, namely, the foot being pressed on the center, and

Ezekiel 18:5 — 5. Here begins the illustration of God's impartiality in a series of supposed cases. The first case is given in Ezekiel 18:5-9, the just man. The excellencies are selected in reference to the prevailing sins of the age, from which such a one stood aloof;

Hosea 10:5 — 5. fear because of the calves—that is, shall fear for them. Beth-aven—substituted for Beth-el in contempt (Hosea 4:15). it—singular, the one in Beth-el; after the pattern of which the other "calves" (plural) were made. "Calves" in the Hebrew is feminine,

Amos 2:5 — 5. a fire—Nebuchadnezzar.

Amos 5:5 — 5. seek not Beth-el—that is, the calves at Beth-el. Gilgal—(See on :-). Beer-sheba—in Judah on the southern frontier towards Edom. Once "the well of the oath" by Jehovah, ratifying Abraham's covenant with Abimelech, and the scene of his calling on

Zephaniah 1:5 — 5. worship the host of heaven—Saba: whence, in contrast to Sabeanism, Jehovah is called Lord of Sabaoth. upon the housetops—which were flat (2 Kings 23:5; 2 Kings 23:6; 2 Kings 23:12; Jeremiah 19:13; Jeremiah 32:29). swear by the Lord—rather, "swear

Zephaniah 1:9 — haughtiness. ROSENMULLER translates, "Leap over the threshold"; namely, in imitation of the Philistine custom of not treading on the threshold, which arose from the head and hands of Dragon being broken off on the threshold before the ark (1 Samuel 5:5). Compare Isaiah 2:6, "thy people . . . are soothsayers like the Philistines." CALVIN'S view agrees best with the latter clause of the verse. fill . . . masters' houses with violence, &c.—that is, with goods obtained with violence, &c.

Matthew 1:18 — child of the Holy Ghost—It was, of course, the fact only that was discovered; the explanation of the fact here given is the Evangelist's own. That the Holy Ghost is a living conscious Person is plainly implied here, and is elsewhere clearly taught (Acts 5:3; Acts 5:4, c.): and that, in the unity of the Godhead, He is distinct both from the Father and the Son, is taught with equal distinctness (Matthew 28:19 2 Corinthians 13:14). On the miraculous conception of our Lord, see on 2 Corinthians 13:14- :.

Luke 21:5 — 5-7. (See on :-.)

2 Corinthians 1:3 — believers is not inconsistent with God's mercy, and does not beget in them suspicion of it; nay, in the end they feel that He is "the God of ALL comfort," that is, who imparts the only true and perfect comfort in every instance (Psalms 146:3; Psalms 146:5; Psalms 146:8; James 5:11).

2 Corinthians 5:20 — God is reconciled to you, be ye reconciled to God. The Greek expresses rather, God was the RECONCILER in Christ . . . let this reconciliation then have its designed effect. Be reconciled to God, that is, let God reconcile you to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 5:19).

Hebrews 11:38 — their being unworthy of living in the world, as their exile in deserts, c., might seem to imply, "the world was not worthy of them." The world, in shutting them out, shut out from itself a source of blessing such as Joseph proved to Potiphar (Genesis 39:5), and Jacob to Laban (Genesis 30:27). In condemning them, the world condemned itself. caves—literally, "chinks." Palestine, from its hilly character, abounds in fissures and caves, affording shelter to the persecuted, as the fifty hid by Obadiah (1

James 5:5 — 5. Translate, "Ye have luxuriated . . . and wantoned." The former expresses luxurious effeminacy; the latter, wantonness and prodigality. Their luxury was at the expense of the defrauded poor ( :-). on the earth—The same earth which has been the scene