Bible Commentaries

Job 10:4 — 4-6. Dost Thou see as feebly as man? that is, with the same uncharitable eye, as, for instance, Job's friends? Is Thy time as short? Impossible! Yet one might think, from the rapid succession of Thy strokes, that Thou hadst no time to spare in overwhelming me.

Job 31:1 — 1-4. He asserts his guarding against being allured to sin by his senses. think—rather, "cast a (lustful) look." He not merely did not so, but put it out of the question by covenanting with his eyes against leading him into temptation (Proverbs 6:25; Matthew 5:28).

Job 38:8 — 8. doors—floodgates; these when opened caused the flood ( :-); or else, the shores. womb—of chaos. The bowels of the earth. Image from childbirth (Job 38:8; Job 38:9; Ezekiel 32:2; Micah 4:10). Ocean at its birth was wrapped in clouds as its swaddling bands.

Job 39:20 — 20. make . . . afraid—rather, "canst thou (as I do) make him spring as the locust?" So in Joel 2:4, the comparison is between locusts and war-horses. The heads of the two are so similar that the Italians call the locusts cavaletta, "little horse." nostrils—snorting furiously.

Job 40:4 — 4. I am (too) vile (to reply). It is a very different thing to vindicate ourselves before God, from what it is before men. Job could do the latter, not the former. lay . . . hand . . . upon . . . mouth—I have no plea to offer (Job 21:5; Judges 18:19).

Job 41:15 — 15. Rather, his "furrows of shields" (as "tubes," "channels," see on Job 41:4), are, &c., that is, the rows of scales, like shields covering him: he has seventeen such rows. shut up—firmly closed together. A musket ball cannot penetrate him, save in the eye, throat, and belly.

Psalms 119:38 — 38. who is devoted to thy fear—or better, "which (that is, Thy word) is for Thy fear," for producing it. "Which is to those who fear Thee." God's word of promise belongs peculiarly to such (compare Genesis 18:19; 1 Kings 2:4; 1 Kings 8:25) [HENGSTENBERG].

Psalms 14:4 — 4-6. Their conduct evinces indifference rather than ignorance of God; for when He appears in judgment, they are stricken with great fear. who eat up my people—to express their beastly fury (Proverbs 30:14; Habakkuk 3:14). To "call on the Lord" is to worship Him.

Psalms 83:9 — 9-11. Compare the similar fate of these (2 Chronicles 20:23) with that of the foes mentioned in Judges 7:22, here referred to. They destroyed one another (Judges 4:6-24; Judges 7:25). Human remains form manure (compare 2 Kings 9:37; Jeremiah 9:22).

Proverbs 23:26 — 26-35. A solemn warning against whoredom and drunkenness (Hosea 4:11). give me—This is the address of that divine wisdom so often presented (Proverbs 8:1; Proverbs 9:3, c.). heart—confidence. observe—keep. my ways—such as I teach you (Proverbs 3:17 Proverbs 9:6).

Ecclesiastes 4:6 — 6. Hebrew; "One open hand (palm) full of quietness, than both closed hands full of travail." "Quietness" (mental tranquillity flowing from honest labor), opposed to "eating one's own flesh" ( :-), also opposed to anxious labor to gain (Ecclesiastes 4:8; Proverbs 15:16; Proverbs 15:17; Proverbs 16:8).

Ecclesiastes 5:10 — 10. Not only will God punish at last, but meanwhile the oppressive gainers of "silver" find no solid "satisfaction" in it. shall not be satisfied—so the oppressor "eateth his own flesh" (see on :- and Ecclesiastes 4:5). with increase—is not satisfied with the gain that he makes.

Jeremiah 25:4 — 4. rising early—(See on :-). "The prophets" refer to Urijah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk, c. It aggravates their sin, that God sent not merely one but many messengers, and those messengers, prophets and, that during all those years specified, Jeremiah and his fellow prophets spared no effort, late and early.

Jeremiah 40:4 — 4. look well unto thee—the very words of Nebuchadnezzar's charge ( :-). all the land is before thee . . . seemeth good— (Genesis 20:15, Margin). Jeremiah alone had the option given him of staying where he pleased, when all the rest were either carried off or forced to remain there.

Jeremiah 48:40 — 40. he—Nebuzara-dan, the captain of Nebuchadnezzar. as . . . eagle—not to bear them "on eagles' wings" (Exodus 19:4; Deuteronomy 32:11; Deuteronomy 32:12), as God does His people, but to pounce on them as a prey (Jeremiah 49:22; Deuteronomy 28:49; Habakkuk 1:8).

Jeremiah 6:3 — 3. shepherds—hostile leaders with their armies (Jeremiah 1:15; Jeremiah 4:17; Jeremiah 49:20; Jeremiah 50:45). feed—They shall consume each one all that is near him; literally, "his hand," that is, the place which he occupies (Jeremiah 50:45- :; see on Jeremiah 50:45- :).

Jeremiah 8:5 — 5. slidden . . . backsliding—rather, as the Hebrew is the same as in :-, to which this verse refers, "turned away with a perpetual turning away." perpetual—in contrast to the "arise" ("rise again," :-). refuse to return—in contrast to, "shall he . . . not return" (Jeremiah 8:4; Jeremiah 5:3).

Lamentations 3:54 — 54. Waters—not literally, for there was "no water" ( :-) in the place of Jeremiah's confinement, but emblematical of overwhelming calamities (Psalms 69:2; Psalms 124:4; Psalms 124:5). cut off— (Isaiah 38:10; Isaiah 38:11). I am abandoned by God. He speaks according to carnal sense. Koph.

Lamentations 4:1 — 1. gold—the splendid adornment of the temple [CALVIN] (Lamentations 1:10; 1 Kings 6:22; Jeremiah 52:19); or, the principal men of Judea [GROTIUS] (Lamentations 4:2). stones of . . . sanctuary—the gems on the breastplate of the high priest; or, metaphorically, the priests and Levites. Beth.

Ezekiel 27:4 — 4. Tyre, in consonance with her seagirt position, separated by a strait of half a mile from the mainland, is described as a ship built of the best material, and manned with the best mariners and skilful pilots, but at last wrecked in tempestuous seas (Ezekiel 27:26).