Bible Commentaries

Exodus 2:11 — she had debarred him from contact with his foster-mother and her family, whether or not she became aware of the true relationship.An Egyptian - This man was probably one of the overseers of the workmen, natives under the chief superintendent Exodus 1:11. They were armed with long heavy scourges, made of a tough pliant wood imported from Syria.

1 Kings 1:40 — Piped with pipes - Some prefer “danced with dances” - a meaning which the Hebrew would give by a change in the pointing, and the alteration of one letter. But the change is unnecessary. (Flutepipes were known to the Israelites 1 Samuel 10:5; they were very ancient in Egypt, and were known also to the Assyrians.The earth rent - If the present Hebrew text is correct we have here a strong instance of Oriental hyperbole. But it is suspected that there is a slight corruption, and

1 Kings 1:9 — Adonijah’s feast was probably of a sacrificial character, and intended to inaugurate him as king. Compare the “sacrifices” of Absalom 2 Samuel 15:12.Zoheleth - No satisfactory explanation has been given of this name. Large blocks of stone always attract attention in the East, and receive names which are often drawn from some trivial circumstance. Sinai and Palestine are full of such “Hajars,”

1 Kings 3:9 — called “judges.” (See the introduction to the Book of Judges.) In the minds of the Jews the “judge” and the “prince” were always closely associated, the direct cognisance of causes being constantly taken by their chief civil governors. (See Exodus 2:14; Exodus 18:16, Exo 18:22; 1 Samuel 8:20; 2 Samuel 15:2-6.)Good and bad - i. e. “right and wrong,” “justice and injustice.”

1 Kings 4:13 — It will be observed that five out of the twelve prefects are designated solely by their father’s names, Ben-Hur, etc., while one (Ahimaaz, 1 Kings 4:15) has no such designation. Probably the document, which the author of the Book of Kings consulted, had contained originally the proper name and father’s name of each prefect; but it was mutilated or illegible in places at the time when he

1 Kings 4:32 — of the three. Ecclesiastes, if it is Solomon’s, would add between one hundred and two hundred more proverbs. But the great bulk of Solomon’s proverbs has perished.Songs - Of these, Canticles is probably one (marginal reference): Psalms 72:0; Psalms 127:1-5 may also be of the number. Probably the bulk of Solomon’s songs were of a secular character, and consequently were not introduced into the canon of Scripture.

Leviticus 1:11 — Northward before the Lord - That is, on the north side of the altar. See also Leviticus 4:24, Leviticus 4:29, Leviticus 4:33; Leviticus 7:2. This was probably an arrangement of some practical convenience. On the west side of the altar stood the laver; on the east side was the place of ashes (see Leviticus 1:16 note); and the south side, where appears to have been the slope by which the priests went up to the altar, must have been left clear for a path.

Leviticus 6:20 — See Leviticus 4:3. Aaron’s sons here spoken of (as in Leviticus 6:22) must be the succession of high priests who succeeded him. The day of this offering was probably the eighth day of the ceremony of consecration Leviticus 8:35; Leviticus 9:1, when the high priest appears to have entered upon the duties of his office.A meat offering perpetual - Jewish tradition is in favor of these words implying that this מנחה mı̂nchāh was offered by the high priest as a daily rite from the time of his

Leviticus 8:6 — Washed them with water - Moses caused them to bathe entirely (compare Leviticus 16:4), not merely to wash their hands and feet, as they were to do in their daily ministrations. See the marginal reference. This bathing, which the high priest had also to go through on the day of atonement, was symbolic of the spiritual cleansing required of all 2 Corinthians 7:1, but especially of those who had to draw near to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Hebrews 7:26; Matthew 3:15.

Numbers 1:47-54 — When a census of the tribe of Levi takes place. Numbers 3:15; Numbers 26:62, “all” the males are counted from a month old and upward, and not, as in the other tribes, those only who were of age for service in the field.Numbers 1:48had spoken - Render spake. The formal appointment is only now made, in reward

Deuteronomy 33:21 — there was the leader’s portion reserved, i. e., there was reserved the fitting portion for Gad as a leader in war.And he came ... - i. e., he joined the other leaders to fulfill the commands of God respecting the conquest of Canaan (compare Numbers 32:17, Numbers 32:21, Numbers 32:32; Joshua 1:14). Moses regards the promise of the Gadites to do this as already redeemed.

1 Corinthians 10:4 — lo que demuestra que estaban bajo la protección divina y que eran objetos del favor divino. No puede haber ninguna duda de que por "bebida espiritual" aquí, el apóstol se refiere al agua que se hizo brotar de la roca que fue herida por Moisés. Éxodo 17:6; Números 20:11. Por qué esto se llama "espiritual" ha sido un tema sobre el cual ha habido mucha diferencia de opinión. No puede ser porque había algo especial en la naturaleza del agua, porque evidentemente era agua real, adecuada para calmar su

Ephesians 5:14 — dice, o la Escritura. Se ha experimentado mucha dificultad al tratar de determinar "dónde" se dice esto. Se acuerda en todas las manos que no se encuentra, en tantas palabras, en el Antiguo Testamento. Algunos han supuesto que la alusión es a Isaías 26:19, "Tus muertos vivirán: despiertos y cantan, vosotros que habitas en el polvo, porque tu rocío es como el rocío de las hierbas", etc. Pero el Las objeciones a esto son obvias y concluyentes. (1) Esta no es una cita de ese lugar, ni tiene un "parecido",

Joshua 7:24 — The sin had been national (Joshua 7:1 note), and accordingly the expiation of it was no less so. The whole nation, no doubt through its usual representatives, took part in executing the sentence. Achan had fallen by his own act under the ban Joshua 6:18, and consequently he and his were

Judges 1:36 — abounds.The rock - Petra, the capital of Idumea, so called from the mass of precipitous rock which encloses the town, and out of which many of its buildings are excavated. The original word “Selah” is always used of the rock at Kadesh-Barnea Numbers 20:8-11, near Petra (compare Obadiah 1:3). This leads us to look for “the ascent of scorpions,” here coupled with סלע הס has-sela‛, in the same neighborhood.

Judges 17:3 — Such a superstitious and unlawful mode of worshipping Yahweh is quite of a piece with Judges 8:27; Judges 11:31; 1 Kings 12:28, etc. It argues but slight acquaintance with the Ten Commandments, which, from the ignorance of reading and writing, were probably not familiar to the Israelites in those unsettled times. The mother intimates that the consecration

Judges 2:7 — If Joshua was about 80 at the entrance into Canaan, 30 years would bring us to the close of his life. The “elders” would be all that were old enough to take part in the wars of Canaan Judges 3:1-2; and therefore, reckoning from the age of 20 to 70, a period of about 50 years may be assigned from the entrance into Canaan to the death of the elders, or 20 years after the death of Joshua.The great works of the Lord - The overthrow of the Canaanite nations.

Judges 8:27 — The ephod was that particular part of the high priest’s dress which was necessary to be worst when he inquired of God by Urim and Thummim. It seems that Gideon being now the civil ruler, desired to have an ephod of his own, kept in his own city, to he worn by the priest whenever Gideon might summon him to inquire of the Lord for him. His relations with the tribe of Ephraim probably made him unwilling to resort to Shiloh. Compare the act of Jeroboam 1 Kings 12:28.

1 Samuel 26:15 — This incidental testimony to Abner’s great eminence as a warrior is fully borne out by David’s dirge at Abner’s death 2 Samuel 3:31-34, 2 Samuel 3:38, as well as by his whole history. At the same time David’s bantering tone in regard to Abner, coupled with what he says in 1 Samuel 26:19, makes it proable that David attributed Saul’s persecution of him in some degree to Abner. Abner would be likely to dread a rival in the young conqueror of Judah (compare 2 Samuel 2:8).

1 Samuel 6:14 — A great stone - (Compare Genesis 28:18; Judges 13:19). This great stone was probably used as an altar on this occasion, and the kine stopping at it of their own accord was understood by the Bethshemites as an intimation that they were to offer sacrifices on it to the Lord God of Israel, who had so wonderfully brought back the ark from its captivity.And they clave the wood of the cart ... - A similar expedient was resorted to by Araunah 2 Samuel 24:22, and by Elisha 1 Kings 19:21.