Bible Commentaries

Job 26:5 — 5-14. As before in the ninth and twelfth chapters, Job had shown himself not inferior to the friends' inability to describe God's greatness, so now he describes it as manifested in hell (the world of the dead), Job 26:5; Job 26:6; on earth, Job 26:6-

Ecclesiastes 5:17 — 17. eateth—appropriately put for "liveth" in general, as connected with Ecclesiastes 5:11; Ecclesiastes 5:12; Ecclesiastes 5:18. darkness—opposed to "light (joy) of countenance" (Ecclesiastes 8:1; Proverbs 16:15). wrath—fretfulness, literally, "His sorrow is much, and his infirmity (of body) and wrath."

Ecclesiastes 9:9 — 9. wife . . . lovest—godly and true love, opposed to the "snares" of the "thousand" concubines (Ecclesiastes 7:26; Ecclesiastes 7:28), "among" whom Solomon could not find the true love which joins one man to one woman (Proverbs 5:15; Proverbs 5:18; Proverbs 5:19; Proverbs 18:22; Proverbs 19:14).

Isaiah 3:16 — 16. Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, c.—Luxury had become great in Uzziah's prosperous reign (2 Chronicles 26:5). stretched forth—proudly elevated (Psalms 75:5). wanton—rather, "making the eyes to glance about," namely, wantonly (Psalms 75:5- :) [MAURER]. But LOWTH, "falsely setting off the eyes with paint." Women's eyelids in the East are often colored with

Isaiah 3:23 — 23. glasses—mirrors of polished metal (Exodus 38:8). But the Septuagint, a transparent, gauze-like, garment. hoods—miters, or diadems (Isaiah 62:3; Zechariah 3:5). veils—large enough to cover the head and person. Distinct from the smaller veils ("mufflers") above (Zechariah 3:5- :). Token of woman's subjection (Zechariah 3:5- :).

Isaiah 35:5 — 5, 6. Language figuratively, descriptive of the joy felt at the deliverance from Assyria and Babylon; literally, true of the antitypical times of Messiah and His miracles (see Margin references, Matthew 11:5; Luke 7:2; 2 John 1:5; 2 John 1:8; Acts 3:2).

Ezekiel 20:39 — 39. Equivalent to, "I would rather have you open idolaters than hypocrites, fancying you can worship Me and yet at the same time serve idols" (Amos 5:21; Amos 5:22; Amos 5:25; Amos 5:26; compare 1 Kings 18:21; 2 Kings 17:41; Matthew 6:24; Revelation 3:15; Revelation 3:16). Go ye, serve—This is not a command to serve idols, but a judicial declaration of God's giving up of the half-idol, half-Jehovah

Ezekiel 5:7 — for idols. neither have done according to the judgments of the nations—have not been as tenacious of the true religion as the nations have been of the false. The heathen "changed" not their gods, but the Jews changed Jehovah for idols (see Ezekiel 5:6, "changed My judgments into wickedness," that is, idolatry, Ezekiel 5:6- :). The Chaldean version and the Masora support the negative. Others omit it (as it is omitted in Ezekiel 5:6- :), and translate, "but have done according to the judgments,"

Micah 4:3 — 3. rebuke—convict of sin (John 16:8; John 16:9); and subdue with judgments (Psalms 2:5; Psalms 2:9; Psalms 110:5; Psalms 110:6; Revelation 2:27; Revelation 12:5). many people . . . strong nations afar off—In Isaiah 2:4 it is "the nations . . . many people."

Matthew 9:11 — 11. And when the Pharisees—"and scribes," add Mark and Luke (Mark 2:6; Luke 5:21). saw it, they said—"murmured" or "muttered," says Luke (Luke 5:21- :). unto his disciples—not venturing to put their question to Jesus Himself. Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?—(See on Luke 5:21- :).

Romans 5:11 — 11. And not only so, but we also joy—rather, "glory." in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by—"through" whom we have now received the atonement—rather, "the reconciliation" (Margin), as the same word is rendered in :- and in 2 Corinthians 5:18; 2 Corinthians 5:19. (In fact, the earlier meaning of the English word "atonement" was "the reconciliation of two estranged parties") [TRENCH]. The foregoing effects of justification were all benefits to ourselves, calling for gratitude; this last

1 Corinthians 5:3 — 3. as absent—The best manuscripts read, "being absent." present in spirit— (2 Kings 5:26; Colossians 2:5). so done—rather, "perpetrated," as the Greek word here is stronger than that for "done" in Colossians 2:5- :. "So," that is, so scandalously while called a brother.

1 Corinthians 6:9 — 9. unrighteous—Translate, "Doers of wrong": referring to :- (compare Galatians 5:21). kingdom of God—which is a kingdom of righteousness (Galatians 5:21- :). fornicators—alluding to 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; also below, 1 Corinthians 6:12-18. effeminate—self-polluters, who submit to unnatural lusts.

2 Corinthians 5:17 — 17. Therefore—connected with the words in 2 Corinthians 5:16, "We know Christ no more after the flesh." As Christ has entered on His new heavenly life by His resurrection and ascension, so all who are "in Christ" (that is, united to Him by faith as the branch is In the vine) are new creatures (2 Corinthians

Galatians 5:9 — faith, is to undermine "the whole." So "leaven" is used of false doctrine (Matthew 16:12: compare Matthew 13:33). In Matthew 13:33- : it means the corrupting influence of one bad person; so BENGEL understands it here to refer to the person (Galatians 5:7; Galatians 5:8; Galatians 5:10) who misled them. Ecclesiastes 9:18, "One sinner destroyeth much good" (Ecclesiastes 9:18- :). I prefer to refer it to false doctrine, answering to "persuasion" (Galatians 5:8).

Ephesians 5:6 — 6. vain—empty, unreal words, namely, palliations of "uncleanness," Ephesians 5:3; Ephesians 5:4; Isaiah 5:20 (that it is natural to indulge in love), "covetousness" (that it is useful to society that men should pursue gain), and "jesting" (that it is witty and clever, and that God will not so severely punish for such things).

Philippians 4:6 — the supplication" appropriate to each case [ALFORD]. Prayer for blessings; and the general term. Supplication, to avert ills; a special term, suppliant entreaty (see on :-). thanksgiving—for every event, prosperity and affliction alike (1 Thessalonians 5:18; James 5:13). The Philippians might remember Paul's example at Philippi when in the innermost prison (James 5:13- :). Thanksgiving gives effect to prayer (James 5:13- :), and frees from anxious carefulness by making all God's dealings matter for

1 Thessalonians 1:6 — 6. And ye—answering to "For our Gospel," 1 Thessalonians 1:5. followers—Greek, "imitators." The Thessalonians in their turn became "ensamples" (1 Thessalonians 1:7) for others to imitate. of the Lord—who was the apostle of the Father, and taught the word, which He brought from heaven, under adversities [BENGEL]. This

Hebrews 11:5 — 5. Faith was the ground of his pleasing God; and his pleasing God was the ground of his translation. translated— (Genesis 5:22; Genesis 5:24). Implying a sudden removal (the same Greek as in Genesis 5:24- :) from mortality without death to immortality:

James 1:12 — 12. Blessed—Compare the beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:4; Matthew 5:10; Matthew 5:11). endureth temptation—not the "falling into divers temptations" (Matthew 5:11- :) is the matter for "joy," but the enduring of temptation "unto the end." Compare Matthew 5:11- :. when he is tried—literally, "when he