Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 20:33 — their divines to the Council of Trent; and receiving the brief, one of the burgomasters of Zurie did kiss it. The Pope advertised hereof, could not choose but tell it to all the ambassadors residing with him, with much joy. Hist. of Counc. of Trent, 441. And did hastily catch it. — Should not men hastily catch at any word of comfort that falleth from God’s sweet mouth, making their utmost best of it? Isaiah 66:11 I will hearken, with both ears earnestly, "what God the Lord will speak:

2 Chronicles 16:14 — cardinals, prelates, lords, gentlemen, and officers attending in far greater solemnity than if he had been alive! Dr Hakew., Apolog. With sweet odours. — Congesta cremantur thurea dona. Virg. A good name is better than all these. Ecclesiastes 7:1 And they made a very great burning for him. — Not of his body, but of sweet odours only, at and in his sepulchre. See 2 Chronicles 21:19 Jeremiah 34:5 .

Ezra 7:12 — and Lord of lords; kings and captives, lords and lowlies, are all his underlings and vassals, as those good emperors, Constantine, Theodosius, and Valentinian usually called themselves (Socrates). This name of the Lord Christ is said to be written, 1. On his vesture, that all may see it and submit to it. 2. On his thigh, where hangs his sword, to show his absolute and unlimited empire, got out of the hands of his enemies with his sword and with his bow, Psalms 45:5 . "By me king’s reign,"

Nehemiah 12:36 — Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them. And Ezra before them — Before the first company, as Nehemiah came after the second, Nehemiah 12:4 . As the first went round from the west southward till they came to the east; so the second company went from the west northward, till they came to the east, where they both met at length in the Temple, Nehemiah 12:41 . Praising God with all sorts

Nehemiah 4:19 — great and large — The compass of the walls at this time is thought by good writers to be certain miles about; and yet was enlarged as much afterwards by Herod. And we are separated upon the wall — According to our divisions, noted Nehemiah 3:1 , …, and this is a weapon in the hand of our enemies; for dum pugnamus singuli, vincimur universi, being dispersed, we are much disadvantaged.

Nehemiah 4:7 — feeble folk, but yet armed with God, and that had him for their champion. So we may see how readily one wicked man will be drawn to help another; and how the wickedness of one will infect another that will give ear to it. Read Psalms 83:6-8 Revelation 16:16-17 , … Heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up — Heb. That health (or as the old translation hath it, a salve) ascended upon the walls. A metaphor from surgeons, who when they heal wounds by salves or plasters, join the flesh

Nehemiah 4:8 — together to come [and] to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. And conspired all of them together — All of them, and together; and yet this was not unity, but conspiracy; such as is that among devils, Mark 5:9 , among Antichristians, Revelation 17:13 , among Turks, who have as little dissension in their religion as any. But well may that garment have no seam that hath no shape. The army of Nineveh was quiet, Nahum 1:12 , no falling out nor complaining in their hosts; hence their king marched

Nehemiah 5:18 — of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people. Now that which was prepared for me daily — A very great table he kept, at his own charge all, yet nothing so great as Solomon, 1 Kings 4:22-23 , or as once Cardinal Wolsey here; who, besides all strangers that came, had four hundred of family, whereof one was an earl, nine barons, very many knights and esquires. But then he had more yearly revenue than all the bishops and deans

Nehemiah 6:16 — in their own eyes — They were crest fallen, and dejected from the high tops of their proud hopes and designs. See what biles and ulcers the antichristian rout are vexed with, and how they are scorched with the sunshine of the gospel, Revelation 16:2 ; Revelation 16:11 . What moan Babel’s merchants make to see her ruin and the rise of the new Jerusalem, Revelation 18:11 . Envy is vitium Diabolicum, the devil’s disease, saith Austin, in Psalms 139:1-24 ; and those that are troubled

Esther 9:23 — that heat and height of good affections in his people, he prayed, "O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee," 1 Chronicles 29:18 . And when he had at another time undertook for himself, that if God would deliver him from blood guiltiness his tongue should sing aloud of God’s righteousness, he subjoins (by way of correction, as if he were sensible that he

Job 10:17 — thy witnesses against me — These fresh witnesses were devils, say some; Job’s friends, say others; his dolorous sufferings rather, saith Austin; those open witnesses of some secret wickedness in Job, as the world would esteem them. See Job 16:8 Ruth 1:21 . Thus the Jews censured our Saviour, Isaiah 53:3-4 ; the barbarians Paul, Acts 28:4 ; and those in the Gospel them that perished by the fall of the tower of Siloam. And how many precious men as well as Job have been cast upon this evidence

Job 10:20 — comfort a little, Are not my days few? — And oh that they might not be also evil! since I shall not much trouble the world, oh that I might not find much trouble in the world! What man is he that would fain see good days? saith David, Psalms 34:12 . What man is he that would not? saith Austin in answer to him. Job and David join in one and the same suit for a truce from trouble, since their time here was so very short, Psalms 39:13 ; Psalms 89:47 . Cease then, and let me alone — After

Job 10:4 — Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? Hast thou eyes of flesh? — Which see but the surface of things, and not that neither in the dark. Hast thou not fiery eyes, Revelation 1:14 , that need no outward light, but see by sending out a ray, and pierce the inward parts also? Hast thou not made the eye? yea, the optic virtue in the eye, which seeth all and is seen of none? If the sun be the eye of the world, God is much more.

1 Samuel 10:1 — above his subjects, - oil will ever be on the top of other liquors, - so to admonish him of lenity, clemency, and bounty - whereof oil is a symbol - to be exercised toward them. And kissed him. — In token of congratulation and subjection. Genesis 41:40 1 Kings 19:18 Psalms 2:12 Hosea 13:2 And said, Is it not because the Lord, … — What else is the import of these ceremonies used by me? Some render it, And said, Should I not do thus? for Jehovah hath anointed thee, …, for it seemeth

1 Samuel 29:4 — cut asunder this gordian knot, which David knew not how to untie. It would be ill with us sometimes, were it not for God’s good providence, and others’ malice. Lest in the battle he be an adversary to us. — As some others have been. 1 Samuel 14:21 He is but a reconciled enemy at best: and Reconciliationes sunt vulpinae amicitiae: he is not to be trusted. This was military prudence in these princes, though Achish had endeavoured to justify David against their jealousies.

1 Samuel 30:6 — him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. And David was greatly distressed. — So that he knew not which way to look, but heavenward. See 1 Samuel 30:3 . For the people spake of stoning him. — As the chief cause of their calamity, by carrying them all after Achish to no purpose; whereby their city was exposed to the spoil of the enemy. Because the soul of all the people was grieved.

1 Samuel 31:2 — Philistines followed hard upon Saul. — Heb., Clave to him; sat close upon his skirts: fighting neither against small nor great, so much as against him, as their capital enemy, the destroyer of their country, that had slain many of them, as Judges 16:24 . And the Philistines slew Jonathan. — That peerless prince, the glory of chivalry, that lumen et columen the light and support of his country. He dieth among the rest, and hath his share as deep as any other in that common calamity: so true

2 Samuel 12:31 — the people of God: and least of all the ambassadors of Christ. Hath any one ever waxed fierce against him and prospered? Job 9:4 I think not. And put them under saws, and under harrows of iron. — This was a kind of most terrible torture, Amos 1:3 Hebrews 11:37 when saws, harrows, axes were used in this sort, for punishment of offenders. Whether David did not herein overdo, the doctors are divided. Certain it is, that what miseries soever impenitent sinners suffer here, they are but a typical

2 Samuel 16:11 — him. Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels. — If we can therefore suffer because we have suffered, as David did from Shimei, but first from Absalom, then we have profited by our afflictions: then "patience hath her perfect work." James 1:4 A weak heart faints with every addition of succeeding sorrow: the strong re-collecteth itself, and, like an old beaten porter to the cross, tolerare mavult guam deplorare, rather carrieth it, than crieth out of it. See Job 23:2 . See Trapp on "

2 Samuel 21:6 — may justly punish the father in the children, though innocent in that particular, because all are sinners before him: children also are part of their parents’ goods, … women from Tekoah confessed that they were all worthy to die. 2 Samuel 14:14 and Mephibosheth stated. 2 Samuel 9:8 Whom the Lord did choose. — And therefore his sin was the greater. As he perished "as though he had not been anointed with oil," 2 Samuel 1:21 so he sinned as if he had not been elected of God