Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 13:5 — The Lord gave Israel a saviour - Not immediately on the repentance of Jehoahaz but after his death (see 2 Kings 13:25).They went out from under the hand of the Syrians - i. e. they ceased to be oppressed by the Syrians; they shook off their yoke, and became once more perfectly independent.Tents - See 1 Kings 8:66 note.

2 Kings 20:5 — The captain of my people - This phrase (which does not occur elsewhere in Kings) is remarkable, and speaks for the authenticity of this full report of the actual words of the prophet’s message (abbreviated in Isaiah 38:1, etc.). The title, “Captain נגיד nāgı̂yd of God’s people,” commonly used of David, is applied to Hezekiah, as David’s true follower 2 Kings 18:3.

2 Kings 3:17 — No rain was to fall where the Israelites and their enemies were encamped; there was not even to be that all but universal accompaniment of rain in the East, a sudden rise of wind (compare 1 Kings 18:45; Psalms 147:18; Matthew 7:25).Cattle, and your beast - The former are the animals brought for food. The latter are the baggage animals.

1 Chronicles 29:4 — The numbers here have also suffered to some extent from the carelessness of copyists (compare the 1 Chronicles 22:14 note). The amount of silver is not indeed improbable, since its value would not exceed three millions of our money; but as the gold would probably exceed in value thirty millions, we may suspect an error in the words “three thousand.”

2 Chronicles 17:1 — Jehoshaphat ascended the throne in the fourth year of Ahab 1 Kings 22:41, probably after that monarch had contracted his alliance with the royal family of Sidon, and before he was engaged in war with Syria. It was thus not unnatural that Jehoshaphat should begin his reign by strengthening himself against a possible attack on the part of his northern neighbor.

2 Chronicles 17:11 — Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents - i. e. “some of the Philistines were among his tributaries.” Compare 2Sa 8:2; 1 Kings 4:21.Tribute silver - Or, “much silver” - literally “silver of burthen.”The Arabians - The Arab tribes who bordered Judaea to the south and the southeast paid Jehoshaphat a fixed tribute in kind. Compare 2 Kings 3:4 note.

2 Chronicles 24:3 — Athaliah’s destruction of the seed royal had left Joash without a natural successor, and his marriage at the earliest suitable age, was, therefore, a matter of state policy. One of his wives in question was probably “Jehoaddan of Jerusalem,” the mother of Amaziah 2 Chronicles 25:1, who must have been taken to wife by Joash as early as his 21st year.

2 Chronicles 28:9 — Nothing more is known of this Oded. Compare 2 Chronicles 15:1.He went out before the host - Rather, “He went out to meet the host,” as the same phrase is translated in 2 Chronicles 15:2.A rage that reacheth up to heaven - i. e. not merely an exceedingly great and violent rage, but one that has displeased God.

2 Chronicles 29:8 — He hath delivered them to ... hissing - See 1 Kings 9:8 note. It was an expression which Hezekiah might naturally use, for it had occurred in a prophecy of Micah Micah 6:16, his contemporary and monitor Jeremiah 26:18-19, which was probably uttered toward the close of the reign of Ahaz. In Jeremiah the phrase becomes common (marginal references).

Psalms 119:15 — I will meditate in thy precepts - I will think of them; I will find my happiness in them. See the notes at Psalms 1:2.And have respect unto thy ways - And look to thy ways - thy commands. I continually regard them, or refer to them in my mind as the guide of my life. See the notes at Psalms 119:6.

Psalms 140:4 — Keep me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked ... - See the notes at Psalms 71:4. This is a repetition of the prayer in Psalms 140:1.Who have purposed to overthrow my goings - To thrust me down as I go; to defeat my plans; to destroy me. They endeavor to prevent my accomplishing what I had designed to do.

Proverbs 2:1 — Now in the divine order comes the promise Proverbs 2:5. The conditions of its fulfillment are stated in Proverbs 2:1-4 in four sets of parallel clauses, each with some shade of distinct meaning. Thus, not “receiving” only, but “hiding” or treasuring up - not the “ear” only, but the “heart” - not the mere “cry,” but the eager “lifting up the voice.”

Proverbs 2:8 — saints - The devout and God-fearing. Compare Psalms 85:8 etc. The occurrence of the word here, in a book that became more and more prominent as prophetic utterances ceased, probably helped to determine its application in the period of the Maccabean struggles to those who especially claimed for themselves the title of “devout” (Chasidim, the ̓Ασιδαῖοι Asidaioi of 1 Macc. 7:13).

Proverbs 8:15 — Not only the common life of common men, but the exercise of the highest sovereignty, must have this Wisdom as its ground. Compare with this passage Proverbs 8:15-21 the teaching of 1 Kings 3:5-14. The word rendered “princes” Proverbs 8:15 is different from that in Proverbs 8:16; the first might, perhaps, be rendered “rulers.”

Ecclesiastes 8:16-17 — These verses supplement Ecclesiastes 8:15 with the reflection that the man who goes beyond that limited sphere within which he can labor and be contented, and investigates the whole work of God, will find that his finite intelligence cannot grasp it.Ecclesiastes 8:16Business - Or, “travail” Ecclesiastes 1:13; Ecclesiastes 3:10. The sleeplessness noted probably refers to the writer himself.

Jeremiah 14:12 — Their cry i. e - prayer offered aloud.Oblation - A meat-offering Leviticus 2:1.The sword, famine, and pestilence - The two latter ever follow upon the track of the first Ezekiel 5:12, and by these God will consume them, yet so as to leave a remnant. The chastisement, which crushes those who harden themselves against it, purifies the penitent.

Jeremiah 23:11 — For both prophet and priest are profane - While by their office they are consecrated to God, they have made themselves common and unholy by their sins. See Jeremiah 3:9 note.Yea, in my house - This may refer to sins such as those of the sons of Eli 1 Samuel 2:22, or that they had defiled the temple by idolatrous rites.

Jeremiah 46:15 — Translate it: “Why is thy mighty one cast down? He stood not, because Yahweh thrust him down.” The “mighty one” is explained by the Septuagint to be the bull Apis. Thus:(1) the chief deity of Egypt Jeremiah 46:15;(2) the army of mercenaries Jeremiah 46:16;(3) the king, Pharaoh Jeremiah 46:17, are the three upon whom the Egyptians trusted.

Jeremiah 49:39 — Elam - Elam was subject to Babylon Daniel 8:2, and its capital Shushan a favorite residence of the Persian kings Esther 1:2. Of its subsequent fate we know little; the Elamites continued to exist, and members of their nation were present at Pentecost among those chosen to represent the Gentile world at the first preaching of the Gospel Acts 2:9.

Jeremiah 5:10 — Her walls - It is Possible that not the city walls, but those of a vineyard are meant. Judaea is God’s vineyard Isaiah 5:1-7, and God permits the enemy to enter the vineyard to destroy her.Battlements - tendrils. The tendrils and branches of Judah’s vine are given up to ruin, but not the stock. See Isaiah 6:13 note.