Bible Commentaries

Genesis 35:1-7 — Bethel was true geographically, for the place was a thousand feet above the lowland of Shechem, but the expression "to go up to" was also true in another way. "The verb go up often described a religious pilgrimage."Clyde T. Francisco, op. cit., p. 234. In Jacob's case both meanings are applicable, for it was indeed a renewal of religious faith on the part of Jacob. As a preparation for this journey, Jacob demanded and received obedience from his family that they: (1) put away their idols; (2) purified

Exodus 25:31-40 — backward to the Gospels. This, of course leaves only three divisions of the O.T., which correspond exactly to Christ's divisions, i.e., "The Law, and the Psalms, and the Prophets" (Luke 24:44). The Jews, to whom God gave the custody of the O.T. (Romans 3:2), accepted this understanding of the divisions of the O.T., giving them the names of Torah (the Law), Nebiim (the Prophets), and Kethubhim (the Psalms).J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. xii. This

1 Chronicles 22:6-11 — shalt sleep with thy fathers (2 Samuel 7:12). Furthermore, the kingdom of that son would be established after David (2 Samuel 7:12); but Solomon's kingdom was established during David's lifetime. "Solomon was made king before David's death (1 Kings 1:32-40; 1 Chronicles 23:1)… there was a co-regency of four years."The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 489. "His name shall be called Solomon" We believe this to be a mistranslation, because all scholars agree that the Hebrew word here rendered

Esther 1:1-8 — apparent in our text, the very first words in the the Hebrew text of the O.T. (the Hebrew) are "and it came to pass," which is made the occasion by Duff to declare that, "The book of Esther is a truncated narrative,"Arthur S. Peake's Commentary, p. 336. but Keil pointed out that no such conclusion is justified.C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries, Vol. 3, p. 319. Many of the Biblical books begin with the word and, indicating their connection with the rest of the canonical

Psalms 147:12-20 — word governs snow and frost and hail (Psalms 147:15-17). His word at the same time directs winds and waters, and gives to Israel a Law, thereby distinguishing them from other nations (Psalms 147:18-20).International Critical Commentary, op. cit., p. 532. "Praise Jehovah, O Jerusalem; Praise thy God, O Zion. For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; He hath blessed thy children within thee. He maketh peace in thy borders; He filleth thee with the finest of wheat. He Sendeth out his commandment

Psalms 16:5-8 — done by David, or any other king of Israel; and as Kidner pointed out, "Of the Messiah alone can such words as these be perfectly and literally true. for example, the always of this verse."Derek Kidner, Psalms 1--72 (London: Inter-Varsity Press, 1973), p. 86. The apostle Peter himself confirmed the accuracy of that opinion in Acts 2:25, where he quoted Psalms 16:8 and through the rest of this Psalm, stating specifically that David said these things concerning Jesus Christ the Messiah. Many of the

Psalms 19:7-11 — of major significance."W. R. Taylor in The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 4, p. 105. "The law of Jehovah is perfect, converting the soul." This statement that God's Word is "perfect" does not correspond with what critics generally think. In 1 Corinthians 13:10, "That which is perfect" is undoubtedly a reference to the completed Canon of the New Testament; but a critic of that view stated that, "Such an interpretation fails to find any support in the Biblical usage of `perfect.'"Vol. 8, NTS, p. 215. The

Psalms 81:6-16 — which guided Israel in the day-time in the wilderness. "I proved thee at the waters of Meribah" There were two instances in which God provided water for Israel at Meribah; and these are discussed fully in our Vol. II of the Pentateuch (Exodus), pp. 230-233, and in Vol. III, (Lev.-Num.), pp. 442-445. "O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken" There seems to be an emotional factor in such pleading words as these; and they remind us of the words of the Christ: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem… how often would

Leviticus 18:19-23 — simply "to have sexual intercourse." During the bloodiness of the woman's menstrual period, all such relationships were forbidden. The prohibition also applied for a period of time following childbirth. "To defile thyself" (Leviticus 18:20; Leviticus 18:23). This refers to the moral guilt incurred by violators of these restrictions. "Thou shalt not give any of thy seed" (Leviticus 18:21). This refers to children. "To make them pass through the fire to Molech" It is somewhat distressing to read commentaries

Song of Solomon 4:9-15 — another possibility. "Based upon the idea that the shepherd would not have been allowed in the maiden's presence when Solomon was also there, the scene may be imaginary, or the reminiscence of the dreamy girl."The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 583. This objection, if we may call it that, is cleared up completely by the consideration that this love song had been delivered to the maiden in the lover's absence. This writer is supremely grateful for this chapter; because it reveals what is undoubtedly

Isaiah 15:1-9 — to Israel; but not even one's closest of kin can intervene against the judgment of God. Incidentally, this line in which the first person singular is used indicates that Isaiah himself is the author of this prophecy given in "time past" (Isaiah 16:13). There are seventeen place-names in this brief little chapter referring to places literally all over Moab. Eerdmans New Bible Dictionary (1962) does not even mention six of these, but here is that source's information on most of the others:ArChief

Jeremiah 20:1-6 — die, and there shalt thou be buried, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied falsely." "Pashhur, the son of Immer... chief officer" Many scholars including Dummelow and Barnes believed that Pashhur was the father of Gedaliah (Jeremiah 38:1).J. R. Dummelow's Commentary, p. 468. There was another Pashhur (Jeremiah 21:1), but he belonged to the fifth course (shift) of priests belonging to the sons of Melchiah; this Pashhur belonged to the sixteenth course and was the son of Immer. Both

Jeremiah 22:24-30 — (Coniah) and the queen mother shall go into Babylonian captivity and die in that land. This indeed came to pass; and Coniah lived thirty-seven years in captivity. "Coniah" This man was named Jeconiah (Jeremiah 24:1) and Coniah (here and in Jeremiah 37:1); and he came to the throne under the name of Jehoiachin. Keil cited two other variations of the name which correspond to two of the three names cited here.C. F. Keil, Keil-Delitzsch's Old Testament Commentaries (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing

Jeremiah 44:15-19 — preference which they maintained down to the events of this chapter. "The Israelites turned to the worship of the Queen of Heaven as Ashteroth soon after their arrival in Canaan; it was depraved in the extreme; it was rife in the times of Samuel (1 Samuel 7:3-4); after Saul's death, his armour was placed in the temple of Ashteroth at Beth-shan (1 Samuel 21:10); and Solomon gave it royal sanction (2 Kings 23:13)."NBD, p. 96. "In the times of Jeremiah, prior to the exile, the Chosen People had given themselves

Ezekiel 3:16-21 — THE WATCHMAN'S RESPONSIBILITY (Ezekiel 3:16-21) "And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto

Daniel 9:24-27 — TRUE INTERPRETATION As Keil said, "Most of the church fathers and the older orthodox interpreters find prophesied here the appearance of Christ m the flesh, His Death, and the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in A.D. 70."C. F. Keil, op. cit., p. 336. That this is indeed the true interpretation is plainly indicated by the words of Jesus Christ who definitely applied "the abomination" spoken of by Daniel as an event that would occur in the siege of Jerusalem, as prophesied by Christ repeatedly

Deuteronomy 2:16-25 — of their wickedness: (1)    The Avvim once lived along the Palestine coast. They became wicked. (2)    They were driven out by the Caphtorim who were the Philistines of later tunes, and who also became wicked. (3)    The Philistines were also driven out by Israel in the time of David king of Israel. Also, Sihon and Og were driven out to make room for Reuben, Gad and Manasseh! "The Caphtor" whose people drove out the Avvim from Philistia.

Deuteronomy 29:16-21 — of a warped mind. (2)    There is the sort of person who merely wants to be different."Ibid.. Take a look at the people who turn to Eastern cults, or go off with a lunatic like Jones and wind up drinking cyanide in South America! (3)    There is the ability to get God "out of the way" in idolatry, at least in the mind of the idolater. An idol limits God's presence (in the pagan view) to a specific location, leaving the wicked person free to serve his own lusts.

2 Samuel 11:2-5 — the appetites of the flesh only intensifies them and strengthens their power to overwhelm men in sin. "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" Bathsheba was also called Bathshua the daughter of Amiel (1 Chronicles 3:5). Amid here is a legitimate variation of Eliam, "The component syllables being placed in reverse order."Albert Barnes, Samuel, p. 93. The meaning is practically the same for both variations. "They mean, the God of my people or the people of my God."Adam

2 Samuel 22:1-51 — tense of a word. Jesus said, "And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, 'I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." (Matthew 22:31-32). The significance of this is that our Savior made an argument proving the resurrection of the dead to turn upon a single two-letter word, the word "am", and the tense of the little verb, at that! The inspired writers often "quoted" Scriptures with