Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 1:17 — So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son. So he died. — Some wicked men live long, that they may aggravate their judgment: others die sooner, that they may hasten it. In the second year of Jehoram. — See on 1 Kings 22:50 .

2 Kings 14:3 — And he did [that which was] right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did. Yet not like David his father. — Who did all the wills of God Acts 13:22 with a perfect heart. 1 Samuel 13:14 Not so Amaziah, who had a good name, but answered it not; as the Emperor Probus did, witness Flav. Vopiscus.

2 Kings 21:12 — Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I [am] bringing [such] evil upon Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall tingle. Therefore thus saith the Lord. — God loveth to signify beforehand, saith the historian, and he therefore threateneth that he may not punish, saith a father. Both his ears shall tingle. — He shall fall into a swoon through horror and dolor. See 1 Samuel 3:11 .

2 Kings 23:9 — Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren. But they did eat of the unleavened bread. — Care was taken for their maintenance: (1.) As Levites; (2.) As penitents; though, for service at the altar, they were laid aside. Penitency and punishment are words of one derivation, and are near of kin.

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 4:34 — And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. And put his mouth upon his mouth. — The Septuagint adds, And breathed upon him. See on 1 Kings 17:21 . Christ risen again thus applied to the dead soul, quickeneth it.

1 Chronicles 11:1 — Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we [are] thy bone and thy flesh. Then all Israel. — See on 2 Samuel 5:1-5 . We are thy bone and thy flesh. — And may not we safely say as much to Jesus Christ, Ephesians 5:30 and bespeak him as Ruth did Boaz, Thou art my kinsman; oh, stretch the skirt of thy garment over me? Ruth 3:9

2 Chronicles 20:34 — Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they [are] written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who [is] mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel. Who is mentioned, — viz., 1 Kings 16:5 . Others render it, Who was commanded to register the same in the books of the kings of Israel, of part whereof they conceived him to have been the penman.

2 Chronicles 29:23 — And they brought forth the he goats [for] the sin offering before the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them: They laid their hands upon them. — Manibus suis nixi sunt eis; by this ceremony they confessed their sins, and laid them, as it were, upon their sacrifice, indeed upon Christ, "who his own self bore our sins in his own body upon the tree." 1 Peter 2:24

2 Chronicles 4:9 — Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass. Furthermore he made the court. — See 1 Kings 6:30 . And the great court, — i.e., The people’s court, called here gnazarah: Forte ex azar fit azirum, et inde asilum. haply because here God helped the people, when he heard their prayers, or when here they took sanctuary.

2 Chronicles 7:22 — And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them. And it shall be answered. — Or, And they shall answer. 1 Kings 9:9 Non quidem omnes, sed pii et rerum periti. The godly who shall say so.

Psalms 25:18 — Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. Look upon mine affliction and my pain — My griefs, under which I groan and labour, My concupiscence, saith Aben Ezra, against which I strive, but prevail not. And forgive all my sin — Heb. lift up, take away; lay them on the true scape goat, on that Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world, John 1:29 .

Psalms 85:9 — Surely his salvation [is] nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. Surely his salvation is nigh them, … — Though they be so bleared oft with tears that they cannot see it, and so discouraged that they have even done looking for it, Luke 18:7-8 . That glory may dwell in our land — The Fathers both by salvation and glory dwelling with men understand Christ, John 1:16 .

Psalms 9:11 — Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings. Sing praises to the Lord, … — This is the guise of godly people, to provoke others to praise God, as being unsatisfiable in their desires of doing him that service, and as deeming that others see him as they do totum totum desiderabilem, worthy to be praised, Psalms 18:3 , highly to be admired, Psalms 9:1 of this psalm.

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 26:26 — [Whose] hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the [whole] congregation. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, … — He shall be detected and detested of all, sooner or later. God will wash off his varnish with rivers of brimstone. Love, as it is the best armour, so it is the worst cloak, and will serve dissemblers, as the disguise Ahab put on, and perished. 1 Kings 22:30-37

Proverbs 31:22 — She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing [is] silk and purple. Her clothing is silk and purple. — Suitable to her husband’s condition, who is a principal man. Proverbs 31:23 That is excellent counsel that Tertullian gives women, Vestite vos serico pietatis, byssino sanctitatis, purpura pudicitiae: Lib. de cultu faem. Clothe yourselves with the silk of piety, with the satin of sanctity, with the purple of modesty, … See 1 Peter 3:3-4 .

Proverbs 7:25 — Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. Let not thine heart. — Think not of her, lust not after her. Thoughts and affections are sibi mutuo causae. "While I mused the fire burned," Psalms 39:3 so that thoughts kindle affections, and these cause thoughts to boil. See Job 31:1 . See therefore that evil thoughts, though they rush into the heart, yet they rest not in it.

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.

Isaiah 26:17 — Like as a woman with child, [that] draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, [and] crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O LORD. So have we been in thy sight. — Heb, From thy face - i.e., by reason of thy wrath. So 2 Thessalonians 1:9 , "Who shall be punished from the presence of God," that is, of God himself present to their terror.