Bible Commentaries

Exodus 4:18 — And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which [are] in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. Whether they be yet alive. — Which if they be, though in a low condition, both they and I shall see cause to be thankful. Lamentations 3:39 Ecclesiastes 9:4

1 Kings 11:12 — Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: [but] I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Out of the hand of thy son, — i.e., Rehoboam, the only son that Solomon had by so many wives and concubines, quod prodigii instar est, saith one, which may well seem a wonder. See Psalms 127:1 Hosea 4:10 See Trapp on title of " Psalms 127:1 "

1 Kings 3:13 — And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. Both riches and honour. — Seek God’s kingdom first, and then other things shall seek us fast enough. Matthew 6:33 Piety hath plenty of these things cast into the bargain, as it were, and assured her. Proverbs 3:16 1 Timothy 4:8

2 Kings 22:9 — And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD. Thy servants have gathered. — Heb., Melted. Conflaverunt. Hence Vatablus inferreth, that much of the silver gathered was yet uncoined. See 2 Kings 22:4 .

2 Kings 24:15 — And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, [those] carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. These carried he into captivity into Babylon. — Where it fared better with them than with those that were left behind. Jeremiah 24:4-5 , … To these the prophet Jeremiah wrote a letter, if Apocryphal Baruch may be believed. /APC Baruch 6:1

2 Kings 25:22 — he was ετιεικης και δικαιος , a moderate and just man. cut down by envy, that sharp-ranged malignity, which none can stand before. Proverbs 27:4

1 Chronicles 4:17 — And the sons of Ezra [were], Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. And the sons of Ezra. — Not that learned scribe, Ezra 7:1 - there is a difference in the last letter of their names - but the son, as it seems, of Asareel. And she bare, — i.e., Bithiah 1 Chronicles 4:18 bare. Miriam. — The name of a man in this place.

2 Chronicles 28:11 — Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD [is] upon you. Now hear me therefore. — Here we have the picture of a good preacher. Oded teacheth, reproveth, exhorteth, turneth himself into all shapes, of spirit and of speech, that he may work upon his hearers; and he had his desire. See Timothy’s task. 2 Timothy 4:2-3

2 Chronicles 9:5 — And she said to the king, [It was] a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom: It was a true report. — Praeclare de ipso loquitur. Lipsius conqueritur - an Iustus ipse viderit - desiisse homines non mode laudanda facere, sed laudare. Lib. ii. epist. 70. Praise worthy persons are not to be defrauded of their due praises. "If any virtue, if any praise." Philippians 4:8

Psalms 100:1 — « A Psalm of praise. » Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. A Psalm of praise — Suavis et gravis, short and sweet; appointed, likely, to be sung at the thank offerings, quando pacifica erant offerenda, say the Italian and Spanish annotators. See Psalms 100:4 . Enter with thanksgiving, or with thank sacrifice, Leviticus 7:12 . All ye lands — Both Jews and Gentiles, Romans 15:10-11 , for your common salvation.

Psalms 56:11 — In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid, … — When news came to Luther, that both the emperor and pope had threatened his ruin, be bravely answered, Contemptus est a me Romanus et favor et furor, I care for neither of them, I know whom I have trusted. See Psalms 56:4 .

Psalms 78:60 — So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent [which] he placed among men; So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh — Whither it had been brought from Gilgal, and where it had rested a long while, but was forsaken of God when once idolized, 1 Samuel 4:3-5 The tent which he placed among men. — Which was a very great condescension, Isaiah 66:1 . Confer John 1:14 Proverbs 8:31 .

Psalms 95:5 — The sea [is] his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry [land]. The sea is his, … — Canute confuted his flatterers (who told him that all things in his dominions were at his beck and check) by laying his command on the sea to come up no higher into his land, but it obeyed him not. And his hands formed the dry land — Worship him, therefore, Revelation 4:8-11

Psalms 97:6 — The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory. The heavens declare his righteousness — As so many Catholic preachers, Psalms 19:1 ; Psalms 50:4 ; Psalms 50:6 . By heavens some understand angels, concurring with men to glorify God. Others, the heavenly bodies pleading God’s cause against atheists and idolaters. They that worshipped the sun were atheists by night; and they that worshipped the moon were atheists by day, as Cyril wittily.

Proverbs 4:9 — She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. A crown of glory. — The psalmist shows by prophesying Psalms 138:4-5 ; Psalms 119:72 that even kings, coming to taste the excellence of the comforts of godliness, and to feel the power of God’s word, should sing for joy of heart, and greatly acknowledge the excelling glory of God and godliness.

Proverbs 8:5 — O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. O ye simple. — If ye be not set in sin, resolved of your way, as good as ye mean to be; if yet there be any place left for persuasion. See Trapp on " Proverbs 1:4 " And ye fools. — Ye that have already made your conclusion, and are wiser in your own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.

Leviticus 25:18 — Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety. Ye shall do my statutes. — Ye shall do them, and do them: that is, ye shall do them diligently, as Psalms 119:4 and then ye shall dwell in the land in safety; yea, ye shall dwell there in safety: that is, ye shall assuredly; take my word for it.

1 Samuel 26:8 — Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not [smite] him the second time. God hath delivered, … — See on 1 Samuel 24:4 . I will not smite him the second time. — I desire to have but one blow at him, to give him his passport.

2 Samuel 21:18 — And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which [was] of the sons of the giant. There was again a battle. — “ Nunquam bella bonis, nunquam discrimina desunt: Et quicum certet, mens pia semper habet. ” At Gob. — Which was near unto Gezar. See 1 Chronicles 20:4 . Some a for Gob read Nob, but that is not right.

2 Samuel 6:5 — And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of [instruments made of] fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. Played before the Lord. — According to the custom of that country, and the condition of those times. Before the Lord, — i.e., Before the ark, which is called God’s face; Psalms 105:4 yea, God himself. Psalms 132:5