Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 2:8 — but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword. Thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gerah. — Some think that, moved by David’s favour in forgiving him, 2 Samuel 19:23 he would not take part with Adonijah. 1 Kings 1:8 But if it were the same Shimei, and not rather another and better of his name, 1 Kings 4:18 yet now he must answer for his old faults. So that deferring payment is no breach of bond: there will come

1 Chronicles 10:13 — LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking [counsel] of [one that had] a familiar spirit, to enquire [of it]; So Saul died, … — This and the subsequent verse we have here about the causes of Saul’s death, more than that we read in 1 Samuel 31:3-6 .; like as we meet with many remarkable passages in St Mark, that are not in Matthew or Luke. For his transgression which he committed. — "Adding rebellion to sin," Job 34:37 for he was not so very bad at first, as neither

Nehemiah 6:9 — Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, [O God], strengthen my hands. For they all made us afraid — This they aimed at; but could not attain unto; for faith quelleth and killeth distrustful fear, Psalms 46:1-2 . Audacia est pro muro, saith Sallust. Let the wicked flee when none pursueth, but the righteous will be bold as as lion, Proverbs 28:1 . Saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work — So measuring them by themselves, as if they would

Nehemiah 8:1 — all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that [was] before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded to Israel. As one man — See Ezra 3:1 , and remember that Omne simile non est idem; this is a distinct history from that. Into the street — Or, open place, the meeting place of the water gate. See Nehemiah 3:26 . Right over against this gate was the court of the people, saith Lyra.

Job 13:25 — and worthless; and am now, by reason of mine afflictions, but as a leaf blown off, and whirled up and down, Indignum est maiestate tua, ut misellum homuncionem, … (Jan.); or as stubble fully dried, which is soon scattered by the wind, Psalms 1:4 , or quickly burnt by the fire, Nahum 1:10 . David reasoneth in this manner with Saul, 1 Samuel 24:14 , "After whom is the king of Israel come forth? after whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea." A great purchase surely!

Job 6:20 — confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed. They were confounded because they had hoped, … — Heb. They blushed, or they were abashed, because disappointed and defeated of their hope and expectation. See Jeremiah 14:3-4 Joel 1:10-11 . God’s people have a promise, that hoping in him they shall never be ashamed, Joel 2:26 Romans 10:11 . Their hope is infallible, Romans 5:5 , because founded upon faith unfeigned, 1 Timothy 1:5 . Hence they are commanded to

Proverbs 18:22 — [Whoso] findeth a wife findeth a good [thing], and obtaineth favour of the LORD. Whoso findeth a wife, … — Whoso, after much seeking, by prayer to God, and his own utmost industry - as Genesis 24:1-9 Isaac went forth to pray, and his servant went forth to seek - findeth a fit and faithful yoke fellow - called here "a wife," that is, "a good wife," as Ecclesiastes 7:1 . A name is put for a good name, and as Isaiah 1:18 , wool

Proverbs 22:4 — honour, and life. By humility and the fear of the Lord. — Heb., The heel of humility, … The humble heart that lies low, and "hearkens what God the Lord will say unto it," that follows him trembling, as the people followed Saul, 1 Samuel 13:7 shall have hard at the heels of it riches - a sufficiency, if not a superfluity - and honour, which is to be chosen before riches, Proverbs 22:1 See Trapp on " Proverbs 22:1 " and life, above the danger of those thorns and snares

Proverbs 28:11 — wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out. The rich man is wise in his own conceit. — He sacrificeth to himself, as Sejanus did; Seianus sibi sacrificabat. - Dio. to his "drag and net," Habakkuk 1:16 as the Babylonians did; he thanks his wit for his wealth, and takes upon him as if there were none such. 1 Timothy 6:17 See Trapp on " 1 Timothy 6:17 " Like Isis her ass, that had gone so oft to the temple of that goddess, that at length

Song of Solomon 5:9 — opened, some singular thing ensued; so when the saints be so serious in a business, sure it is of very great concernment. Great matters are carried with great movings: as "for the divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart," Judges 5:15-16 great impressions, great searchings. It is a common saying, Admiratio peperit philosophiam, wonderment at the works of God, set men awork to inquire into the natural causes of them. Similarily, these damsels of Jerusalem, friends to the Church,

Isaiah 1:10 — Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. Hear the word of the Lord, ye princes of Sodom. — Having mentioned Sodom and Gomorrah, Isaiah 1:9 he maketh further use thereof, probrosa hac appellatione auditores suos conveniens; sharping up his hearers in this sort, whom he knew he should not wrong at all by so calling them. see Ezekiel 16:46 ; Ezekiel 16:48 Non tam ovum ovo simile; like they

Isaiah 54:1 — children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear. — O Church Christian, O Jerusalem that art above, the mother of us all, the purchase of Christ’s passion, Isaiah 53:1-12 to whom thou hast been a bloody spouse, Acts 20:28 an Aceldama or field of blood, 1 Peter 1:18-19 he hath paid dear for thy fruitfulness. As the blood of beasts applied to the roots of trees maketh them sprout and bear more fruit, so doth the blood

Micah 2:1 — ¡Ay de los que traman iniquidad y hacen el mal en sus camas! cuando amanece, lo practican, porque está en el poder de su mano. Ver. 1. ¡Ay de los que traman iniquidad ] O trabajo, aflicción, vanidad, mentira. La palabra hebrea Aven es de gran uso; aplicado a todo tipo de pecado que causa dolor, tristeza y miseria; y aquí en particular a la codicia, esa raíz de todo mal para el yo

Habakkuk 2:1 — Me mantendré alerta y me colocaré sobre la torre, y velaré para ver qué me dirá, y qué responderé cuando sea reprendido. Ver. 1. Me mantendré alerta ] Para ver qué sucede con mi oración y cuál será el resultado de mis dudas y tentaciones acerca de la providencia de Dios, que gobierna los asuntos del mundo. Vea la nota sobre Habacuc 1:17 . Hay espacios entre nuestras oraciones

Deuteronomy 1:46 — So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode [there]. So ye abode in Kadesh many days. — Many indeed; yea, many years. And here it was, or hereabouts, that they received those laws which are recorded, Numbers 15:1-41 as also that they stoned him that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day; that Korah and his accomplices perished; that fourteen thousand seven hundred died of the plague; that Aaron’s rod flourished; that Moses, seeing the people fall so fast

1 Peter 4:13 — But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. But rejoice — As the apostles did, Acts 5:41 . See Trapp on " Acts 5:41 " inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings — So they are called: 1. Because they are for his sake. 2. Because he suffereth with us; though not with a sense of pain, yet with a sense of pity;

Judges 2:1 — from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. And an angel of the Lord. — Or, A messenger, as Haggai 1:13 Ecclesiastes 5:6 Revelation 2:1 1 Corinthians 11:10 . This was Phinehas, say the Rabbis some prophet, say others; or a created angel Diodate will have it to be meant of the Son of God himself, who had before appeared to Joshua, as Captain of the

Revelation 12:1 — wonder — As shadowing out and showing great wonders. In heaven — That is, in the Church, or (according to some) in the visible heaven, where sun, moon, and stars are. A woman — Alma mater Ecclesia. The Church is called a woman, for her, 1. Weakness; 2. Fruitfulness; 3. Lovingness, 2 Samuel 1:26 . Clothed with the sun — With Christ’s own comeliness, Ezekiel 16:14 . She is also conspicuous, Matthew 5:14 , and scorched with persecution, Song of Solomon 1:6 . All which notwithstanding

1 Samuel 17:35 — by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. And delivered it out of his mouth. — So did Christ his darling, the Church, out of the mouth of the lion of hell. If the devil be leo ωρυομενος , 1 Peter 5:8 Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, is ο ρυομενος , he that delivereth his from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:10 I caught him by his beard. — I killed him cominus, fighting

2 Samuel 12:10 — the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house. — Never, that is, so long as thou livest, as 1 Samuel 1:22 Genesis 43:9 . Or, which I like better, From one generation to another, even for many ages. And so this threatening was performed in the slaughter of Amnon, Absalom, Adonijah, the five sons of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 21:17 all the sons