Bible Commentaries

Psalms 139:12 — Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light [are] both alike [to thee]. Yea, the darkness hideth not — Heb. darkeneth not from thee, because thine eyes are fiery, Revelation 1:14 , such as need no outward light; they are more light and radiant than the sun in his strength. The darkness and the light, … — Deo obscura clarent, muta respondent, silentium confitetur, saith an ancient; Night will convert itself into

Psalms 144:2 — My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and [he] in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. My goodness and my fortress — See Psalms 18:1 , with the notes, His epithetis et elogiis eblanditur Deum, saith an interpreter (Genebr.). Who subdueth my people under me — This is the work of God, and not of kingcraft, to make men good subjects who are naturally discontented at the present

Proverbs 1:12 — Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: Let us swallow them up alive. — As the devil doth. 1 Peter 5:8 2 Timothy 2:26 Homo homini demon. The poor Indians have been heard to say, it had been better that their country had been given to the devils of hell than to the Spaniards; and that if the cruel Spaniards go to heaven when they die, they, for their parts, desire not to come there.

Proverbs 21:30 — understanding nor counsel against the LORD. There is no wisdom against the Lord. — That is, they are all to no purpose. If God deny concourse, and influence, the arm of human power and policy, as Jeroboam’s, shrinks up presently. Psalms 2:1-3 ; Psalms 33:10-11 ; Psalms 62:3 See Trapp on " Proverbs 19:21 " Excellently Gregory - Divinum consilium dum devitatur impletur; humana sapientia dum reluctatur, comprehenditur. God’s decree is fulfilled by those that have least mind

Proverbs 23:22 — Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. Hearken to thy father, … — See Trapp on " Proverbs 1:8 " And despise not thy mother when she is old, — Dr Taylor, martyr, said to his son, among other things, when he was to suffer: When thy mother is waxed old, forsake her not, but provide for her to thy power, and see that she lack nothing;

Proverbs 4:11 — I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. I have led thee in right paths. — Impli ambulant in circuitu, The wicked walk the round. So doth the devil, that great peripatetic. Job 1:6-12 "How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter?" Jeremiah 31:22 "How long wilt thou run retrograde, or turn aside unto crooked ways?" Psalms 125:5 "The ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous shall walk

Ecclesiastes 5:20 — For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth [him] in the joy of his heart. For he shall not much remember, … — He vexeth not at the brevity or misery of his life, but looketh upon himself as a stranger here, and therefore if he can have a better condition, he "useth it rather," 1 Corinthians 7:21 as if a traveller can get a better room in an inn, he will; if not, he can be content, for, saith he, it is but for a night.

Isaiah 2:2 — last days, [that] the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And it shall come to pass, … — See Trapp on " Micah 4:1 " where we shall find that that prophet hath the same words with this αυτολεξει . So hath Obadiah the same with Jeremiah, St Mark with St Matthew, St Jude with St Peter, the blessed Virgin

Isaiah 22:9 — prevent the enemy and provide for their own safety; and this they might well have done, had not God been neglected; this of all things he can least endure. "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God" (Psalms 9:17 ; see Isaiah 30:1 ).

Isaiah 24:11 — [There is] a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. There is a crying for wine. — The drunkards weep, the ale stakes yell, because the new wine is cut off from their mouths. Joel 1:5 All joy is darkened. — Heb., It is eventide with joy. As the air in the evening waxeth dark, so shall their mirth be turned into heaviness. The mirth of the land is gone. — Together with their liquor. Wine is by Simonides called the expeller

Isaiah 40:5 — And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see [it] together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it]. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, — i.e., Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, James 2:1 shall appear in the flesh. Some interpreters understand this whole sermon, ad literam, concerning Christ and redemption wrought by him, yet with an allusion to the Jews’ deliverance out of Babylon; for this was a type of that, like as Cyrus also was of Christ.

Isaiah 47:7 — And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: [so] that thou didst not lay these [things] to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it. I shall be a lady for ever. — Presumption precedeth destruction. Psalms 10:6 Revelation 18:7 So that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart. — The daughter of pride is security, and pleasure is her niece. Isaiah 47:8 Nor didst remember the latter end of it. — Heb., Her latter end. Memorare novissima tua,

Jeremiah 10:1 — Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh. — Exordium simplicissimum, saith Junius. A very plain preface calling for attention; (1.) From the authority of the speaker; (2.) From the duty of the hearers. O house of Israel. — The ten tribes, long since captivated, and now directed what to do, say some; the Jews, say others: and in this former part of the chapter, those of them

Jeremiah 16:18 — things. And first, — i.e., Before I restore them. I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double, — i.e., Abundantly. Poenarum abunde. - Jun. I will have my full pennyworths of them; not double to their deserts, as Isaiah 40:2 ; Isaiah 60:1 With the careases, — i.e., With their idolatries, more odious and loathsome than any stinking carcases can be.

Jeremiah 29:14 — have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. And I will be found of you. — The best ευρημα . See Psalms 32:6 Isaiah 55:6 ; Isaiah 65:1 . And I will gather you. — As my scattered jewels. See Jeremiah 13:7 ; Jeremiah 24:6 .

Jeremiah 29:2 — chamberlains to queens; but not always so bold with them as Stephen the Persian presumed to be with the queen mother of the emperor Justinian II: quam flagellis sicuti servam castigavit whom he corrceted with a whip just as a servant. Func. See Jeremiah 24:1-2 .

Jeremiah 35:17 — Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered. Behold, I will bring upon Judah. — Aut poenitendum aut pereundum. Men must either repent, or perish; obey God’s law, or bear the penalty; no remedy. Hebrews 2:2 2 Thessalonians 1:8

Jeremiah 35:5 — And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine. Drink ye wine. — It was a double temptation unto them: 1. To have pots and cups of wine set before them; 2. To be bid drink it by a prophet, and at prophet’s chamber. But they were resolved, in obedience to their father Jonadab, to forbear. Yet if Jeremiah had said, Thus saith the Lord, Drink wine, they ought to have done it; but this he did not.

Jeremiah 5:18 — Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you. I will not make a full end with thee. — In the midst of judgment, God remembereth mercy. See Jeremiah 4:27 ; Jeremiah 5:10 . Howbeit, from this text some gather, that now in this last captivity of theirs, God hath made a full end with the Jews, and that "wrath is come upon them to the utmost," or to the end εις τελος

Jeremiah 9:22 — Speak, Thus saith the LORD, Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather [them]. Speak, Thus saith the Lord. — Heb., Speak, it is the Lord’s saying; and therefore thou mayest be bold to speak it. So 1 Thessalonians 4:15 , "For I say unto you in (or, by) the word of the Lord." And as the handful after the harvestman. — Death shall cut them up by handfuls, and lay them heaps upon heaps.