Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 22:3 — Chronicles 34:8 In which time also it seemeth that a collection was made for the repairing of the temple, which now this pious king taketh order to have done, and herein he proceedeth aequabiliter, iuste, prudenter. Ussher., Annal. Vet. Testam., p. 115. And from this famous eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, both those thirty years, Ezekiel 1:1 and those forty days or years of the sin of Judah, Ezekiel 6:6 seem to take their rise and reckoning.

1 Chronicles 5:26 — the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul. — "Howbeit he meant not so, neither was it in his heart to think so," - viz., that God set him on, - "but it was in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few." Isaiah 10:7 King of Assyria. — Though the Assyrians took their names from Ashur, son of Shem, Genesis 10:22 1 Chronicles 1:17 yet the kingdom seemeth, saith one, to be raised amongst them by the prosperity of Cush, the son of Ham. Genesis 10:6-11

2 Chronicles 3:6 — — Every one of which had some egregious virtue: so, much more hath effectual faith, laborious love, reverent fear, patient hope, right repentance, assured confidence, …, and - that which holdeth all these together lovely lowly mindedness. See 1 Peter 5:5 . See Trapp on " 1 Peter 5:5 " And the gold was gold of Parvaim. — That is, Of Havilah, Genesis 2:11 where the best gold is, saith Junius, and where, Pliny saith, Lib. vi. cap. 28. there is a town called, corruptly, Parbacia.

Psalms 119:106 — some evil whereunto he findeth himself inclined, or to be set onwards in the performance of some duty unto which he finds himself very backward, Masora sepes legi, decimae divitiis, vota sanctimoniae, silentium sapientiae (Pirke Aboth). Thus, Nehemiah 10:1 , they take a new oath, and seal to it. Thus Job, Job 31:1 , and Jacob, Genesis 28:21-22 , called, therefore, the father of vows. That I will keep thy righteous judgments — Keep them as I am able, and as thou by thy grace shalt enable me, Psalms

Psalms 13:6 — I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. I will sing unto the Lord — How far different is the end of this psalm from the beginning! See the like Psalms 6:1 , See Trapp on " Psalms 6:1 " Because he hath dealt bountifully with me — Qui retribuit mihi, so Popish merit-mongers read it, and would therehence collect something in favour of their absurd tenet. But their own Vulgate translation

Psalms 141:3 — its cost. Keep the door of my lips — That it move not creaking, and complaining, as on rusty hinges, for want of the oil of joy and gladness, Dal pro Deleth per Apocopen poetieam. David had somewhat to do with his tongue, as we see, Psalms 39:1 ; Psalms 39:3 , and when he had carted the ark, how untowardly spake he, as if the fault were more in God than himself, that there was such a breach made in Uzzah, 1 Chronicles 15:2 . It was but need, therefore, thus to pray,

Psalms 144:1 — « [A Psalm] of David. » Blessed [be] the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, [and] my fingers to fight: A Psalm of David — The Greek addeth, against Goliath; and the Chaldee, for the hurtful sword, Psalms 144:10 , hath Goliath’s sword. Blessed be the Lord my strength — See Psalms 18:1 , and observe how this psalm suiteth with that. Which teacheth my hands — Used to the hook and harp, and not to the sword and spear; but God hath apted

Psalms 2:11 — Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Serve the Lord with fear — Timore non servili sed amicali, with reverence and godly fear, Hebrews 12:28 . Say to Christ, as the people did to Joshua, Joshua 1:16 , and as the rulers and elders of Israel did to Jehu, 2 Kings 10:5 , "We are thy servants, and will do all thou shalt bid us." And rejoice before him with trembling — A strange

Psalms 47:4 — milk and honey, and such as was the glory of all lands, Ezekiel 30:6 ; and as much, yea, much more hath he done for the whole Israel of God, both of Jews and Gentiles, by electing them to an inheritance immortal, undefiled, reserved in heaven for them, 1 Peter 1:4 . The excellency (or high glory) of Jacob whom he loved — i.e. All those high and honourable privileges wherein Jacob once, and now all the faithful, may well glory and rejoice, see Romans 9:4-5 having as great both abundance and assurance

Psalms 50:13 — guilt, and be carried out to the immaculate Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world) is "as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation" (unless therewith he offer up himself for a whole burnt sacrifice, Romans 12:1 ) is "as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense" (unless he lift up holy hands in prayer without wrath, and without doubting, 1 Timothy 2:8 ) is "as if he blessed an idol," Isaiah 66:3 .

Psalms 51:18 — Achivi. Build thou the walls of Jerusalem — i.e. Protect, defend, and maintain the civil state, grant all things necessary for its safety and well-being; supply of all wants, confirmation and increase of all blessings. Thus pray we, Jeremiah 29:7 Psalms 122:6-8 ; for except the Lord keep the city, … See Isaiah 5:1-3 ; Isaiah 27:3 . He is a wall of fire, Revelation 20:9 , of water, Isaiah 33:20-21 ; say, therefore, as Isaiah 26:1 , and beware of security, sensuality, senselessness, …

Psalms 60:6 — am master of them. I will rejoice — As having peaceable possession of all; though I have come hardly by it. Now I see that whatsoever God by his servant Samuel assured me of, was true, and to be trusted; albeit I sometimes doubted of it, Psalms 116:11 1 Samuel 27:1 . I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth — Which places, though they longest held out against me under Ishbosheth, yet now that they are come in, they shall have civil usage under me, and be better dealt with

Psalms 69:31 — [This] also shall please the LORD better than an ox [or] bullock that hath horns and hoofs. This also shall please the Lord better, … — True thankfulness is opimum et optimum saerificium, those calves of our lips, Hosea 14:3 Hebrews 12:15 . These calves or bullocks (as in the text) must, 1. Have horns and hoofs, be young and tender, the very best, of the best. 2. They must be slain; our thanks must proceed from a mortified mind. 3. They must be sacrificed; where is required,

Proverbs 11:8 — The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead. And the wicked cometh in his stead. — Thus it befell Haman, and Daniel’s enemies, and those inhuman Edomites, Lamentations 4:21 and Herod with his hacksters. Acts 12:1-4 ; Acts 12:21-23 It is "a righteous thing with God," 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 though to men it seem an incredible paradox, and a news by far more admirably [wonderfull] than acceptable, that there should

Proverbs 17:18 — A man void of understanding striketh hands, [and] becometh surety in the presence of his friend. A man void of understanding striketh hands. — Of the folly and misery of rash suretyship, see Proverbs 6:1-3 See Trapp on " Proverbs 6:1 " See Trapp on " Proverbs 6:2 " See Trapp on " Proverbs 6:3 " In the presence of his friend. — Or, Before his friend; that is, before his friend do it, who was better able, and more obliged.

Proverbs 4:22 — For they [are] life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. For they are life. — See Trapp on " Proverbs 3:22 " See Trapp on " Proverbs 3:16 " And health unto all their flesh — Sin is the cause of sickness. 1 Corinthians 11:20 "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." John 5:14 But "the joy of the Lord is a man’s strength"; Nehemiah 8:10 and

Proverbs 7:5 — "wisdom from above" can and will preserve a man from hankering after strange flesh. The world’s wizards have been most of them tacked and tainted with this vice, and that by a just hand of God upon them, for the contempt of religion, Romans 1:28 which is indeed the most excellent preservative. Hence, when the apostle had said, 1 Timothy 4:7 "exercise godliness," he adds, as a motive, "Godliness is profitable to all things," Proverbs 7:8 . See further for this, Proverbs

Jeremiah 10:14 — is brutish in his knowledge. — Or, Every man is become more brutish than to know. That was therefore a hyperbolical praise given by Philostratus to Apollonius, Non doctus sed natus sapiens, that he was not taught, but born a wise man. See Job 11:12 Romans 1:22 . See Trapp on " Job 11:12 " See Trapp on " Romans 1:22 " Every man is become brutish for want of knowledge (so the words may be rendered), the heathen idol makers especially; Brutescit homo prae scientia, so Vatablus.

Ezekiel 7:24 — possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled. Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen. — Velut carnifices; who may plunder you to the life, and take away your lives. Habakkuk 1:6-7 ; Habakkuk 1:9 The Jews were bad enough, but the Chaldees were worse, if worse might be; malignants above measure, Poneropolitans, breathing devils. A hard knot must have a harder wedge, as the proverb is. I will also make the pomp of the strong

2 Samuel 24:18 — And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite. And Gad came. — By the command of God’s angel, 1 Chronicles 21:18 after that David and the elders had humbled themselves and prayed (ib.), and after that Zadok the priest had stood in his priestly attire between the living and the dead, to make atonement, as Aaron sometime had done, say the Hebrews