Bible Commentaries

Genesis 1:7 — firmament: and it was so. Waters which were above the firmament. — That is the clouds, and watery meteors above the lower region of the air, where God’s "pavilion round about him is dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies". Psalms 18:11 Jeremiah 10:13 These he "weighs by measure"; Job 28:25 not a drop falls in vain, or in a wrong place. And this is the first heaven: as the second is the starry sky, which is firm and fast, "as a molten looking-glass". Job 37:18

Genesis 22:2 — blessed"; and seemed to involve the utter ruin of all mankind. Here, reason was at a stand. It was faith only that could extricate the perplexed patriarch, by giving him to know "that God was able to raise him up even from the dead". Hebrews 11:19 Hoc Abrahamum fecit αμεταπτωτον . This was it that kept him from tripping. Get thee into the land of Moriah. — Both Abraham’s great temptations began with one strain, Vade tibi ,

Genesis 32:10 — saith the prodigal. Pharisaeus non vulnera, sed munera ostendit. The proud Pharisee sets forth not his wants, but his worth: "God, I thank thee," … But if David were so humbled before Saul that he called himself "a flea," 1 Samuel 26:20 what should we do to God? Unworthy we should acknowledge ourselves of the least mercies we enjoy, with Jacob; and yet not rest satisfied with the greatest things in the world, for our portion, as Luther. Valde protestatas sum me nolle sic

Genesis 34:2 — upon forbidden beauties. This was no part of his wisdom: but it shall be ours, by mortification, to pluck the wanton eye out of old Adam, and to set it sober into the new man: to get that occulum irretortum, that well-ordered eye, that Job had; Job 31:1 that Joseph had; that Gregory Nazianzen had, who could σοφρονιζειν τους οφθαλμους , tutor his eyes; that

Genesis 42:15 — deifying their kings; as Antiochus surnamed Yεος ; and Caligula would be styled Dominus Deus: as at this day the Pope’s parasites call him Dominum Deum nostrum papam. To be sworn by, is an honour peculiar to God. Isaiah 65:16 Jeremiah 4:2 That of Paul 1 Corinthians 15:31 is not an oath, but an obtestation; or, a taking of his afflictions for Christ to witness. That of the spouse Song of Solomon 3:5 is not an oath, but an adjuration: for he chargeth his church’s enemies

Nehemiah 2:10 — When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard [of it], it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. 10. When Sanballat the Horonite — That is, the Moabite, Isaiah 15:4 Jeremiah 48:3 ; Jeremiah 48:5 ; Jeremiah 48:34 . His name signifieth, saith one, a pure enemy; he was come of that spiteful people, who were anciently irked because of Israel, Numbers

Nehemiah 4:1 — enemies to reformation. So do savage beasts bristle up themselves, and make the most fierce assaults, when they are in danger of losing the prey which they had once seized on. Jabeshgilead would send in none to help the Lord against the mighty, Judges 21:9 . No more would Meroz, Judges 5:23 . Josiah met with much opposition; so did St Paul wherever he came, to set up evangelical and spiritual worship; which is called a reformation, Hebrews 9:10 . All the world was against Athanasius in his generation,

Esther 1:19 — he might not hereafter be censured for this his immoderate and unmerciful censure, but be sure to save one howsoever. Let it be written, saith he, among the laws of the Persians — Which the king himself could not repeal, Daniel 6:8 ; Daniel 6:15 , but once passed and registered, they remained binding for ever. I have read of a people among whom the laws they had lasted in force but for three days at utmost. This was a fault in the other extreme. Laws are to be made with due deliberation, Legem

Esther 3:14 — about with so many deadly enemies, having none that durst own them in that distress? It was a just wonder, and a special work of God, that their enemies forbore to fall upon them before the black day came, if but for the sake of spoil. We read, Esther 9:1 ; Esther 9:5-11 that notwithstanding the known favour of the king, the patronage of Mordecai, and the hanging up of Haman, …, the thirteenth of Adar is still meant to be a bloody day. Haman’s abettors join together to perform that sentence,

Esther 5:4 — did not presently pour forth her whole heart into the king’s bosom, rail against Haman, beg for her people, …, but prudently reserveth herself till a fitter opportunity. Unadvised open-heartedness is a fruit of fool-hardiness, Proverbs 29:11: "A fool uttereth all his mind" (ye shall have it presently, so near his mouth doth it lie, that all will out suddenly): "but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards," or, in an inner room ( in ulteriori animi recessu ), as the

Esther 9:29 — Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim. Then Esther the queen, … — See Esther 2:15 . Mordecai had written thus before; now, for more authority’ sake, and to show her forwardness to further so good a work, Esther joineth with him, not for a name, or out of a humour of foolish forth-putting, but out of a holy zeal for God and

Job 13:19 — justified by faith, I can cast down the gauntlet to all comers, and, Goliath like, call for an opposite to grapple with; in the name of the Lord of hosts I will undertake him, and am sure to come off more than a conqueror, even a triumph, 2 Corinthians 2:14 , there being not any one "condemnation" (neither from God, nor the devil, from the law, sin, or death) "to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit," as Job did, Romans 8:1 ; Romans 8:33

Job 17:1 — full of blooms, the map of age is figured on his forehead, the calendars of death appear in the furrows of his face, the mourners are ready to go about the streets, and he is going to his long home, according to that elegant description, Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 He should therefore say with Varro, Annus octogesimus me admonet, ut farcinas colligam, …, It is high time for me to pack up, and to be gone out of this life; or rather, as Simeon, Lord, now let thou thy servant depart in peace, … My

Job 17:4 — friends are so far mistaken in this controversy. If God give not both light and sight, if he vouchsafe not to irradiate both organ and object, the best will be bemisted. Every good gift and perfect cometh from above, even from the Father of lights, James 1:17 . It was he that made Reverend Doctor Sibbs (as one saith of him) spiritually rational and rationally spiritual; one that seemed to see the insides of nature and grace, and the world and heaven, by those perfect anatomies he had made of them all. Therefore

Job 20:23 — may be filled, the body fitted, that is all that these Lurcones, these profligates, look after. Polyphemus knew no other god but his belly. There were belly gods in St Paul’s time, such as of whom he could not speak with dry eyes, Philippians 3:18-19 . Such are compared by Clement of Alexandria to the sea ass, that hath his heart in his belly. By others to the locust, the belly whereof is said to be joined to his mouth, and to end at his tail; to the fish called Blax, that is altogether unprofitable;

Job 4:3 — and troubles: to these thou hast spoken words which have been as sinews to their hands, and as strength to their joints. Job had comforted the feeble minded, or the dispirited, the sick at heart, and sinking under the sense of sin and fear of wrath, 1 Thessalonians 5:14 . This is a harder work than to raise the dead to life, saith Luther; this not one of a thousand can skill of, Job 33:23 . He must have feeding lips and a healing tongue that shall do it. O quam hoc non est omnium! The Christian Romans

Job 5:19 — of the fire, or as a prey out of the teeth of a wild beast. Thus God snatched Lot out of Sodom, David out of many waters, Paul out of the mouth of the lion, Jonah out of the belly of hell, … As birds flying, so will I defend Jerusalem, Isaiah 31:5 . A metaphor from the eagle and other birds, which when they fly highest set a watchful eye upon the nest, to rescue their young ones in case of danger. In six troubles — Or straits, such as enemies or other evils put men to. Israel at the Red

Job 5:21 — Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue — That is, from reproaches and slanders, which is a tongue smiting, Jeremiah 18:18 , as smart as any hand smiting, and draws blood, Ezekiel 22:9 . Backbiting is backbeating (Speed.). The devil is both a liar and a murderer, John 8:44 . Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, was by the people of England thought to be doubly murdered (saith

Romans 16:18 — complaint of a Popish writer, We, saith he, handle the Scriptures, tantum ut nos pascat et vestiat, only for a livelihood; we serve God for gain: as children will not say their prayers unless they be promised their breakfasts. Cajetan writing on Matthew 5:13 ; "Ye are the salt of the earth," confesseth ingenuously of himself and his fellow prelates, that whereas by their places they should have been the salt of the earth, they had lost their savour, and were good for little else but looking after

2 Samuel 24:17 — wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house. The angel that smote the people. — For the king’s offence. Great men’s sins do more hurt than others; (1.) By imitation; (2.) By imputation; for plectuntur Achivi. Howbeit, the people also had deserved destruction for their many foul enormities; especially for the abuse of their peace, and contempt of God’s word, as Bede noteth of the Britons, anne