Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 1:40 — — Or, Flutes; that Adonijah’s party might hear and be startled with those noises, which at once proclaimed Solomon’s triumph, and their confusion. And rejoiced with great joy. — By the special operation of God’s Spirit, see 1 Chronicles 12:40 and to shadow forth the great joy which the saints should take in the kingdom of Christ. Zechariah 9:9 So that the earth rent. — After a sort, with their loud acclamations, Hyperbole sumpta a fragoris similitudine.

1 Kings 11:41 — Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, [are] they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon? And all that he did. — His repentance is not expressly recorded, but may be evidently gathered from other texts of Scripture. as 2 Chronicles 11:17 Psalms 89:33 , 2 Samuel 7:15 , 2 Peter 1:21 , but especially the Book of Ecclesiastes, that public monument. In the book of the acts of Solomon. — Who had his historiographers and annalists. In his time lived Homer, as it is thought: in whose

1 Kings 13:32 — against all the houses of the high places which [are] in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass. Which are in the cities of Samaria. — So called here by anticipation. It seemeth of old to be called and belong to Shimronmeron. Joshua 11:1 ; Joshua 11:3 ; Joshua 12:20 Shall surely come to pass. — Heb., Being, shall be. Jehovah, the great essentiator, shall give being to his word assuredly. "Every morning doth he bring his judgments to light, he faileth not." Zephaniah

1 Kings 13:9 — again by the same way that thou camest. Eat no bread, nor drink water. — Figura haec erat Ecclesiasticae censurae et excommunicationis, say Cyprian and Rupert; this figured out the censure of the Church against heretics, and other foul offenders, 1 Corinthians 5:11 "with such a one, no, not to eat" or consort, "that they may be ashamed." 2 Thessalonians 3:14 Nor turn again by the same way. — God thought the worse of the way to that wicked place, where Satan’s throne

1 Kings 17:5 — So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that [is] before Jordan. For he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith. — In some cave, likely: as 1 Kings 19:9 , where Joh. Hierosolymitanus saith he was taught of God a form of solitary living, and had various good people directed to him by the angels: whom he taught and confirmed. But whether this were so or not, Elijah could not be alone, so long

1 Kings 18:3 — Obadiah, which [was] the governor of [his] house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: And Ahab called Obadiah. — Who was neither the prophet Odadiah, as some have thought, nor that good captain over fifty, who begged his life of Elijah, 2 Kings 1:13 but another, a good officer, under wicked Ahab; such as was also Jacob to Laban, Joseph to Pharaoh, Naaman to Benhadad, Mordecai to Ahashuerus, Nehemiah to Artaxerxes, some good people in Nero’s house, Trajan to Valens, Cromwell to Henry VIII,

1 Kings 18:37 — turned their heart back again. Hear me, O Lord, hear me. — God is distinguished from all false gods by his hearing of prayers. This the prophet well knew, and therefore crieth, "Hear me, Lord, hear me": the people also acknowledge it, 1 Kings 18:39 where seeing God’s answer by fire to the prophet’s prayer, they cry out, as fully convinced, "The Lord," and not Baal, "he is God; the Lord, he is God." And that thou hast turned. — Or, Turn thou their

1 Kings 19:17 — the hand of prayer. threatenings, curses, which did all most certainly and infallibly come to pass. And whensoever Elisha unsheatheth and brandisheth his sword, it is a fair warning that the sword of Jehu and Hazael are at hand. See Hosea 6:5 Jeremiah 1:10 .

1 Kings 20:6 — thy servants; and it shall be, [that] whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put [it] in their hand, and take [it] away. Whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes. — Ahab, as bad as he was, had a name among these Syrians for a merciful man; 1 Kings 20:31 this is now not respected, because he is at such an under. How much better Mithridates, king of Pontus, of whom it is said that he hated such as trampled upon virtue forsaken of fortune.

1 Kings 22:10 — of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. Sat each on his throne. — This might have daunted the good prophet, but that he had lately seen the Lord sitting upon his throne with all the host of heaven standing by him, 1 Kings 22:19 and hence he so boldly looked in the face these two kings sitting in their majesty; for he beheld them as so many mice, Vel tanquam e palude sua repentes ranunculas. Bernard.

1 Kings 8:12 — Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. The Lord hath said that he would dwell. — Leviticus 16:1-2 Psalms 18:11-12 ; Psalms 97:2 He hath said it, and he hath often done it, for man’s sake, who can far less look upon God in his excellency, than he can upon the sun in rota, in the circle wherein it runneth. These words therefore Solomon

2 Kings 15:16 — barbara, because their husbands opened not the gates of their city unto him. Here Manes showed himself to be Epimanes. This abhorred cruelty Josephus mentioneth not; as being ashamed that other nations should be acquainted with it. The like was done, Hosea 13:16 Amos 1:13 and at the Sicilian vespers, by those pseudo-Catholics.

2 Kings 19:32 — Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it. He shall not come into this city. — Because dear to God, who had appointed salvation for walls and bulwarks. Isaiah 26:1 Semblably, of all that huge fleet three years a-rigging and furnishing, not one Spaniard set foot on English ground, but under the notion of a prisoner. See on 2 Kings 19:28 . Nor shoot an arrow there, … — See Psalms 48:12 . See Trapp on

2 Kings 20:4 — the middle of the city; so the Cheri, or margin, hath it. It is probable that the king’s court was like a city. The Turk’s seraglio or palace is in circuit more than two miles. Before Isaiah was gone out into the court within the porch, 1 Kings 7:8 he was sent again with this countermand. Oh, the power of prayer! “ Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus. ”

2 Samuel 10:5 — Christ’s faithful ministers do his to the world, 2 Corinthians 5:20 which is therefore charged to "do his prophets no harm." Tarry at Jericho. — In some cottage or village thereabouts: for Jericho was not rebuilt till long after. 1 Kings 16:34

2 Samuel 13:18 — the door after her. A garment of divers colours. — Wrought or embroidered. For with such robes were the king’s daughters, … — So are all God’s children apparelled with the vestis variegata of saving graces Colossians 3:12 1 Peter 5:5 which maketh them amiable and admirable in the sight of God and all good people. Then his servant brought her out, … — Evil masters are not without evil servants, ready to humour them in anything they command.

2 Samuel 24:11 — that he had deserved to be discountenanced and rejected for ever. His sin was doubtless pardoned; but in his people - his pride - he must be punished. Gad therefore cometh to him, and saith in effect, as that other prophet did to the wife of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 14:6 "I am sent to thee with heavy tidings."

2 Samuel 5:9 — name: making it likewise the metropolis and seat of the empire. And David built round about, from Millo. — A certain tower or fortress. 2 Chronicles 32:5 All the inside of the city David rebuilt, leaving the care of building the walls to Joab. 1 Chronicles 11:8

2 Samuel 6:2 — all the people that [were] with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth [between] the cherubims. From Baale of Judah. — Called also Kirjathbaal, Joshua 15:60 and Kirjathjearim. 1 Chronicles 13:6 To bring up from thence the ark of God. — Which in Saul’s days had been slighted; and was now haply less regarded, because in a private house. That dwelleth between the cherabims. — By the presence

2 Samuel 7:12 — kingdom. And thou shalt sleep with thy fathers. — Quando cubitum te contuleris, When thou shalt go to bed. When God’s children have done their work, he sendeth them to bed. Isaiah 57:2 I will set up thy seed after thee. — Solomen; 1 Chronicles 28:6 as also Christ: for this and the following promises are, some peculiar to Solomon, some to Christ; and some to both, as the types and antitypes.