Bible Commentaries

Nehemiah 13:16 — unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. There dwelt men of Tyre also — Phoenician merchants had their factors in Jerusalem. And all manner of ware — Merchandise; for Tyre was a great market town, and famous for fishing, Ezekiel 27:1-36 And sold on the sabbath — Which they ought not to have done; for that was God’s market day, and not man’s. Unto the children of Judah — Who were, therefore, worse than the Tyrians, because they ought to have been better; therefore

Nehemiah 3:15 — time, as appears by Talitha cumi, and other like passages. And unto the stairs — By these David descended into the lower city, and suitors ascended to his palace. This is allegorically applied by some to Christ (the true Jacob’s ladder, John 1:51 ), who came down and humbled himself to the utmost; that we by him might have access, with success, in all our suits.

Nehemiah 6:5 — Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; Then sent Sanballat … the fifth time — So restless are wicked persons; their souls are violently tossed about, as in a sling, 1 Samuel 25:29 , Etsi non aliqua docuissent, … although they would not be taught by anything, Satan, their taskmaster, urgeth them; and when thou seest them most importunate and outrageous, Scito quia ab accensore suo daemone perurgentur, saith

Esther 5:7 — God’s own words in prayer, and say, as she did to Judah, "Whose are these?" Genesis 38:25 . He loves to be set upon in his own words, to be pressed with his promise, to be sued upon his bond. This David knew, and therefore cries, Psalms 86:11 , "Unite my heart to fear thy name": it is as if he should say, Thou hast promised, Lord, to give me one heart, Ezekiel 11:19 ; behold, I find mine heart divided, my thoughts dissipated, and myself disabled for duty (for Anima dispersa fit

Job 15:6 — Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I — Yes, you, and none but you. Job’s heart condemneth him not (and thence his confidence toward God, 1 John 3:21 ), much less his mouth, had not his words been misconstrued. But as charity maketh a good sense of doubtful speeches and passages, so prejudice and displeasure takes all things (though well meant) at the worst, and as logicians do, Sequitur

Job 17:10 — But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find [one] wise [man] among you. But as for you all, do you return, … — Change your minds, as Malachi 3:18 , and close with me, lay aside your prejudiced opinions, deliver up yourselves to my discipline, who am ready to teach you things both weighty and necessary, Siquis culturae patientum accommodet aurem. For I cannot find one wise man amongst you —

Job 21:32 — grave — He that was erst so stern and terrible shall shortly be laid low enough, and then leoni mortuo vel mus insultabit. the corpse of a lion or a leaping mouse. Though he were such a son of Belial that none could speak to him (as Nabal was, 1 Samuel 25:17 ), yet death will speak with him, and confute this proud haughty scorner, that dealeth in proud wrath. When death comes, saith Sir Walter Raleigh, which hates and destroys men, that is believed and obeyed; but God, that loveth and maketh

Job 26:11 — and are astonished at his reproof. The pillars of heaven tremble — i.e. The angels, say some, who tremble out of conscience of their own comparative imperfections. The best of saints on earth, say others (according to Galatians 2:9 Revelation 3:12 Proverbs 9:1-2 ), who tremble at God’s word, Isaiah 66:2 , and have many concussions by afflictions. But better understand the firmament of heaven, Haggai 2:6-7 Matthew 24:29 . The powers of heaven shall be shaken, they shall quake with the loud

Job 34:26 — iustitiam moniti; et non temnere numen, others may hear and fear, and do no more so. God is pleased for this purpose to bang up some notorious offenders as it were in gibbets; as Pharaoh, Sennacherib, Antiochus, Herod, Julian. See those writs of execution, 1 Corinthians 10:5-7 , and be wise by others’ woes; enjoy their follies, and gather, with the bee, sweet honey out of those bitter weeds, Poena ad paucos, metus ad omnes. Punishment to the poor, fear at all.

Job 36:26 — esse; sed quantus sit rursus operibus involvit; that he is very great, but how great he is that appears not (Brent.). Neither can the number of his years be searched out — How should they say, when as his countenance is beyond all count, Psalms 102:24 ; Psalms 102:27 . Years are here ascribed unto him, and he is elsewhere called "Ancient of days," Daniel 7:9 , and the hairs of his head are said to be white like snow, Revelation 1:14 ; but all this is spoken of God after the manner

Job 38:15 — from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken. And from the wicked their light is withholden — They have no such joy of those comforts which the light afforded; but as it discovereth their dark practices, Ephesians 5:13 , so it bringeth them forth to condign punishment, Utpote indignos, qui hac luce fruantur. And the high arm shall be broken — i.e. His strength, tyranny, and power, whereby he oppressed others as with an outstretched arm, lifted up to strike

Job 38:22 — Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? — i.e. Into the clouds, where these meteors (whereof before, Job 37:1-24 ) are engendered; and from whence God, when he pleases, bringeth such great store as if he had them treasured up by him for a long season. See the like said of the winds, Psalms 135:7 , Quasi parata haberet horum penuaria. Gregory, allegorizing these

Job 38:8 — mother’s womb. How great is God, then, to whom the great sea is but as a little infant? It brake out of the womb, when it was severed from the abyss; which lay covered with darkness, till the waters below were separated from those above, Genesis 1:10 .

Job 8:21 — rejoice, Proverbs 29:6 . They may do so here amidst all their troubles, 2 Corinthians 7:4 . As the lily looks fresh, and beautiful, and blithe, though among thorns; they shall do so hereafter, when they enter into the joy of their Master. See Isaiah 65:13 . A joy fitter to be believed than possible to be discoursed. See a shadow of it, Psalms 126:1-2 .

Psalms 17:5 — Hold up my goings in thy paths, [that] my footsteps slip not. Hold up my goings in thy paths, … — Keep me within the circle of thy word, as thou hitherto hast done; make me to walk exactly, and as in a frame, Ephesians 5:15 . Grant me thy preventing, concomitant, and subsequent grace: O thou God of all grace, perfect, strengthen, stablish me, 1 Peter 5:10 . That my footsteps slip not — By the malice of Satan, who seeks to subvert such as are most eminent, to the

Psalms 2:5 — his rebels when once he hath brought them before him, and pronounceth sentence upon them in fierce wrath, see Jeremiah 52:9 , so will the King of heaven do by his sturdy refractories. Whether he will speak unto them by his words or by his rods, Job 33:14 ; Job 33:19-21 , and when he will do it he hath reserved in his own power and pleasure, Acts 1:7 , but sooner or later he will not fail to do it; and And vex them — Or trouble them, as he did the builders of Babel, Pharaoh, Sennacherib, others;

Psalms 20:3 — Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah. Remember all thy offerings — Before they went to war they were wont to offer sacrifices, as did Saul; though by his haste therein he lost his kingdom, 1 Samuel 13:9 . From the people of God the heathens had also learned this course and custom. Io Paean is the force of Jehovah Peneh that is, Lord, look upon us. The devil (God’s ape) had taught the Athenians, when they began the battle, to use these

Psalms 21:1 — the former, and is therefore fitly set next unto it. Some call it David’s triumphant song of praise, for victory gotten over the Ammonites and Syrians. For that victory it was certainly which he and the people had begged so fervently, Psalms 20:1-9 , and promised solemnly to rejoice in God’s salvation …, Psalms 21:5 , as here is done accordingly. Vow and perform unto the Lord your God: bring presents, …, Psalms 76:11 . And in thy salvation — All is God’s. As Joab

Psalms 21:4 — [even] length of days for ever and ever. He asked life of thee — Quando fugiebat a Saule, saith R. Solomon, when he fled from Saul; rather when he went into the field against his enemies, carrying his life in his hand. His life we begged, Psalms 20:1-2 , and thou hast not only given him his life, but a long continued series of lives in his successors, 2 Samuel 7:13 Psalms 72:15 , yea, life everlasting in Christ, his Son according to the flesh. See Psalms 61:6 . Thus God is better to his people than

Psalms 9:13 — some) of those humble ones whom God forgetteth not; they were God’s remembrancers, see Isaiah 62:6: or it is a prayer of David for further deliverances, according to that, "I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised," Psalms 18:3 . Between praising and praying he divided his time, and drove a holy trade between heaven and earth. Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death — i.e. Ex praesentissimo et certissimo interitu, from desperate and deadly dangers, such as