Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 36:21 — like replying to him. There are circumstances when it is proper to maintain a profound silence in the presence of revilers and blasphemers, and when we should withdraw from them, and go and spread the case before the Lord. This was done here Isaiah 37:1, and the result showed that this was the course of wisdom.

Isaiah 37:17 — is evidently language taken from what occurs among people. When they are desirous of hearing distinctly, they incline the ear or apply it close to the speaker. Similar language is not unfrequently used in the Scriptures as applicable to God 2 Kings 19:16; Psalms 86:1; Psalms 31:2; Psalms 88:2; Daniel 9:18.Open thine eyes - This is similar language applied to God, derived from the fact that when we wish to see an object, the eyes are fixed upon it (compare Job 14:3; Job 27:19).And hear all the words

Isaiah 61:9 — desires his children to be esteemed, and who regards it as an honor that they become so distinguished that their fame extends to distant lands.Shall be known - Shall be distinguished or honored. For this use of the word ‘known,’ see Psalms 67:2; Psalms 76:1; Psalms 79:10.And their offspring - (See the notes at Isaiah 48:19). The Chaldee and the Syriac render this, ‘Their children’s children.’ The sense is, that the true friends of the church shall be everywhere honored. Distant lands shall be acquainted

Isaiah 62:2 — And the Gentiles shall see - (see Isaiah 11:10 :÷ come a up I father me say Isaiah 49:22; Isaiah 60:3, Isaiah 60:5, Isaiah 60:16).And all kings thy glory - (See the notes at Isaiah 49:7, Isaiah 49:23; Isaiah 52:15; Isaiah 60:3, Isaiah 60:10-11, Isaiah 60:16).And thou shalt be called by a new

Isaiah 63:12 — That led them by the right hand of Moses - (See the notes at Isaiah 41:10-13; Isaiah 45:1).Dividing the water before them - Exodus 14:21.To make himself an everlasting name - He designed to perform a work which, it would be seen, could not be performed by any false god or by any human arm, and to do it in such circumstances,

Jeremiah 49:34 — therefore that they served as auxiliaries in the Chaldaean army in the expedition against Judah is not improbable. It was in the first year of Zedekiah that this prophecy was written, and thus it is a little prior to the prophecies against Babylon Jeremiah 51:59, which immediately follow. The words, “the Elam,” appear in the Septuagint in Jeremiah 25:14, followed by this prophecy, while in Jeremiah 26:1 we find, “In the beginning of the reign of king Zedekiah there was this word about Elam,” followed in

Ezekiel 1:15 — composed of two circumferences set at right angles to each other, like the equator and meridian upon a globe. A wheel so placed and constructed did its part alike on each side of the living creature beneath which it stood. The “ten bases” of the temple 1 Kings 7:27-36 were constructed with lions, oxen, and cherubim, between the ledges and wheels at the four corners attached beneath so as to move like the wheels of a chariot.

Ezekiel 46:19-24 — The careful provision here made to keep separate the offerings of priests and people was to prevent collision, just as the enactments Ezekiel 46:16-18 were intended to secure their respective rights to prince and people.Ezekiel 46:19At the side of the gate - The entrance to the inner court at the same side as the northern gate Ezekiel 42:9.Ezekiel 46:20See M Plan II.Boil - It was unique to the

Daniel 9:18 — city had been consecrated to God, and was called his - the city of Jehovah. It was known as the place of his sanctuary - the city where his worship was celebrated, and which was regarded as his peculiar dwelling place on the earth. Compare Psalms 48:1-3; Psalms 87:3. This is a new ground of entreaty, that the city belonged to God, and that he would remember the close connection between the prosperity of that city and the glory of his own name.

Hosea 7:10 — all this - God had exhausted all the treasures of His severity, as, before, of His love. He Himself marvels at His incorrigible and contumacious servant, as He says in Isaiah, “Why should ye be stricken anymore? Ye will revolt more and more” Isaiah 1:5. How is this? It follows, because they have “no heart.”

Nahum 3:18 — “the sleep of death;” their mighty men dwelt in that abiding-place, where they shall not move or rise, the grave; and so as Micaiah, in the vision predictive of Ahab’s death, “saw all Israel scattered on the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd” 1 Kings 22:17, so the people of the Assyrian monarch shall be “scattered on the mountains,” shepherdless, and that irretrievably; no man gathers them.

Zechariah 2:5 — circle around her, however near an enemy might press in upon her, but destructive to her enemies. Isaiah says, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise in judgment against thee thou shalt condemn” Isaiah 54:17. Its defense, Isaiah says, shall be immaterial. “We have a strong city; salvation shall God appoint for walls and bulwarks” Isaiah 26:1; “thou shalt call thy walls salvation and thy gates praise” Isaiah 60:18). By a different figure it is said, “I

Zechariah 5:2 — be those of the tabernacle , as the last vision was that of the candlestick, after the likeness of the candlestick therein. The explanations of this correspondence do not exclude each other. It may be that “judgment shall begin at the house of God” 1 Peter 4:17; that the punishment on sin is proportioned to the nearness of God and the knowledge of Him; that the presence of God, which was for life, might also be to death, as Paul says; “God maketh manifest the savor of this knowledge by us in every

Malachi 2:1 — this rebuke of God, and conceive it dictated to them by the Holy Spirit to hear, from whom God rightly requires greater holiness, and so will punish them more grievously, if careless or scandalous in their office.” All Christians are, in some sense 1 Peter 2:9, “a royal, holy priesthood,” over and above the special “Christian priesthood;” as the Jews, over and above the special priesthood of Aaron, were a Exodus 19:6, “kingdom of priests.” What follows then belongs, in their degree, to them and

Malachi 3:14 — goods of virtue and eternal glory, but measure all things by sight, sense and taste. Truly, if the righteous had not hope of another and better life, in vain would they afflict themselves, and bear the afflictions of others. For, as the Apostle says 1 Corinthians 15:19. ‘If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.’ But now, hoping for another blessed and eternal life for the slight tribulations of this, we are the happiest of all men.”And we have walked mournfully

Matthew 10:16 — in the midst of wolves - That is, I send you, inoffensive and harmless, into a cold, unfriendly, and cruel world. Your innocence will not be a protection.Be wise as serpents ... - Serpents have always been an emblem of wisdom and cunning, Genesis 3:1. The Egyptians used the serpent in their hieroglyphics as a symbol of wisdom. Probably the thing in which Christ directed his followers to imitate the serpent was in its caution in avoiding danger. No animal equals them in the rapidity and skill which

Matthew 18:28-29 — an hundred pence - Greek, δεναριον denarion; Latin, denarius; a Roman silver coin in common use. When Greece became subject to the Romans, and especially under the emperors, the denarius was regarded as of equal value with the Attic drachma - about 7 1/2 d. sterling, or 15 cents (circa 1880’s); consequently, this debt was about 15 dollars - a very small sum compared with what had been forgiven to the first servant. Perhaps our Saviour, by this, meant to teach that the offences which our fellow-men

Matthew 8:16 — secondly, of his divine mission. He might have established the latter by miracles that would do no good. None of his miracles were performed, however, merely to make a display of power, unless the cursing of the barren fig-tree be an exception. Compare Mark 11:11-14. What is here recorded occurred on the evening of the Sabbath, Mark 1:21-32. The Jews kept the Sabbath from evening to evening, Leviticus 23:32. On the Sabbath they would not even bring their sick to be healed Luke 13:14; but as soon as it was

Matthew 8:21 — And another of his disciples ... - The word “disciple” properly signifies “learner,” and was given to the followers of Jesus because they received him as their teacher. See the notes at Matthew 5:1. It does not of necessity mean that a “disciple” was a pious man, but only one of the multitude, who, for various causes, might attend on his instructions. See John 6:66; John 9:28.Suffer me first to go and bury my father - This seemed to be a reasonable

Matthew 9:10 — themselves. To receive Christ hospitably and kindly was a commendable act, and it strongly evinces Matthew’s freedom from ostentation that he has not himself mentioned the fact. It thus illustrates the command of the Saviour, as recorded by himself, Matthew 6:1-4.At meat - At the table; at supper.Many publicans and sinners came - Probably the old friends of Matthew who had been invited by him. The character of a “publican,” or tax-gatherer, among the Jews was commonly not very respectable (see notes at Matthew