Bible Commentaries

1 Kings 16:30 — See 1 Kings 16:33. The great sin of Ahab - that by which he differed from all his predecessors, and exceeded them in wickedness - was his introduction of the worship of Baal, consequent upon his marriage with Jezebel, and his formal establishment of this gross and palpable idolatry as the religion of the state.

1 Kings 18:42 — Ahab could feast; Elijah could not, or would not. Ascending Carmel not quite to the highest elevation 1 Kings 18:43, but to a point, a little below the highest, from where the sea was not visible, he proceeded to pray earnestly for rain, as he had prayed formerly that it might not rain.

1 Kings 22:5 — Jehoshaphat, with characteristic piety 1 Kings 22:43 takes advantage of his position as Ahab’s friend and ally, to suggest inquiry of the Lord (Yahweh) before the expedition is undertaken. Lest Ahab should consent in word and put off the inquiry in act, he asks to have the prophets called in at once: “today.”

1 Kings 6:4 — Windows of narrow lights - Either (as in the margin) windows, externally mere slits in the wall, but opening wide within, like the windows of old castles: or, more probably, “windows with fixed lattices.” The windows seem to have been placed high in the walls, above the chambers spoken of in 1 Kings 6:5-8.

2 Kings 10:36 — In Samaria - The family of Ahab had made Jezreel a sort of second capital, and had reigned there, at least in part 2 Kings 9:15-30. Jehu and his descendants seem to have fixed their residence wholly in Samaria 2 Kings 13:1, 2Ki 13:10; 2 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 15:8.

2 Kings 24:8 — His mother’s name - On the position of the “queen mother” see 1 Kings 15:10 note. Nehushta’s rank and dignity are strongly marked by the distinct and express mention which is made of her in almost every place where her son’s history is touched (2 Kings 24:12; compare Jeremiah 22:26; Jeremiah 29:2).

1 Chronicles 4:11-12 — It has been conjectured from the strangeness of all the names in this list, that we have here a fragment of Canaanite record, connected with the family of the “Shua,” whose daughter Judah took to wife 1 Chronicles 2:3; Genesis 38:2, and whose family thus became related to the tribe of Judah.

2 Chronicles 2:18 — On the numbers, see the 1 Kings 5:16 note.To set the people a work - Or, “to set the people to work” - i. e., to compel them to labor. Probably, like the Egyptian and Assyrian overseers of forced labor, these officers carried whips or sticks, with which they quickened the movements of the sluggish.

Ezra 6:3 — It is difficult to reconcile the dimentions here with expressions in Zechariah Zechariah 4:10, Haggai Haggai 2:3, and even Ezra Ezra 3:12, which imply that the second temple was smaller than the first (compare 1 Kings 6:2). Perhaps the dimensions here are those which Cyrus required the Jews not to exceed.

Job 22:11 — Or darkness - Darkness and night in the Scriptures are emblems of calamity.That thou canst not see - Deep and fearful darkness; total night, so that nothing is visible. That is, the heaviest calamities had overwhelmed him.And abundance of waters - An emblem, also, of calamities; Job 27:20; Psalms 69:1-2; Psalms 73:10.

Psalms 78:62 — He gave his people over also unto the sword - When the ark was taken, 1 Samuel 4:10. Thirty thousand of the children of Israel fell on that occasion.And was wroth with his inheritance - Was angry with his people, considered as his inheritance; that is, considered as his own special people, or his possession.

Psalms 88:2 — Let my prayer come before thee - As if there were something which hindered it, or which had obstructed the way to the throne of grace; as if God repelled it from him, and turned away his ear, and would not hear.Incline thine ear unto my cry - See the notes at Psalms 5:1.

Proverbs 11:4 — The day of wrath - Words true in their highest sense of the great “diesirae” of the future, but spoken in the first instance (compare Zephaniah 1:15-18) of any “day of the Lord,” any time of judgment, when men or nations receive the chastisement of their sins. At such a time “riches profit not.”

Proverbs 8:6 — Excellent - literally, “princely things.” The word is not the same as in marginal reference, and is elsewhere always used of persons (compare “captain” in 1 Samuel 9:16; 2 Samuel 5:2). The poetic style of this part of the book applies it here to the things taught, or to the character of the teaching.

Jeremiah 49:2 — Rabbah - i. e., the “great city.” See 2 Samuel 12:27 note for a distinction between Rabbah, the citadel, and the town itself, lying below upon the Jabbok.Daughters - i. e., unwalled villages (and in Jeremiah 49:3).Shall Israel be heir ... - i. e., “shall be victor over his victors;” compare Micah 1:15.

Ezekiel 3:17 — Watchman - The priests and ministers of the Lord were often so called. Ezekiel is especially distinguished by this title Ezekiel 33:7. The duties of a watchman are twofold,(1) to wait and watch what God will order,(2) to watch over and superintend the people.Isaiah describes and censures unfaithful watchmen Isaiah 56:10.

Luke 1:71 — Saved from our enemies - The enemies of “man” are his sins, his carnal propensities, his lusts, and the great adversary Satan and his angels, who continually seek to destroy him. From “these” the Messiah came to save us. Compare Genesis 3:15; Matthew 1:21.The hand - The power; or to save us from them.

Luke 4:27 — Many lepers - For an account of the leprosy see the notes at Matthew 8:1.Time of Eliseus - Time of Elisha. The word “Eliseus” is the Greek way of writing the word Elisha, as Elias is of Elijah.Saving Naaman the Syrian - The account of his cure is contained in 2 Kings 5:0.

2 Samuel 17:17 — En-rogel - See the marginal reference.A wench - Hebrew “the maid servant,” namely, of the high priest, either Zadok or Abiathar, or possibly one employed in some service in the temple courts. (1 Samuel 2:22 note.)And they went and told king David - As related afterward 2 Samuel 17:21. Here mentioned by anticipation.

2 Samuel 19:39 — The “people” is the term especially applied in this narrative to David’s followers 2 Samuel 15:17; 2 Samuel 16:14; 2Sa 17:2; 2 Samuel 18:1-2; 2 Samuel 19:2-3. They crossed by the ford, while David and his household, accompanied by Barzillai and Chimham, came over in the ferry.