Bible Commentaries

Job 22:30 — idea of the meaning of the passage. What can be meant by “saving the island of the innocent?” The word rendered island (אי 'ı̂y) commonly means, indeed, an island, or a maritime country; see Isaiah 20:6, note. It is, however, used as a “negative” in 1 Samuel 4:21, in the name “I-chabod” - אי־כבוד 'ı̂y-kâbôd. “And she named the child I-chabod (margin, that is, “where is the glory?” or, there is “no glory”), saying, the glory is departed from Israel.” This sense is frequent in the Rabbinic Hebrew,

Job 3:23 — Why is light given “to a man uhose way is hid?” That is, who does not know what way to take, and who sees no escape from the misery that surrounds him.Whom God hath hedged in - See Notes, Job 1:10. The meaning here is, that God had surrounded him as with a high wall or hedge, so that he could not move freely. Job asks with impatience, why light, that is, life, should be given to such a man? Why should he not be permitted to die? This closes

Psalms 1:2 — declaration here made would apply to any part of a divine revelation; and hence, the sentiment is, that a truly pious man finds his highest delight in the revealed truths of God. This is often referred to as characteristic of true piety. Compare Psalms 19:10; Psalms 119:97, Psalms 119:99.And in his law - On his law, or his truth. “He doth meditate.” The word used here, הגה hâgâh, means properly to complain, to mutter; then, to speak; then, to utter in a low complaining voice, as is often done by a

Psalms 22:31 — better describe the actual office of the ministers of the Gospel as appointed to set forth the “righteousness” of God, to vindicate his government and laws, and to state the way in which men may be made righteous, or may be justified. Compare Romans 1:17; Romans 3:26.Unto a people that shall be born - To future generations.That he hath done this - That God has done or accomplished what is stated in this psalm; that is, on the supposition that it refers to the Messiah, that he has caused an atonement

Psalms 41:8 — without,” and יעל ya‛al, “use or profit.”Then it means worthlessness, wickedness, destruction; and hence, in connection with man, denotes one who is wicked, worthless, abandoned. It is difficult to determine its meaning here. The connection Psalms 41:3 would seem to suggest the idea adopted by our translators; the words themselves would seem rather to convey the idea of some reproach, or harsh saying - some vain, wicked, malicious words that were uttered against him. That there was disease in the

Psalms 67:6 — rendered “increase” - יבול yebûl - means properly produce, or that which the earth produces when properly cultivated. It is rendered “increase,” as here, in Leviticus 26:4, Leviticus 26:20; Deuteronomy 32:22; Judges 6:4; Job 20:28; Psalms 78:46; Psalms 85:12; Ezekiel 34:27; Zechariah 8:12; and fruit, in Deuteronomy 11:17; Habakkuk 3:17; Haggai 1:10. It does not elsewhere cccur. The Hebrew verb here is in the past tense - “has yielded her increase,” but the connection seems to demand that it shall be rendered

Psalms 68:15 — The hill of God - The phrase “the hill of God,” or the mountain of God, is elsewhere applied in the Scriptures only to Mount Horeb or Sinai Exodus 3:1; Exodus 18:5; Exo 24:13; 1 Kings 19:8, and to Mount Zion, Psalms 24:3; Isaiah 30:29. There is no reason for supposing that there is a reference here to Mount Horeb or Sinai, as the psalm does not particularly relate to that mountain, and as there is

Psalms 68:4 — lift up, to raise, to raise up, as into a heap or mound; and especially to cast up and prepare a way, or to make a way level before an army by casting up earth; that is, to prepare a way for an army. See the notes at Isaiah 40:3. Compare also Isaiah 57:14; Isaiah 62:10; Job 19:12; Job 30:12, Proverbs 15:19 (margin); Jeremiah 18:15. This is evidently the idea here. It is not to “extol” God in the sense of praising him; it is to prepare the way before him, as of one marching at the head of his armies,

Isaiah 15:1 — The burden of Moab - (see the note at Isaiah 13:1). This is the title of the prophecy. The Chaldee renders this, ‘The burden of the cup of malediction which is to come upon Moab.’Because in the night - The fact that this was to be done in the night denotes the suddenness with which the calamity

Isaiah 37:24 — By thy servants - Hebrew, ‘By the hand of thy servants.’ That is, by Rabshakeh Isaiah 36:0, and by those whom he had now sent to Hezekiah with letters Isaiah 37:9, Isaiah 37:14.And hast said - Isaiah does not here quote the precise words which Rabshakeh or the other messengers had used, but quotes the substance of what had been uttered, and expresses the real feelings and intentions of Sennacherib.By the multitude of my chariots

Isaiah 41:14 — Fear not - (See the note at Isaiah 41:10).Thou worm - This word is properly applied as it is with us, to denote a worm, such as is generated in putrid substances Exodus 16:20; Isaiah 14:11; Isaiah 66:24; or such as destroy plants Jonah 4:7; Deuteronomy 28:39. It is used also to describe

Isaiah 41:25 — people should have evidence that He was worthy of their entire confidence, and that even the pagan should see that Yahweh was the true God, and that the idols were nothing. The personage referred to here is undoubtedly Cyrus (see the notes at Isaiah 41:2; compare Isaiah 45:1).From the north - In Isaiah 41:2, he is said to have been raised up ‘from the east.’ Both were true. Cyrus was born in Persia, in the country called in the Scriptures ‘the east,’ but he early went to Media, and came from Media

Daniel 2:32 — The whole head of the figure, colossal as it was, appeared to be composed wholly of this. Had the “whole” image been made of gold, it would not have been so striking - for it was not uncommon to construct vast statues of this metal. Compare Daniel 3:1. But the remarkable peculiarity of this image was, that it was composed of different materials, some of which were seldom or never used in such a structure, and all of which had a peculiar significancy. On the significancy of this part of the figure,

Daniel 4:33 — The same hour was the thing fulfilled - On the word hour, see the note at Daniel 4:19. The use of the word here would seem to confirm the suggestion there made that it means a brief period of time. The idea is clearly that it was done instantly. The event came suddenly upon him, without any interval, as he was speaking.Till his hairs

Daniel 8:25 — hand - He shall owe his success in a great measure to a crafty policy, to intrigue, and to cunning. This was true in an eminent sense, of Antiochus. See his history in Prideaux, above referred to, and the books of Maccabees. Compare the notes at Daniel 11:21. The same character is given of him by Polybius, “Relig.” lib. xxi. c. 5, tom. iv. p. 501, ed. Schweighauser; Appian, “de reb. Syr.” xlv. t. 1, p. 604, ed. Schweigh. Compare 2 Macc. 5:24-26. He came to the kingdom by deceit (Prideaux, iii. 212),

Daniel 9:21 — devoted to an examination of the prophecies, and to solemn prayer.Even the man Gabriel - Who had the appearance of a man, and hence, so called.Whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning - That is, in a “former” vision. See the notes at Daniel 8:16. It cannot refer to what is mentioned in this (the ninth) chapter, for(a) he had as yet had no vision, but all that is recorded is a prayer;(b) there is no intimation that Gabriel had appeared to him at the beginning of the prayer; and(c) it is declared

Hosea 9:15 — All their wickedness is in Gilgal - “Gilgal,” having been the scene of so many of God’s mercies, had been, on that very ground, chosen as a popular scene for idol-worship (see the note above at Hosea 4:15). And doubtless, Ephraim still deceived himself, and thought that his idolatrous worship, in a place once so hallowed, would still be acceptable with God. “There, where God of old was propitious, He would be so still, and whatever they did, should,

Micah 1:15 — were still seen,” in the time of Eusebius and Jerome, “in the second mile from Eleutheropolis” (Onomasticon). : “Foundations still remain on the south-eastern part of the remarkable Tell, south of Beth-Jibrin.” Rehoboam fortified it also 2 Chronicles 11:8. Zerah the Aethiopian had come to (2 Chronicles 14:9 ff) it, probably to besiege it, when Asa met him, and God smote the AEthiopians before him, in the valley of Zephathah thereat. In the wars of the Maccabees, it was in the hands of the Edomites

Micah 1:3 — nigh, noiselessly as the nightfall, but unceasingly. “Out of His Place.” Dionysius: “God is hidden from us, except when He sheweth Himself by His Wisdom or Power of Justice or Grace, as Isaiah saith, ‘Verily, Thou art a God who hidest Thyself’ Isaiah 45:15.” He seemeth to be absent, when He doth not visibly work either in the heart within, or in judgments without; to the ungodly and unbelieving He is absent, “far above out of their sight” Psalms 10:5, when He does not avenge their scoffs, their sins,

Zechariah 13:2 — incentives to act. All public mention of terrible crimes (it has been observed) produces imitation of the specific form of crime. Hence, it was commanded, “make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth” Exodus 23:13. And Joshua names it in his dying charge to Israel, “Be ye therefore very strong to keep and to are all that is written in the book of the law of Moses - either make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them” Joshua 23:6-7. Hence,