Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 19:21 — he feasts his people to show his gratitude for his call, Elijah apparently remaining the while; and then, leaving father and mother, cattle and land, good position and comfortable home, Elisha became the “minister” to the wanderer. Compare Exodus 24:13; Joshua 1:1.

1 Kings 22:47 — In the time of Solomon, Hadad 1 Kings 11:14, according to the Septuagint, “reigned over Edom.” It appears by the present passage that the country had been again reduced either by Jehoshaphat, or by an earlier king, and was dependent on the kingdom of Judah, being governed by a “deputy”

1 Kings 7:12 — The palace, like the temple, had two courts 1 Kings 6:36, not, however, one immediately within the other. The lesser court of the palace seems to have been a private inner court among the buildings 1 Kings 7:8. The greater court was outside all the buildings, surrounding the palace on every side.

1 Kings 8:63 — These numbers have been thought incredible, but they are not impossible. At least 100, 000, or 120, 000 men 1 Kings 8:65 were assembled; and as they all offered sacrifice with the king 1 Kings 8:62, the number of victims must have been enormous. Part of the flesh of so many victims would be eaten; but much of the meat may have been

2 Kings 11:4 — See the marginal reference.The captains - The word used here and in 2 Kings 11:19, הא־כרי ha-kârı̂y, designates a certain part of the royal guard, probably that which in the earlier times was known under the name of Cherethites 1 Kings 1:38. Others see in the term an ethnic name - “Carians,” who seem certainly to have been much

2 Kings 8:15 — deed, has no real force or value. Hazael was no more obliged to murder Benhadad because a prophet announced to him that he would one day be king of Syria, than David was obliged to murder Saul because another prophet anointed him king in Saul’s room 1 Samuel 16:1-13.

1 Chronicles 25:7 — With their brethren - i. e., “with others of the tribe of Levi.” Each son of Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman, was at the head of a band of twelve skilled musicians, consisting partly of his own sons, partly of Levites belonging to other families 1 Chronicles 25:9-31. The 24 band-leaders, together with their bands, formed a body of 288 persons (24 x 12 =288) Besides these, we hear of there being above 3,700 singers, who were probably divided, like the trained musicians, into 24 courses, which

1 Chronicles 29:22 — similar reason a second and public appointment of Zadok alone to the high priest’s office took place. Abiathar was not as yet absolutely thrust out; but it may be doubtful whether he was ever allowed to perform high priestly functions after his rebellion 1Ki 1:7; 1 Kings 2:27.

2 Chronicles 15:19 — The five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa - This cannot be reconciled with the chronqlogy of Kings 1 Kings 16:8 : and the suggestion in the marg. implies the adoption of a mode of marking time unknown either to himself or any other Scriptural writer. It is supposed that the figures here and in 2 Chronicles 16:1 are corrupt, and that in both verses

2 Chronicles 34:13 — Of the Levites there were scribes - Hereto the word “scribe” has never been used to designate a class (compare 1 Kings 4:3). But here an order of scribes, forming a distinct division of the Levitical body, has been instituted. The class itself probably originated in the reign of Hezekiah (compare Proverbs 25:1); and it is probably to the rise of this class that

2 Chronicles 9:29 — The book of Nathan ... - On the “books” here mentioned, see the introduction to Chronicles, the second note.We hear nothing of Iddo in Kings: but he is mentioned below twice 2Ch 12:15; 2 Chronicles 13:22. In the latter of these passages he is called not “the seer,” but “the prophet.” He seems to have been the author of three works:(1) Visions against Jeroboam;(2) A book of genealogies; and(3) A commentary or history.According

Ezra 9:8 — The “little space” was above 60 years, counting from the second year of Darius Ezra 4:24, or about 80 years, counting from the first year of Cyrus Ezra 1:1. This does not seem to Ezra much in the “lifetime” of a nation.A remnant to escape - Rather, “a remnant that has escaped.” The “remnant” is the new community that has returned from the captivity.A nail - Compare the marginal note and reference. The

Nehemiah 13:4 — The relations of Eliashib, the high priest Nehemiah 3:1, with Tobiah and Sanballat will account for the absence of any reference to him either in Neh. 8–10, or in Nehemiah 12:27-47.The chamber - The entire outbuilding, or “lean-to,” which surrounded the temple on three sides 1 Kings 6:5-10.Allied - i. e,

Job 30:20 — I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me - This was a complaint which Job often made, that he could not get the ear of God; that his prayer was not regarded, and that he could not get his cause before him; compare Job 13:3, Job 13:19 ff, and Job 27:9.I stand up - Standing was a common posture of prayer among the ancients; see Hebrews 11:21; 1 Kings 8:14, 1 Kings 8:55; Nehemiah 9:2. The meaning is, that when Job stood up to pray, God did not regard his prayer.

1 Samuel 11:1 — Nahash was king of the children of Ammon, as appears from 1 Samuel 12:12. He seems to have been connected with the family of David, since Abigail, David’s sister, was “the daughter (perhaps granddaughter) of Nahash” 2 Samuel 17:25; 1 Chronicles 2:16-17; and, perhaps, in consequence of this connection, he and

1 Samuel 7:9 — Samuel’s preparation for intercessory prayer, namely, the offering up an atoning sacrifice, is most significant (compare Luke 1:9-10). The term here used for a “lamb” does not occur in the Pentateuch; indeed it is only found besides this place in Isaiah 65:25. The offering is in accordance with Leviticus 22:27.The Lord heard him - Better as in margin. The “answer” was not simply

1 Samuel 9:16 — That he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines, etc. - These words are not very easily reconcileable with 1 Samuel 7:13. It is possible that the aggressive movements of the Philistines, after the long cessation indicated by 1 Samuel 7:13, coupled with Samuel’s old age and consequent inability to lead them to victory as before, were among the chief causes

2 Samuel 10:1 — The king - In marginal reference. Nahash, king, etc. The interval between the two events, not less than 50 years, and possibly more, is against his being the same as the Nahash of 1 Samuel 11:1-15.The Ammonites are almost always spoken of as the children of Ammon, from the name of their first ancestor Ben-ammi Genesis 19:38.Hanun - The equivalent of the Carthaginian Hanno, from the same root as the Hebrew, Hananiah, Johanan, Hannah,

2 Samuel 10:8 — Came out - From their city, Rabbah Deuteronomy 3:11, Deuteronomy 3:15 or 20 miles from Medeba, where 1 Chronicles 19:7 the Syrian army was encamped. Medeba (modern Madeba) was taken from Sihon Numbers 21:30, and fell to Reuben Joshua 13:9, Joshua 13:16; in the reign of Ahaz it seems to have returned

2 Samuel 6:3 — The house of Abinadab in Gibeah - . Rather, on the hill (as in margin and 1 Samuel 7:1). It does not at all follow that Abinadab was still alive, nor can we conclude from Uzzah and Ahio being called sons of Abinadab, that they were literally his children. They may well have been sons of Eleazar and grandsons of Abinadab, or