Bible Commentaries

1 Chronicles 12:18 — Amasai - The marginal reference identifies him with Amasa, David’s nephew, but it seems unlikely that David would have misdoubted a band led by his own nephew.The passionate earnestness of Amasai’s speech is strongly marked in the original, and will be better seen by omitting the words which our Version adds in italics. Here, as in 1 Chronicles 12:8-15, we have manifestly the actual words of a very ancient record.

2 Chronicles 15:11 — The prevalence of the number “seven” in the religious system of the Jews has been noticed often. Seven bullocks and seven rams were a common offering Numbers 29:32; 1Ch 15:26; 2 Chronicles 29:21; Job 42:8; Ezekiel 14:23. At the larger sacrifices, however, it is seldom that we find the number seven at all prominent (compare 2 Chronicles 30:24; 2 Chronicles 35:7-9; 1 Kings 8:63).

2 Chronicles 36:7 — In his temple - Compare “the house of his god” Daniel 1:2. Nebuchadnezzars inscriptions show him to have been the special votary of Merodach, the Babylonian Mars. His temple, which the Greeks called the temple of Behus, was one of the most magnificent buildings in Babylon. Its ruins still remain in the vast mound, called Babil, which is the loftiest and most imposing of the “heaps” that mark the site of the ancient city.

Ezra 1:11 — The sum of the numbers as they stand in the present Hebrew text is 2,499, instead of 5,400. In the Apocryphal Book of Esdras the sum given is 5,469, and with this sum the items in that place exactly agree (1 Esdras 2:13, 14). Most commentators propose to correct Ezra by the passage of Esdras; but the items of Esdras are improbable. Probably the sum total in the present passage has suffered corruption.

Ezra 4:3 — Ye have nothing to do with us - Because the Samaritans had united idolatrous rites with the worship of Yahweh 2 Kings 17:29-41. To have allowed them a share in restoring the temple would have been destructive of all purity of religion.As king Cyrus ... commanded us - The exact words of the edict gave the right of building exclusively to those who should “go up” from Babylonia to Judaea Ezra 1:3.

Psalms 106:37 — Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters - See 2 Kings 16:3; Ezekiel 16:20; Ezekiel 20:31; Isaiah 57:5.Unto devils - Hebrew, שׁדים shêdiym. The Septuagint, δαιμονίοις daimoniois, “demons.” So the Vulgate, “daemoniis.” The word is used only in the plural number, and is applied to idols. It occurs only in this place, and in Deuteronomy 32:17. On the meaning of this, see the notes at 1 Corinthians 10:20.

Psalms 113:1 — Praise ye the Lord - Margin, as in Hebrew, “Hallelujah.” See the notes at Psalms 106:1.Praise, O ye servants of the Lord - You who profess to serve and obey him; who acknowledge him as your God. In the original this is also the word “Hallelu,” הללוּ halelû.Praise the name of the Lord - Still the same word “Hallelu.” The name of the Lord is put here, as it is often, for the Lord himself.

Psalms 119:174 — I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord - See the notes at Psalms 119:166. The word rendered “I have longed” denotes an earnest desire or wish. Compare the notes at Psalms 42:1, and the notes at Psalms 119:20.And thy law is my delight - It is so much the object of my delight that I earnestly long or desire to see more and more of its richness and fullness.

Psalms 121:2 — My help cometh from the Lord - From Yahweh. This is the answer to the anxious inquiry in Psalms 121:1. It indicates(a) a consciousness that help could come only from God;(b) a belief that it would come from him; and a confident yet humble reliance on him.Which made heaven and earth - The great Creator of the universe. He must, therefore, be able to protect me. The Creator of all can defend all.

Psalms 69:34 — Let the heaven and earth praise him - All things; all above and all below.The seas - The waters - the oceans. This is in accordance with what often occurs in the Scriptures, when all things, animate and inanimate, are called on to praise God. Compare Psalms 148:1-14.And everything that moveth therein - Margin, as in Hebrew, “creepeth.” Compare the notes at Psalms 8:8. See also the notes at Isaiah 55:12.

Psalms 77:1 — I cried unto God with my voice - That is, he cried or prayed audibly. It was not mere mental prayer. See the notes at Psalms 3:4.Even unto God with my voice - The repetition here is emphatic. The idea is that it was an earnest or fervent cry. Compare the notes at 2 Corinthians 12:8.And he gave ear unto me - See Psalms 5:1, note; Psalms 17:6, note.

Proverbs 21:20 — Spendeth it up - literally, swalloweth it. The wise man keeps a store in reserve. He gains uprightly, spends moderately, never exhausts himself. But the proverb may have also a higher application. The wise man stores up all “treasure to be desired” of wisdom, all “oil” of divine influence, which strengthens and refreshes, and so is ready at all times for the work to which the Master calls him. Compare Matthew 25:1-13.

Proverbs 26:7 — Or, Take away the legs of the lame man, and the parable that is in the mouth of fools: both are alike useless to their possessors. Other meanings are:(1) “The legs of the lame man are feeble, so is parable in the mouth of fools.”(2) “the lifting up of the legs of a lame man, i. e., his attempts at dancing, are as the parable in the mouth of fools.”

Proverbs 3:15 — Rubies - The פנינים pânı̂ynı̂ym were among the costly articles of traffic, and red or rose-colored Lamentations 4:7. The last fact has led some to identify them with coral, or (as in the King James Version) with “rubies.” Most commentators, however, have identified them with pearls, which may connect this passage with Matthew 7:6; Matthew 13:45. The words of the promise here are almost the echo of 1 Kings 3:11-13.

Proverbs 6:26 — The two forms of evil bring, each of them, their own penalty. By the one a man is brought to such poverty as to beg for “a piece of bread” (compare 1 Samuel 2:36): by the other and more deadly sin he incurs a peril which may affect his life. The second clause is very abrupt and emphatic in the original; “but as for a man’s wife; she hunts for the precious life.”

Song of Solomon 5:10 — My beloved is white and ruddy - Compare 1 Samuel 16:12; Daniel 7:9. The complexion most admired in youth. Jewish interpreters remark that he who is elsewhere called “the Ancient of Days” is here described as the Ever-Young. “White in His virgin-purity,” says Jerome, “and ruddy in His Passion.”The chiefest among ten thousand - literally, “a bannered one among a myriad;” hence one signalized, a leader of ten thousand warriors.

Jeremiah 48:24 — Kerioth - A synonym of Ar, the old capital of Moab. It appears to have been a considerable place, and has been identified with El-Korriat, situated on the long ridge of Mount Attarus.Bozrah - Probably the Bosora mentioned in 1 Macc. 5:26 in company with Bosor, i. e., Bezer. Since the word means sheepfolds, it was no doubt a common name for places in this upland region, fit only for pasturage.

Matthew 13:54 — Into his own country - That is, into Nazareth. Mark, who has also recorded this Mark 6:1-6, says that it took place on the Sabbath. It was common for our Saviour to speak in the synagogues. Any Jew had a fight to address the people, if called on by the minister; and our Saviour often availed himself of the right to instruct the people and declare his doctrines. See Matthew 4:23.

Luke 1:78 — Whereby the dayspring ... - The word “dayspring” means the morning light, the aurora, the rising of the sun. It is called the dayspring “from on high” because the light of the gospel shines forth from heaven. God is its Author, and through His mercy it shines upon people. There is here, doubtless, a reference to Isaiah 60:1-2; indeed, almost the very words of that place are quoted. Compare also Revelation 22:16.

John 11:54 — No more openly - No more publicly, in the cities and towns. Jesus never exposed his life unnecessarily to hazard. Although the time of his death was determined in the counsel of God, yet this did not prevent his using proper means to preserve his life.The wilderness - See the notes at Matthew 3:1.A city called Ephraim - This was probably a small town in the tribe of Ephraim, about five miles west of Jericho.