Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 16:7 — The natural position of this verse would be after 1 Kings 16:4 and before 1 Kings 16:5. But it may be regarded as added by the writer, somewhat irregularly, as an afterthought; its special force being to point out that the sentence on Baasha was intended to punish, not only his calf-worship, but emphatically

1 Kings 22:8 — man, Micaiah - Elijah, it appears, had withdrawn again after the events of the last chapter, and there was no known prophet of Yahweh within reach of Samaria except Micaiah.He doth not prophesy good concerning me but evil - Whether the tradition in 1 Kings 20:41 note be true or not, it is certain that Ahab had imprisoned him 1 Kings 22:26, and probable that the imprisonment was on account of threatening prophecies. Ahab suggests to Jehoshaphat that Micaiah is one who allows his private feelings

2 Kings 2:2 — - might console and encourage them before they lost him forever.As the Lord liveth ... - This double oath, repeated three times 2 Kings 2:4, 2 Kings 2:6, is very remarkable. The two clauses of it are separately used with some frequency (see Judges 8:19; Ruth 3:13; 1 Samuel 1:26, etc.), but it is comparatively seldom that they are united (see the marginal references).

2 Kings 4:23 — evident that such services were now held with something like regularity on Carmel for the benefit of the faithfull in those parts.New moon - By the Law the first day of each month was to be kept holy. Offerings were appointed for such occasions Numbers 28:11-15, and they were among the days on which the silver trumpets were to be blown Numbers 10:10; Psalms 81:3. Hence, “new moons” are frequently joined with “sabbaths” (see Isaiah 1:13; Ezekiel 45:17; Hosea 2:11; 1 Chronicles 23:31).It shall be well -

2 Kings 8:26 — openly renounce the service of Yahweh. Athaliah is “the time for Yahweh;” Ahaziah “the possession of Yahweh;” Jehoram, or Joram, “exalted by Yahweh.”The daughter of Omri - “Son” and “daughter” were used by the Jews of any descendants (compare Matthew 1:1). The whole race were “the children of Israel.” Athaliah was the grand-daughter of Omri (see the margin). Her being called “the daughter of Omri” implies that an idea of special greatness was regarded as attaching to him, so that his name prevailed

Psalms 141:1 — wrong thing at their advice, and with the prospect of the advantage which it might seem to be to me.Make haste unto me - To save me from all this danger: the danger from my enemies; the danger from the counsels of my friends. See the notes at Psalms 22:19; compare Psalms 40:13; Psalms 70:1, Psalms 70:5; Psalms 71:12. The meaning is, that there is need of immediate interposition. There is danger that I shall be overcome; that I may be tempted to do a wrong thing; that I may be ruined if there is any

Psalms 147:3 — that he had given them comfort by returning them to their native land. At the same time, however, the language is made general, as describing a characteristic of God that he does this; that it is his character to do this. See the notes at Psalms 34:18. See also Psalms 51:17. Compare Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18.And bindeth up their wounds - See the notes at Isaiah 1:6. Margin, griefs. The word refers to those who are afflicted with griefs and troubles. The reference is to mental sorrows; to a troubled

Psalms 94:12 — Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord - “Happy the man;” or “Oh the blessedness of the man.” See the notes at Psalms 1:1. The word here rendered “chastenest” does not mean to chasten in the sense of afflicting or punishing. It means here to instruct; to warn; to admonish; to exhort. So the word is employed in Proverbs 9:7; Job 4:3; Psalms 16:7. The meaning here is,

Jeremiah 39:3 — These princes were four:(1) Nergal, Sharezer, i. e., Nirgal-sar-usur (May Nergal protect the king);(2) Samgar-Nebo (Be gracious, O Nebo);(3) Sarsechim. No explanation is given at present of this name. He was Rab-saris, i. e., chief of the eunuchs (2 Kings 18:17 note).(4) another

Jeremiah 4:1 — Return - The repentance of Israel described in Jeremiah 3:21-25 was a hope, and not a reality. The return, literally, would be their restoration to their land; spiritually, their abandoning their sins.Jeremiah 4:1-2 should be translated as follows: If thou wouldst return, O Israel, saith Yahweh. Unto Me thou

Jeremiah 4:10 — the doom he was now commanded to pronounce, either with his previous prophecy, or with what he read in the writings of his predecessors. Time only could solve the difficulty. Upon the struggles of the prophets to understand their own predictions see 1 Peter 1:10-11.Unto the soul - The sword has reached the life. i. e., has inflicted a mortal wound.

Ezekiel 47:18 — tribes in fact occupied their ground (in Joshua’s allotment) by sufferance. This did not belong to Canaan proper, the land of promise. Hence, the tribes, formerly on the east of the Jordan, have here allotments in Canaan, though “the oblation” Ezekiel 45:1 extends to a considerable distance beyond the Jordan (see Plan, Ezekiel 48:0). The whole arrangement being ideal and symbolic, the vision here, as in the case of “the waters” (Ezekiel 47:1 note), departs from the physical features of the land for the

Daniel 8:1 — of the reign of king Belshazzar - In regard to Belshazzar, see Intro. to Daniel 5:0 Section II.A vision appeared unto me - This vision appears to have occurred to him when awake, or in an ecstasy; the former one occurred when he was asleep, Daniel 7:1. Compare Daniel 8:17-18, where the prophet represents himself as overpowered, and as falling down to the earth on account of the vision. The representation would seem to have been made to pass before his mind in open day, and when he was fully awake.

John 7:50 — Nicodemus - See John 3:1.One of them - That is, one of the great council or Sanhedrin. God often places one or more pious men in legislative assemblies to vindicate his honor and his law; and he often gives a man grace on such occasions boldly to defend his cause; to put men

John 8:39 — Abraham, and to charge us with being the offspring of another is slander and calumny.”If ye were Abraham’s children - The words “sons” and “children” are often used to denote those who imitate another or who have his spirit. See the notes at Matthew 1:1. Here it means, “if you were worthy to be called the children of Abraham, or if you had his spirit.”

Judges 16:14 — the pin from its socket, and went away with the loom and the pin fastened to his hair.The beam - Rather, the “loom,” or “frame.” The beam is the wooden revolving cylinder, on which the cloth is rolled as fast as it is woven, the Hebrew word for which 1Sa 17:7; 1 Chronicles 11:23; 1 Chronicles 20:5 is quite different from that here used.

1 Samuel 29:10 — With thy master’s servants - The clue to this may be found in 1 Chronicles 12:19-21, where it appears that a considerable number of Manassites “fell” to David just at this time, and went back with him to Ziklag. It is therefore to these new comers that Achish applies the expression. It is impossible not to recognize

2 Samuel 21:10 — Dropped - Rather, “poured,” the proper word for heavy rain Exodus 9:33. The “early rain,” or heavy rain of autumn, usually began in October, so that Rizpah’s devoted watch continued about six months. How rare rain was in harvest we learn from 1 Samuel 12:17-18; Proverbs 26:1. The reason of the bodies being left unburied, contrary to Deuteronomy 21:23, probably was that the death of these men being an expiation of the guilt of a violated oath, they were to remain until the fall of rain should

2 Samuel 21:19 — The Hebrew text is manifestly very corrupt. First, for “Jaare-oregim,” 1 Chronicles 20:5 gives us the reading Jair. “Oregim” has evidently got in by a transcriber’s error from the line below, where “oregim” is the Hebrew for “weavers.” Again, the word the “Bethlehemite” is very doubtful. It is supported by 2 Samuel 23:24,

2 Samuel 23:1 — The last words of David - i. e., his last Psalm, his last “words of song” 2 Samuel 22:1. The insertion of this Psalm, which is not in the Book of Psalms, was probably suggested by the insertion of the long Psalm in 2 Samuel 22:0.David the son of Jesse said ... - The original word for “said” is used between 200 and 300 times in the phrase,