Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 7:46 — 46. In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them—Zarthan, or Zaretan ( :-), or Zartanah (1 Kings 4:12), or Zeredathah (2 Chronicles 4:17), was on the bank of the Jordan in the territories of western Manasseh. Succoth was situated on the eastern side

Job 30:1 — 1. younger—not the three friends (Job 15:10; Job 32:4; Job 32:6; Job 32:7). A general description: Job 32:7- :, the lowness of the persons who derided him; Job 32:7- :, the derision itself. Formerly old men rose to me (Job 32:7- :). Now not only my juniors, who are bound to reverence me (Leviticus 19:32),

Song of Solomon 2:3 — and perfume (James 1:17). among the sons—parallel to "among the daughters" (James 1:17- :). He alone is ever fruitful among the fruitless wild trees (Psalms 89:6; Hebrews 1:9). I sat . . . with . . . delight—literally, "I eagerly desired and sat" (Psalms 94:19; Mark 6:31; Ephesians 2:6; 1 Peter 1:8). shadow— (Psalms 121:5; Isaiah 4:6; Isaiah 25:4; Isaiah 32:2). Jesus Christ interposes the shadow of His cross between the blazing rays of justice and us sinners. fruit—Faith plucks it (Proverbs 3:18). Man

Song of Solomon 5:11 — 2:32-38; Colossians 1:18), the highest creature, compared with Him, is brass, iron, and clay. "Preciousness" (Greek, 1 Peter 2:7). bushy—curled, token of Headship. In contrast with her flowing locks (1 Peter 2:7- :), the token of her subjection to Him (Psalms 8:4-8; 1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Corinthians 11:6-15). The Hebrew is (pendulous as) the branches of a palm, which, when in leaf, resemble waving plumes of feathers. black—implying youth; no "gray hairs" (Psalms 102:27; Psalms 110:3; Psalms 110:4; Hosea 7:9).

Isaiah 38:17 — the pit, and drawn me out from it. The "pit" is here simply death, in Hezekiah's sense; realized in its fulness 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,

Isaiah 49:7 — 7. whom man despiseth—Hebrew, "the despised of soul," that is, by every soul, by all men (Isaiah 52:14; Isaiah 52:15; Isaiah 53:3; Isaiah 50:6-9; Psalms 22:6). LOWTH translates, "whose person is despised." abhorreth—literally, "who is an abomination to the nation" (Psalms 22:6- :). The Jews contemptuously call Him always Tolvi, "the crucified." I prefer,

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

Amos 2:4 — 4. From foreign kingdoms he passes to Judah and Israel, lest it should be said, he was strenuous in denouncing sins abroad, but connived at those of his own nation. Judah's guilt differs from that of all the others, in that it was directly against God,

Micah 2:4 — 4. one take up a parable against you—that is, Some of your foes shall do so, taking in derision from your own mouth your "lamentation," namely, "We be spoiled," c. lament with a doleful lamentation—literally, "lament with a lamentation of lamentations."

Habakkuk 1:12 — correction—to chastise transgressors (Isaiah 37:23- :). But not that they may deify their own power (Isaiah 37:23- :, for their power is from Thee, and but for a time); nor that they may destroy utterly Thy people. The Hebrew for "mighty God" is Rock (Deuteronomy 32:4). However the world is shaken, or man's faith wavers, God remains unshaken as the Rock of Ages (Deuteronomy 32:4- :, Margin).

Zechariah 2:7 — "Zion," inseparably connected with the temple, art altogether out of thy place in "dwelling with the daughter of Babylon" (that is, Babylon and her people, Psalms 137:8; Isaiah 1:8). After the glory—After restoring the "glory" (Zechariah 2:5; Isaiah 4:5; Romans 9:4) of Jehovah's presence to Jerusalem, He (God the Father) hath commissioned ME (God the Son, Isaiah 48:16, the Divine Angel: God thus being at once the Sender and the Sent) to visit in wrath "the nations which spoiled you." Messiah's twofold office

Mark 9:36 — in both places, as also in Matthew 18:2- :. and set him in the midst of them: and when he had taken him in his arms—This beautiful trait is mentioned by out Evangelist alone. he said unto them—Here we must go to Matthew (Matthew 18:3; Matthew 18:4) for the first of this answer: "Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven:" that is, "Conversion must be thorough; not only must the heart be turned to God in general,

Luke 16:8 — lord—evidently the steward's lord, so called in Luke 16:3; Luke 16:5. commended, c.—not for his "injustice," but "because he had done wisely," or prudently with commendable foresight and skilful adaptation of means to end. children of this world—so Luke 20:34; compare Luke 20:34- : ("their portion in this life"); Luke 20:34- : ("mind earthly things"); Psalms 4:6; Psalms 4:7. their generation—or "for their generation"—that is, for the purposes of the "world" they are "of." The greater wisdom (or shrewdness)

John 6:19 — 19. they see Jesus—"about the fourth watch of the night" (Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48), or between three and six in the morning. walking on the sea—What Job (Job 9:8) celebrates as the distinguishing prerogative of GOD, "WHO ALONE spreadeth out the heavens, and TREADETH UPON THE WAVES OF THE SEA"—What AGUR challenges

Acts 13:4 — 4, 5. departed unto Seleucia—the seaport of Antioch, from which it lay nearly due west fifteen miles, and five from the Mediterranean shore, on the river Orontes. thence sailed to Cyprus—whose high mountain summits are easily seen in clear weather from

Romans 10:18 — Can Israel, through any region of his dispersion, plead ignorance of these glad tidings? Yes, verily, their sound went—"their voice went out" into all the earth, and their words unto the end of the world—These beautiful words are from Psalms 19:4. Whether the apostle quoted them as in their primary intention applicable to his subject (as OLSHAUSEN, ALFORD, c.), or only "used scriptural language to express his own ideas, as is done involuntarily almost by every preacher in every sermon" [HODGE],

1 Corinthians 2:9 — speak,' supplied from :-), things which eye saw not (heretofore), . . . things which God prepared . . . But God revealed them to us," &c. The quotation is not a verbatim one, but an inspired exposition of the "wisdom" (1 Corinthians 2:6, from Isaiah 64:4). The exceptive words, "O God, beside (that is, except) Thee," are not quoted directly, but are virtually expressed in the exposition of them (1 Corinthians 2:10), "None but thou, O God, seest these mysteries, and God hath revealed them to us by His

Galatians 1:17 — first fervor of his conversion, to prepare him for the great work before him. Compare Moses (Acts 7:29; Acts 7:30). His familiarity with the scene of the giving of the law, and the meditations and revelations which he had there, appear in Galatians 4:24; Galatians 4:25; Hebrews 12:18. See on Galatians 1:12. The Lord from heaven communed with him, as He on earth in the days of His flesh communed with the other apostles. returned—Greek "returned back again."

Galatians 5:13 — the flesh." Do not give the flesh the handle or pretext ( :-, "occasion") for its indulgence which it eagerly seeks for do not let it make Christian "liberty" its pretext for indulgence (Galatians 5:16; Galatians 5:17; 1 Peter 2:16; 2 Peter 2:19; Judges 1:4). but by love serve one another—Greek, "Be servants (be in bondage) to one another." If ye must be servants, then be servants to one another in love. While free as to legalism, be bound by Love (the article in the Greek personifies love in the abstract)

1 Samuel 3:1 — near to that of the high priest. the word of the Lord was precious in those days—It was very rarely known to the Israelites; and in point of fact only two prophets are mentioned as having appeared during the whole administration of the judges (Judges 4:4; Judges 6:8). there was no open vision—no publicly recognized prophet whom the people could consult, and from whom they might learn the will of God. There must have been certain indubitable evidences by which a communication from heaven could be distinguished.