Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 27:8 — In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind. In measure. — Heb., Modio i.e., exigua mensura, in a small measure (by peck peck), and as his people are able to bear; 1 Corinthians 10:13 ad emendationem, non ad internecionem. When it shooteth forth. — Or, In the branches; not at the root, as God smiteth at a wicked man, resolving to have him down. See here his different dealing with his own and others. Upon his

Isaiah 29:1 — Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city [where] David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices. Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, — i.e., To the brazen altar, Ezekiel 43:15-16 called here Ariel, or God’s lion, because it seemed as a lion to devour the sacrifices daily burnt upon it. Here it is put for the whole temple, Metonymiae adiuncta synecdochica. which, together with the city wherein it stood, is threatened

Isaiah 29:9 — thus: Obstupefacite vos ipsi, et sitis stupidi, et excaecate vos ipsi et sitis caeci, stupify yourselves and be stupid; blind yourselves and be blind; do so, I say, for you will do so undoubtedly. And here begin their spiritual miseries. See Isaiah 29:1 ; Isaiah 6:9-10 . They are drunk, but not with wine. — But yet with that which is much worse, viz., with a spirit of stupidity; Isaiah 29:10 they are not only drunk with a dry drunkenness, but deadly sick of a lethargy, being dulled in their understandings,

Isaiah 52:11 — touch from the hand of Heaven. "Save yourselves from this perverse generation." Acts 2:40 "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men: avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it and pass away." Proverbs 4:14-15 , a parallel place Be ye clean, ye that bear the vessels of the Lord. — Id est, qui gestatis arma, instrumenta, adeoque insignia Christi; all ye true believers who are made spiritual priests, Revelation 1:6 and especially all ye holy ministers

Isaiah 56:7 — rest of the Gentiles, had and still have free admission under the gospel. And will make them joyful in mine house of prayer. — By their free access unto me, and all good success in their suits. Pray "that your joy may be full." John 16:24 "Draw water with joy out of this well of salvation." Isaiah 12:3 "Rejoice evermore," and that you may so do, "pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted

Isaiah 62:2 — that the Gentiles should worship her, and be joined unto her. Some read it, "And the Gentiles shall see thy righteous One," - i.e., Christ, who came from the Jews, was preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up to glory. 1 Timothy 3:16 And thou shalt be called by a new name, — viz., Hephzibah, i.e., My darling; and Beulah, i.e., A married woman. Isaiah 62:4 There are that by this new name will have to be understood the name of sons and daughters of the Almighty.

Isaiah 62:6 — watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, [which] shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, I have set watchmen upon thy walls, — i.e., Angels, say some, who are called "watchers,"; Daniel 4:13 ; Daniel 4:33 See Trapp on " Daniel 4:13 " See Trapp on " Daniel 4:33 " prophets and pastors, say others, who are as "watchmen upon the walls," to admonish thee by their preaching, and to preserve thee by their prayers

Isaiah 63:15 — restrained? Look down from heaven. — Affectus dolentium atque ardenter petentium scite exprimuntur, a pathetic and pithy prayer. And behold from the habitation of thy holiness, … — They pray otherwise now than when the temple stood; Psalms 121:1 now they look higher, and oh that they would do so! The modern Jews pray thus daily; but because not from a right principle, they are not heard. Where is thy zeal? — Thine ancient fervour and forwardness in vindicating thy people, and being

Jeremiah 23:30 — causing the people to forget and lose the good that they had once learned of the true prophets. This we see daily done by the cunning fetches and flatteries of the seducers of our times, causing many to lose the things that they had wrought. 2 John 1:8

Jeremiah 29:23 — neighbours’ wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and [am] a witness, saith the LORD. Because they have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives. — As did Eli’s sons, 1 Samuel 2:22 those false prophets also at Jerusalem, Jeremiah 23:14 Hetser, the great Anabaptist in Germany, Scultet. Annal. who yet died penitently, and as do still the Imailers, an order of religious men among the Turks, Turk. Hist., 477. who call

Jeremiah 31:19 — that I was instructed, I smote upon [my] thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Surely after that I was turned, I repented. — After that I had turned short again upon myself, as those penitents, 1 Kings 8:47 as Manasseh, the publican, Luke 18:13 and that prodigal. Luke 15:17 And after that I was instructed. — Postquam ostensum fuerit mihi. Tremel., In Gloss. Marginal. After that I knew myself, or rather was made known to myself - scil.,

Jeremiah 31:22 — about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man. How long will thou go about? — Hunting after human helps, and - refusing to set thy heart on the right straight way Jeremiah 31:21 - fetch a compass, to thy loss of time and labour. O thou backsliding daughter. — Who wast at times O virgin of Israel. Jeremiah 31:21 For the Lord hath created a new thing in the earth. — Or, Will create; he is even about it. A woman

Jeremiah 37:21 — daily a piece of bread. — And a piece of a cake, we say, is better than no bread. I read of a gracious woman who said that she had made many a meal’s meat upon the promises when she wanted bread. But Jeremiah, besides the promises, Jeremiah 1:8 and elsewhere was here, by a sweet providence, sustained in the prison during that extreme famine in the city, whereof we read in the Lamentations, when it was no small mercy to have a morsel of bread to keep him alive. Sic amara interdum dulcescunt.

Jeremiah 4:22 — caelestibus talpae. Wise the wicked are in their generation, subtle and sly; but so is the serpent, or the fox. The swine that wandereth can make better shift to get home than the sheep can to the fold. They have received "the spirit of this world"; 1 Corinthians 2:12 the devil also worketh effectually in them, as a smith in his forge. Ephesians 2:2 Hence they are "wise to do evil." Elymas was a sorcerer, subtle fellow, but the devil’s child, and so the more dangerous. Acts 13:10

Jeremiah 51:44 — size, was carried away by Cyrus; thus Bel was punished. And I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up. — Bolum ex ore Bell. Such an elegance there is also in the original. Plotinus ap August., De Civit. Dei, lib. ix. cap. 16. Of the rich presents, spoils, costly furniture found in Bel’s temple, see Diodore, lib. ii. Those taken from God’s temple at Jerusalem, and laid up in his, 2 Chronicles 36:7 he was forced to regurgitate. Ezra 1:7 ; Ezra 5:14 Job 20:12

Lamentations 2:6 — religious opportunities. Old Eli’s heart was broken before his neck at the news of the ark taken. As if it were of a garden. — As if it were some cottage or hovel set up for a short time in a garden for the repose of the gardener. Isaiah 1:8 He hath destroyed his places of the assembly. — Whence we were wont to hope for help in answer to our prayers. There it was that he formerly "brake the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle." Psalms 76:3 See

Ezekiel 5:13 — and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken [it] in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them. Then shall mine anger be accomplished. — God is then said to be angry when he doth what men do when angry - viz. (1.) Chide; (2.) Smite. And I will be comforted. — This also is spoken after the manner of men, who are much comforted when they can be avenged. Their song is, Oh, how sweet is revenge! “ Animumque explesse iuvabit. ” - Virgil The same

Daniel 3:5 — [That] at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: That at what time ye hear. — See on Daniel 3:1 . The allurements of pleasure are shrewd enticements to idolatry. 2 Peter 2:18 Sir Walter Raleigh said, Were I to choose a religion to gratify the flesh, I would choose Popery. The Catholics, in their supplication to King James for a toleration, plead

Amos 2:2 — But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth: and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, [and] with the sound of the trumpet: But I will send a fire — See Amos 1:4 . And it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth — A city so fair and large that it hath a plural name, which signifieth cities by way of excellence; as Athens was called the Greece of Greece; Rome, the epitome of the world. ‘ Eλλας

Habakkuk 3:18 — will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation — This joy of the Lord was the prophet s strength, and kept his head above all waters of affliction, Nehemiah 8:10 . So it was David’s at the sack of Ziklag, 1 Samuel 30:6 , when Saul at the same time for want of it ran first to the witch, and thence to the sword’s point. A good man hath God for his portion; and if any occasion of discontent or trouble