Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 42:6 — I the Lord have called thee in righteousness - The phrase ‘in righteousness’ has been very differently understood by different expositors (see the note at Isaiah 41:10). The most probable meaning may be, ‘I have done it as a righteous and just God, or in the accomplishment of my righteous purposes. I am the just moral governor of the universe, and to accomplish my purposes of justice and fidelity, I have designated

Isaiah 47:6 — Cyrus permitted them to return to their own country. But it is also true, that Nebuchadnezzar showed them no compassion when he destroyed the temple and city, that the mass of them were treated with great indignity and cruelty in Babylon. See Psalms 137:1-3, where they pathetically and beautifully record their sufferings: By the rivers of Babylon there we sat down, Yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; And they that wasted us rcquired

Isaiah 51:23 — to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over - This is a striking description of the pride of eastern conquerors. It was not uncommon for conquerors actually to put their feet on the necks of conquered kings, and tread them in the dust. Thus in Joshua 10:24, ‘Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war that went with them, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings.’ So David says, ‘Thou has given me the necks of mine enemies’ Psalms 18:40. ‘The

Isaiah 56:2 — Blessed is the man - Hebrew, ‘The blessings of the man’ (see Psalms 1:1). The sense is, ‘happy is the man.’ The word here rendered ‘man’ (אנושׁ 'ĕnôsh) usually denotes a man in humble life or in a subordinate rank, in contradistinction from אישׁ 'ı̂ysh, a man in elevated rank. As the object of the prophet here is particularly

Isaiah 57:5 — Hebrew may denote ‘with gods,’ that is, with idol-gods; or it may denote, as in the margin, ‘among the oaks,’ or the terebinth groves, from איל 'ēyl, plural אילים 'ēylı̂ym, or אלים 'ēlym (the terebinth). See the word explained in the note at Isaiah 1:29. Kimchi and Jarchi here render it by ‘the terebinth tree.’ Lowth renders it, ‘Burning with the lust of idols;’ and probably this is the correct interpretation, for, if it had meant oaks or the terebinth tree, the phrase would have been “under” (תחת

Daniel 1:10 — gloomy, sad. The primary idea seems to be, that of “any” painful, or unpleasant emotion of the mind which depicts itself on the countenance - whether anger, sorrow, envy, lowness of spirits, etc. Greek, σκυθρωπὰ skuthrōpa - stern, gloomy, sad, Matthew 6:16; Luke 24:17. Here the reference is not to the expression of angry feelings in the countenance, but to the countenance as fallen away by fasting, or poor living. “Than the children.” The youths, or young men. The same word is here used which occurs

Daniel 4:2 — and right that what God had done to him should be proclaimed to all nations.To show the signs and wonders - Signs and wonders, as denoting mighty miracles, are not unfrequently connected in the Scriptures. See Exodus 7:3; Deuteronomy 4:34; Deuteronomy 13:1; Deuteronomy 34:11; Isaiah 8:18; Jeremiah 32:20. The word rendered “signs” (Hebrew: אות 'ôth - Chaldee: את 'âth) means, properly, “a sign,” as something significant, or something that points out or designates anything; as Genesis 1:14, “shall be

Hosea 2:13 — one God; His power of destroying, another; His providence, a third; and so on, down to the very least acts. So they had many Baals or Lords; a “Baal-berith Judges 8:33, Lord of covenants,” who was to guard the sanctity of oaths; “Baal-zebub 2 Kings 1:2, Lord of flies,” who was to keep off the plague of flies, and “Baal-Peor” Numbers 25:3, who presided over sin. All these their various idolatries, and all the time of their idolatries, God threatens to visit upon them at once. “The days of punishment

Amos 6:1 — Woe to them that are at ease - The word always means such as are recklessly at their ease, “the careless ones,” such as those whom Isaiah bids Isaiah 32:9-11, “rise up, tremble, be troubled, for many days and years shall ye be troubled.” It is that luxury and ease, which sensualize the soul, and make it dull, stupid, hard-hearted. By one earnest, passing word, the prophet warns his own land, that present

Amos 7:11 — Jeroboam was the head, to the headship over which he had succeeded. Jeroboam, like the Roman Emperors, was high priest, Pontifex Maximus, in order to get the popular worship under his control. The first Jeroboam had himself consecrated the calf-priests 1 Samuel 22:8, 1Sa 22:13; 1 Kings 15:27; 1 Kings 16:9, 1Ki 16:16; 2 Kings 10:9; 2 Kings 14:19; 2Ki 15:10, 2 Kings 15:15, 2 Kings 15:25; 2 Kings 21:23. Amos bore also the message from God, that the reprieve, given to the house of Jehu, would not be extended,

Micah 3:10 — support life. So it is said; ‘The bread of the needy is their life, he that defraudeth him thereof is a man of blood. He that taketh away his neighbor’s living slayeth him, and he that defraudeth the laborer of his hire is a bloodshedder’ (Ecclus. 34:21, 22). Or it may be, that as David prayed to God, ‘Build Thou the walls of Jerusalem, asking Him thereby to maintain or increase its well-being’ Psalms 51:18, so these men thought to promote the temporal prosperity of Jerusalem by doings which were unjust,

Micah 7:8 — Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy - The prophet still more makes himself one with the people, not only as looking for God, but in penitence, as Daniel bewails “his own sins and the sins of his people” Daniel 9:10. The “enemy” is Babylon and “Edom” Obadiah 1:10, Obadiah 1:12; Psalms 137:7; and then, in all times, (since this was written for all times, and the relations of the people of God and of its enemies are the same,) whosoever, whether devils or evil men,

Nahum 1:9 — arm; and likened the Lord of heaven and earth to the idols of the pagan, and said, “Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?” 2 Kings 18:35. He sent “to reproach the living God” 2 Kings 19:16 and “defied the Holy One of Israel” (see 2 Kings 19:15-34). His blasphemy was his destruction. It was a war, not simply of ambition, or covetousness, but directly against the power and worship

Zechariah 12:8 — ready to fall, who becomes as David, the great instance of one who fell, yet was raised. Daniel says of a like trial-time, “And some of those of understanding shall stumble, to try them and to purge and to make them white, to the time of the end” Daniel 11:35. Ribera: “Such care will God have of protecting the sons of the Church, when it shall be infested with persecutions, that he who shall have fallen through human infirmity, either deceived by heretics or overcome by fear of tortures, shall arise

Zechariah 3:2 — And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee - Jerome: “This they so explain, that the Father and the Son is Lord, as we read in the Psalms 110:1-7, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand.” The Lord speaketh of another Lord; not that He, the Lord who speaketh, cannot rebuke, but that, from the unity of nature, when the Other rebuketh, He Himself who speaketh rebuketh. For

Malachi 2:7 — For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge - o “He assigns the reason for what he had just said, the law of truth was in his mouth; they had done what it was their duty to do; as in Ecclesiasticus it is said of Aaron (Ecclesiasticus 45:17), ‘God gave unto him His commandments, and authority in the statutes of judgments, that he should teach Jacob the testimonies, and inform Israel in His laws.’ So Paul requires of Titus to ordain such overseers, as shall be able to Titus 1:9, ‘exhort

Matthew 2:11 — The house - The place where he was born, or the place where they lived at that time.Fell down - This was the usual way of showing respect or homage among the Jews, Esther 8:3; Job 1:20; Daniel 3:7; Psalms 72:11; Isaiah 46:6.Worshipped him - Did him homage as King of the Jews. See the notes at Matthew 2:2.Had opened their treasures - The treasures which they had brought, or the boxes, etc., in which they had brought their gold,

Luke 16:19 — parable, referring not to any particular case which “had” actually happened, but teaching that such cases “might” happen. The “design” of the narrative is to be collected from the previous conversation. He had taught the danger of the love of money Luke 16:1-2; the deceitful and treacherous nature of riches Luke 16:9-11; that what was in high esteem on earth was hateful to God Luke 16:15; that people who did not use their property aright could not be received into heaven Luke 16:11-12; that they ought

John 2:19 — Destroy this temple - The evangelist informs us John 2:21 that by “temple,” here, he meant his body. It is not improbable that he pointed with his finger to his body as he spoke. The word “destroy,” used here in the “imperative,” has rather the force of the “future.” Its meaning may thus be expressed: “You

John 5:29 — Shall come forth - Shall come out of their graves. This was the language which he used when he raised up Lazarus, John 11:43-44.They that have done good - That is, they who are righteous, or they who have by their good works “shown” that they were the friends of Christ. See Matthew 25:34-36.Resurrection of life - Religion is often called life, and everlasting life. See