Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 12:25 — Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel. Then Jeroboam built Shechem. — Shechem had been ruined and sowed with salt, Judges 9:45 it had been rebuilt, 1 Kings 12:1 but now made a royal city, as being in meditullio regni, in the middle of the kingdom: as Constantinople, for its situation, is said to be a city fatally founded, to command a great part of the world. Turk. Hist. And built Penuel. —

1 Kings 2:28 — was his bane. If men do not cast away all their transgressions - that "all" is a little word but of large extent - they perish undoubtedly. Many here, like Benhadad, recover of one disease and die of another. And caught hold. — See on 1 Kings 1:50 .

1 Kings 3:4 — altar. And the king went to Gibeon. — To seek God; and that he might be the better prepared to build the temple, whereunto he now thought it but time to address himself. For that was the great high place. — Because there was the tabernacle 1 Chronicles 16:39 and the altar of burnt offering; 1 Chronicles 21:29 hence there was great resorting to it.

2 Kings 10:36 — Israel in Samaria [was] twenty and eight years. Was twenty and eight years. — This was a longer time than any of his predecessors had reigned; his successors of his family reigned seventy-six years, which yet God calleth a little while, Hosea 1:4 and threateneth to break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel, Hosea 1:5 or, from Propter vallem Iezrehelis the valley of Jezreel; that is, for the slaughter of Ahab’s house there made by Jehu, as Junius readeth and senseth it.

2 Kings 4:8 — on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where [was] a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And [so] it was, [that] as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. That Elisha passed to Shunem. — Abishag’s country. 1 Kings 1:3 See Joshua 19:18 . And the Rabbins say that this good Shunammite was Abishag’s sister’s daughter. Where was a great woman. — Great in wealth, and great also in virtue, as the Chaldee understandeth it. Cavens sibi a peccato.

2 Kings 6:14 — compassed the city about. Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots. — To wage war with God himself, whose power he must needs behold in this his prophet; and yet fears not, giant-like, to oppose it. See the like done by Ahaziah, 2 Kings 1:1-17 and know, that as there were many Marii in one Caesar, so there are many Benhadads and Ahaziahs in the best by nature. We are all Theomachi, fighters against God.

2 Chronicles 3:1 — to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where [the LORD] appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. Then Solomon began to build. — See Trapp on " 1 Kings 6:1 " … At Jerusalem in mount Moriah. — Where Isaac, as a type of Christ, bore the wood, obeyed his father, and should have been sacrificed. Calvary, where our Saviour suffered, was either a part of this mount, or very near unto

Psalms 86:1 — « A Prayer of David. » Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I [am] poor and needy. A prayer — Left for a form, for a help to devotion, as was also Psalms 102:1 title. Bow down thine ear, O Lord — As the careful Physician doth to his feeble patient; so Basil glosseth here. For I am poor and needy — Having nothing to live on but what my friends privately send me, or what I can get by plundering from the Lord’s enemies, 1 Samuel 30:26 .

Numbers 13:3 — And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men [were] heads of the children of Israel. By the commandment of the Lord. — That is, by his permission; See Trapp on " Numbers 13:1 " God’s command was, that they should forthwith, without any further search, go up and possess the land. Deuteronomy 1:21 Now wicked men are esteemed unjust, because they act against God’s command, though according to his decree;

Joshua 2:9 — And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. I know that the Lord hath given you the land. — She had a full assurance both of knowledge, as Luke 1:1 and of faith, as Hebrews 6:10 ; Hebrews 11:31 when many Israelites staggered and distrusted the promise. "God hath mercy on whom he will have mercy," … Romans 9:15 ; Romans 9:18

1 Samuel 10:18 — And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, [and] of them that oppressed you: I brought up Israel out of Egypt. — See Judges 2:1 ; Judges 6:8 . See Trapp on " Judges 2:1 " See Trapp on " Judges 6:8 " There is some great matter of unkindness in it, when God hitteth men in the teeth with his former favours.

1 Samuel 10:9 — And it was [so], that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day. God gave him another heart. — According to 1 Samuel 10:6 . See Trapp on " 1 Samuel 10:6 " It is remarkable that is reported of those Areopagite judges in Athens, that men of evil conversation, after they were once admitted into that company, abhorring and blushing at their former dispositions,

1 Samuel 12:11 — Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe. And Bedan. — That is, Barak, according to the Septuagint. Others, Jair; but most likely Samson, as hath been noted. See Trapp on " Judges 13:25 " And Samuel. — He mentioneth himself, not out of vain glory, but to aggravate their ingratitude toward him, by whom they had been so lately and memorably delivered. 1 Samuel 7:9-10 ; 1 Samuel 8:4-5

1 Samuel 24:22 — unto Saul. — The same in effect that he had sworn before to Jonathan. And Saul went home. — Convinced, but not converted; Punctus et repunctus, minime tamen ad resipiscentiam compunctus. Gat them up unto the hold, — i.e., Of Engedi, 1 Samuel 24:1 for they knew that there was little hold to be taken of Saul’s melting protestations, whom they had found so faithless. Credulity argueth folly.

1 Samuel 26:18 — And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his servant? for what have I done? or what evil [is] in mine hand? Wherefore doth my lord. — Nothing is more irrational than irreligion. Would wicked persons but consider their ways, as they are oft advised, Haggai 1:5 ; Haggai 1:7 they would see them compact of mere incongruities and absurdities. But their lusts do so hang in their light that they think they have reason to be mad; and that there is no small sense in sinning.

1 Samuel 9:9 — (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for [he that is] now [called] a Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.) Beforetime in Israel. — Of old, Antiquitus. Such was the piety of the people in the purer times, as Genesis 25:22 . Come, and let us go to the seer. — The man whose eyes are open to see God and his visions as clearly, and as certainly, as if he had seen them with his eyes. 1 Peter 1:12

2 Samuel 1:4 — And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. — He was very desirous to hear what was the issue of the battle, and how it went with the poor people of God; and hence this earnest inquiry. So 1 Samuel 4:13 . See Trapp on " 1 Samuel 4:13 "

2 Samuel 3:3 — And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; And his second, Chileab, — alias Daniel. 1 Chronicles 3:1 By his name he should be like his father: he died early. ‘ Oν φιλει Yεος θνησκειιεος And the third, Absalom

2 Samuel 6:4 — And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which [was] at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab. — Where it had been more than forty years. See 1 Samuel 7:1 . Which was at Gibeah. — Or, On the hill in Kirjathjearim. And Ahio went before the ark, — sc., To drive the oxen, as Uzzah came behind it, ut observaret ne illa de plaustro decideret, Piscator. to take care that the ark fell not out.

2 Samuel 7:5 — Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? Shalt thou build me an house? — q.d., In no wise. I accept of thy good will, 1 Kings 8:18 and will see thee well satisfied for the same: but I have other work for thee to do, 1 Kings 5:3 and shall reserve this piece of service for thy son, as more suitable to his peaceable reign, wherein "the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace to all people." Psalms 72:7