Bible Commentaries

Deuteronomy 21:14 — shows, that God approved not of his fact, which yet he tolerated. By "humbling" her is meant the taking away her honour of chastity; her credit was now gone. The body as a vessel should be "possessed in sanctification and honour." 1 Thessalonians 4:4

Deuteronomy 28:47 — abundance all things. — Aristotle was wont to tax his Athenians, Quod cum duas res invenissent, frumenta ac leges, frumentis ut erentur, legibus nequaquam; imo moribus suis quam legibus uti mallent, as Valerius Maximus addeth, Laert., lib. v. cap. 1. Sure it is, that as these Jews of old, so we to this day are much to be blamed, for that we live in God’s good land, but not by God’s good laws.

Deuteronomy 29:26 — For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and [whom] he had not given unto them: And whom he had not given unto them. — Or, Who had not given to them any portion. For "Can the vanities of the Gentiles give rain? or can the heavens give showers?" Jeremiah 14:22 As Saul said, "Can the son of Jesse give you vineyards and olive-yards?" … 1 Samuel 22:7 So may God say to apostates, Can the world do for you as I can?

Deuteronomy 32:9 — For the LORD’S portion [is] his people; Jacob [is] the lot of his inheritance. For the Lord’s portion. — Dear to God, though despised of the world. They are the Lord’s "inheritance," Isaiah 19:25 "peculiar" ones, Exodus 19:5 the people of his purchase, that comprehended all his gettings, 1 Peter 2:9 his "glory," Isaiah 46:13 his "ornament," Ezekiel 7:20 his "throne," Jeremiah 4:17 his "diadem,"

Deuteronomy 33:28 — of Jacob. The same word signifies both an eye and a fountain. He that, with Mary Magdalen, can make his eye a fountain to wash Christ’s feet in, shall be sure to have that fountain of Christ’s blood opened to wash his soul in. Zechariah 13:1

Joshua 10:25 — And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. Fear not, nor be dismayed, … — To the like sense saith the Captain of our salvation to his spiritual soldiers, "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13 For thus shall the Lord do, — sc., If you do not the work of the Lord deceitfully or slothfully. Jeremiah 48:10

Joshua 11:13 — But [as for] the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; [that] did Joshua burn. That stood still in their strength. — Heb., On their heap: i.e., that prepared to have stood out a siege, but yet repented and did not; or that had not their walls and bulwarks yet rased and dismantled in the fury of war. That did Joshua burn. — For example’s sake to the rest; and for that the king thereof was the author of that war. Joshua 11:1

Joshua 19:9 — children of Judah [was] the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them. Out of the portion. — See Joshua 19:1 . Was too much for them. — More than came to their share, or more than they could man or manage. Had their inheritance within the inheritance of them. — And so Jacob’s prophecy was fulfilled; Genesis 49:7 an argument of the divinity

Joshua 22:26 — offering, nor for sacrifice: To build us an altar, not for burnt offering, … — This they often deny, and disclaim as a thing they abhorred. So John Baptist "confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ." John 1:20 He did it frequently, solemnly, Verbis non solum desertis sed et exsertis. he thrust away that honour with both hands earnestly, as knowing the danger of falling into the punishing hands of a just and jealous God.

Joshua 24:10 — But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand. Therefore he blessed you still — Though full sore against his mind, as loath to lose so fair a preferment; till at length he resolved to curse, whatever came of it, and therefore went not, as at other times, to his altar, but "set his face toward the wilderness." Numbers 24:1-2 "Howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing," said that good Nehemiah. Nehemiah 13:2

Joshua 24:14 — they did likewise in the wilderness. Amos 5:25-26 Acts 7:42-43 So in Josiah’s days, Baal had privily his "Chemarims," or chimney chaplains, yea, those that "worshipped the host of heaven upon the housetops," … Zephaniah 1:4-5

Joshua 5:10 — And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. And kept the Passover. — Which it seemeth they had not done for a long time before. See Numbers 9:1-2 . So that they were without the use of those two standing sacraments during their abode in the wilderness; peradventure, saith one, Diodorus. through a profane carelessness of the people, which God punished by suffering them to go on in their sin

Joshua 7:21 — When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they [are] hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. When I saw, … — Millions have died of the wound in the eye. Covetousness is called "the lust of the eye," 1 John 2:16 and by this window much wickedness windeth itself into the heart, said the wise heathen.

Judges 12:2 — — Apologies are lawful, and in stone cases needful: the primitive Christians, as Tertullian, Athenagoras, and others, offered their apologies to the Roman emperors to very good purpose. And when I called you. — Which yet they denied. Judges 12:1 Proud and spiteful people make little of a lie. See Judges 11:13 .

Judges 13:8 — Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we shall do unto the child that shall be born. Then Manoah entreated the Lord. — So should we as oft as any difficulty ariseth in wedlock, or otherwise, especially about the breeding or disposing of our dear children. There is a woe to such as "take counsel, but not of God; and that cover with a covering, but not of his Spirit." Isaiah 30:1

Judges 20:15 — after devoured by the sword, the whole land becoming like a general slaughter house, or a place of infernal torture. Had they not been so numerous, they had not, likely, been so venturous. "The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee." Obadiah 1:3

Judges 5:2 — Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the people willingly offered themselves. When the people willingly offered themselves. — As Judges 4:10 . Barak had no power to press them, but did only persuade with them, as the word Mashar there importeth. He gave goodly words, as being of the tribe of Naphtali, see Genesis 49:21 and prevailed, God working their hearts thereunto, who is therefore

1 Samuel 10:21 — When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found. The family of Matri was taken. — Which is not the name of a man - see 1 Chronicles 8:30 ; but signifieth a mark, saith one out of Lyra; whence he eoncludeth that the family of Matri was of those that could shoot at a mark so excellently. Judges 20:16 Fides sit penes Authorem.

1 Samuel 14:3 — And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD’S priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. And Ahiah. — Called also Ahimelech, 1 Samuel 22:11-12 and basely butchered by the command of Saul, who here had sent for him, and served himself upon him. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. — Or, For what purpose. The engine that doth all in great works, is oft inward,

1 Samuel 8:9 — Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them. Now therefore hearken. — See 1 Samuel 8:7 . Protest solemnly unto them. — That they may fall with open eyes, and be left as inexcusable as they are wilful. And show them the manner of the king. — Rationem istam, παμβισιλειαν