Bible Commentaries

2 Kings 16:18 — sabbath. It stood no doubt in the inner court of the temple.The king’s entry without - This would seem to have been a private passage by which the king crossed the outer court to the east gate of the inner court when he visited the temple Ezekiel 46:1-2.Turned he from the house of the Lord for the king of Assyria - This passage is very obscure. Some translate - “altered he in the house of the Lord, because of the kine of Assyria,” supposing the “covert” and the “passage” to have been of rich materials,

2 Kings 21:18 — (apparently) of the royal palace-garden; perhaps so called after the name of the previous owner. Josiah was buried in “his own sepulchre” 2 Kings 23:30.Amon his son - This name, which occurs only at this time and in the reign of the idolatrous Ahab 1 Kings 22:26, is identical in form with the Hebrew representative of the great Egyptian god, Amen or Amun (Nahum 3:8 margin); and it is therefore probable that Manasseh selected it and gave it to his son in compliment to the Egyptians.

1 Chronicles 22:14 — these numbers may be sound. But in that case we must suppose an enormous difference between the pre-Babylonian and the post-Babylonian talents. According to the value of the post-Babylonian Hebrew talent, the gold here spoken of would be worth more than 1 billion of our British pounds sterling, while the silver would be worth ahove 400 million pounds. Accumulations to anything like this amount are inconceivable under the circumstances, and we must therefore either suppose the talents of David’s time

1 Chronicles 9:2 — The first inhabitants - i. e. the first inhabitants of the holy land after the return from the captivity. They are enumerated under four heads:(1) Israelites, i. e. the mass of the laity, whether belonging to the ten tribes or the two;(2) priests;(3) Levites; and(4) the lowest order of the ministry, the Nethinims.These last, whose name is derived from a root “to give,” were a sort of sacred slaves

2 Chronicles 16:7-10 — The rebuke of Hanani and his imprisonment by Asa, omitted by the writer of Kings, are among the most important of the additions to Asa’s history for which we are indebted to the author of Chronicles.2 Chronicles 16:7Escaped out of thine hand - Hanani means, “Hadst thou been faithful, and opposed in arms the joint host of Israel and Syria, instead of bribing the Syrian king to desert to thy side, the entire host would have been delivered into thy hand, as was

2 Chronicles 35:21 — the mouth of a pagan; but ancient inscriptions show that the Egyptian kings, in a certain sense, acknowledged a single supreme god, and considered their actions to be inspired by him. (e. g. The god Tum (compare) the name of his city, Pithom, Exodus 1:11 note) was worshipped as ankh, “the living One” (compare “Yahweh”)). Hence, Necho merely expressed himself as Egyptian kings were in the habit of doing.

Job 25:3 — Is there any number of his armies? - The armies of heaven; or the hosts of angelic beings, which are often represented as arranged or marshalled into armies; see the notes at Isaiah 1:9. The word which is used here is not the common one which is rendered “hosts,” (צבא tsâbâ'), but is גדוּד gedûd which means properly a troop, band, or army. It may here mean either the constellations often represented as the army which God marshals

Job 41:20 — Out of his nostrils goeth smoke - See the quotations on Job 41:19. This appearance of the crocodile, or alligator, has been often noticed. Bertram, in his “Travels in North and South Carolina,” p. 116, says, “While I was seeking a place of rest, I encountered an alligator that in the neighboring lake rushed through

Job 5:20 — In famine he shall redeem thee - That is, will deliver thee from death. On the meaning of the word “redeem,” see the notes at Isaiah 43:1, Isaiah 43:3.From the power of the sword - Margin, as in Hebrew “hands.” That is, he should not be slain by armed men. A mouth is often attributed to the sword in the Scriptures, because it devours; “hands” are attributed to it here, because it is by

Job 8:5 — reference to the early light of the morning, and hence, to an early seeking. It may be applied to seeking him in early life, or as the first thing - looking to him immediately when help is needed, or before we apply to anyone else; compare Proverbs 7:15; Proverbs 8:17; Proverbs 13:24; Job 24:5; Psalms 63:1; Psalms 78:34; Isaiah 26:9; Hosea 5:15; compare the advice of Eliphaz, Job 5:8.

Psalms 36:3 — The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit - Are false and wicked. See the notes at Psalms 12:2. It is words do not fairly represent or express what is in his heart.He hath left off to be wise - To act wisely; to do right.And to do good - To act benevolently and kindly. This would seem to imply that there had been a change in his conduct, or

Psalms 38:8 — Genesis 45:26. Would not this be well represented by the idea of a “chill?”And sore broken - This word means to break in pieces; to beat small; to crush; and then it may be used to denote being broken in spirit, or crushed by pain and sorrow: Isaiah 57:15; Isaiah 53:5; Isaiah 19:10.I have roared - I have cried out on account of my suffering. See the notes at Psalms 22:1.By reason of the disquietness of my heart - The word here rendered “disquietness” means properly “a roaring,” as of the sea: Isaiah

Psalms 43:2 — For thou art the God of my strength - See Psalms 18:2, note; Psalms 28:7, note.Why dost thou cast me off? - As if I were none of thine; as if I were wholly abandoned. Compare the notes at Psalms 22:1. The word rendered “cast off” - זנח zânach - is a word which implies strong disgust or loathing: “Why

Psalms 47:1 — O clap your hands, all ye people - A common way of expressing joy, or indicating applause. Compare the notes at Isaiah 55:12. The “people” here referred to are probably the Jewish people, and the call on them is to rejoice, with the customary marks of joy, in view of the great victory which God had gained over their enemies.Shout unto God - Make a joyful noise in praise

Psalms 48:4 — Jerusalem. The kings referred to, if the allusion here is, as is supposed, to the time of Jehoshaphat, were the kings of Ammon and of Moab, and of Mount Seir, and perhaps others, not particularly mentioned, who came up against Jehoshaphat, 2 Chronicles 20:1, 2 Chronicles 20:10.They passed by together - That is, they were smitten with consternation; they were so impressed with the beauty, the majesty, the strength of the city, that they passed along without venturing to attack it. Or, perhaps, the meaning

Psalms 54:3 — The word properly denotes those who exert their power in an arbitrary manner, or not under the sanction of law.They have not set God before them - They do not act as in the presence of God. They do not regard his authority. See the notes at Psalms 36:1. The word “Selah” here merely marks a musical pause. It indicates nothing in regard to the sense.

Psalms 55:7 — the wilderness - literally, I would sojourn; or, I would pass the night; or, I would put up for the night. The idea is taken from a traveler who puts up for the night, or who rests for a night in his weary travels, and seeks repose. Compare Genesis 19:2; Gen 32:21; 2 Samuel 12:16; Judges 19:13. The word “wilderness” means, in the Scripture, a place not inhabited by man; a place where wild beasts resort; a place uncultivated. It does not denote, as with us, an extensive forest. It might be a place

Psalms 71:5 — For thou art my hope, O Lord God - The ground of my hope and my expectation is in thee.(1) I have no other help; no other defense; but(2) I “have” confidence; on thee I “do” rely.Thou art my trust from my youth - From my earliest years. The meaning is, that he had always trusted in God, and had always found him a helper. All that he was,

Psalms 74:1 — O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? - Thou seemest to have cast us off forever, or finally. Compare Psalms 44:9, note; Psalms 13:1, note. “Why doth thine anger smoke.” See Deuteronomy 29:20. The presence of smoke indicates fire, and the language here is such as often occurs in the Scriptures, when anger or wrath is compared with fire. See Deuteronomy 32:22; Jeremiah 15:14.Against

Psalms 76:11 — vow, and pay unto the Lord your God - That is, Pay your vows, or sacredly observe them. On the word “vow,” see the notes at Psalms 22:25. Compare Psalms 50:14; Psalms 56:12; Psalms 66:13. The word refers to a voluntary promise made to God.Let all that be round about him - All that worship him, or that profess to honor him.Bring presents - Bring gifts or offerings; things expressive of gratitude and homage.