Bible Commentaries

Job 2:7 — So went Satan forth - Job 1:12.And smote Job with sore boils - The English word boil denotes the well-known turnout upon the flesh, accompanied with severe inflammation; a sore angry swelling. “Webster.” The Hebrew word, however, is in the singular number שׁחין shechı̂yn, and

Job 9:20 — perverse and evil. It would do this because God had adjudged the contrary, and because such an effort would show an insubmissive and a proud heart. This passage shows that Job did not regard himself as a man absolutely free from sin. He was indeed said Job 1:1 to be “perfect and upright;” but this verse proves that that testimony in regard to him was not inconsistent with his consciousness of guilt. See the notes at that verse. And is not the claim to absolute perfection in this world always a proof that

Psalms 32:6 — unchangeably the same. All those, therefore, who “have” been pardoned and saved in the world have become examples to the rest, and have furnished full proof that all others “may” be pardoned and saved if they will come in the same manner. See the notes at 1 Timothy 1:16.Everyone that is godly - The original word used here would properly mean those who are pious, or who are already converted. It is the common word used in the Scriptures to denote “saints,” and is usually so translated. But, as used here,

Isaiah 13:10 — time out, I will cover the heavens, and make the stoa thereof dark, I will cover the sun with a cloud, And the moon shall not give her light. And the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee. And set darkness upon thy land.(Compare Joel 2:10; Joel 3:15-16.) Thus in Amos 8:9 : I will cause the sun to go down at noon, And I will darken the earth in a clear day.See also Revelation 6:12-14 : And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and lo, The sun became black as sackcloth of hair,

Isaiah 27:8 — such changes in expressions are not uncommon in the Hebrew poets.Thou wilt debate with it - Or, rather, thou hast “judged” it; or hast punished it. The word ריב riyb means sometimes to debate, contend, or strive; but it means also to take vengeance 1 Samuel 25:39, or to punish; to contend with anyone so as to overcome or punish him. Here it refers to the fact that God “had” had a contention with his people, and had punished them by removing them to Babylon.He stayeth - ( הגה hâgâh). This word

Isaiah 33:14 — Vitringa and Poole. The phrase, ‘sinners in Zion’ here refers to the wicked and rebellious in Jerusalem.Fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites - Those who professed to serve God, and yet who were secretly depending on the aid of Egypt (see Isaiah 31:1-9; compare the note at Isaiah 9:17). The sentiment here is, that those who professedly are the friends of God, but who are secretly and really his enemies, are often alarmed at his judgments. When the judgments of God overtake sinners, they are conscious

Isaiah 42:11 — Let the wilderness - (See the note at Isaiah 35:1). The word here denotes the most uncultivated countries, intimating that even the most rude and barbarous people would have occasion to rejoin, and would be interested in the mercy of God.And the cities thereof - To us there seems to be something incongruous

Isaiah 43:1 — owed its origin to his creative power. It means that, as a people, their institutions, laws, customs, and privileges, and whatever they had that was valuable, were all to be traced to him. The same word occurs in Isaiah 43:7, and again in Isaiah 43:15, ‘I am Yahweh - the Creator of Israel, your king’ (see also Isaiah 44:1; compare Psalms 100:3).Fear not - This is to be understood as addressed to them when suffering the evils of the captivity of Babylon. Though they were captives, and had suffered

Isaiah 49:9 — Greeks frequently repair for refreshment; especially the latter, in their festivals, when whole families are seen sitting on the grass, and enjoying their early or evening repast, beneath the trees, by the side of a rill’ - (Travels in Asia Minor, p. 21.) Compare 1 Kings 1:9. Thus Harmer supposes that the purpose of the prophet is, to contrast the state of the Jews when they were shut up in prison in Babylon, secluded from fresh air, and even the light itself, or in unwholesome dungeons, with their

Isaiah 66:15 — And it shall be very tempestuous round about him.So Habakkuk 2:5 : Before him went the pestilence, And burning coals went forth at his feet.So Psalms 97:3 : A fire goeth before him, And burneth up his enemies round about.So it is said 2 Thessalonians 1:8, that the Lord Jesus will be revealed ‘in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God’ (compare Hebrews 10:27; 2 Peter 3:7). So Yahweh is said to breathe out fire when he comes to destroy his foes: There went up a smoke out of his nostrils,

Hosea 12:14 — God, in destroying man made in the image of God. Amid that bloodshed, had been the blood not of the innocent only, but of those whom God sent to rebuke them for their idolatry, their rapine, their bloodshed. “Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord” 1 Kings 18:4, as far as in her lay, with a complete excision. Ephraim thought his sins past; they were out of his sight; he thought that they were out of God’s also; but they were laid up with God; and God, the prophet says, would cast them down upon

Hosea 13:2 — And now they sin more and more - Sin draws on sin. This seems to be a third stage in sin. First, under Jeroboam, was the worship of the calves. Then, under Ahab, the worship of Baal. Thirdly, the multiplying of other idols (see 2 Kings 17:9-10), penetrating and pervading the private life, even of their less wealthy people. The calves were of gold; now they “made them molten images of their silver,” perhaps plated with silver. In Egypt, the mother of idolatry, it was common to gild idols,

Hosea 14:5 — I will be as the dew unto Israel - Before, He had said, “his spring shall become dry and his fountain shall be dried up” Hosea 13:15. Now again He enlarges the blessing; their supply shall be unfailing, for it shall be from God; yea, God Himself shall be that blessing; “I will be the dew; descending on the mown grass” Psalms 72:6, to quicken and refresh it; descending, Himself,

Zephaniah 2:7 — should be brought back. David used the word in his psalm of thanksgiving, when he had brought the ark to the city of David, how God had “confirmed the covenant to Israel, saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance” 1 Chronicles 16:18; Psalms 105:11; and Asaph, “He cast out the he athen before them and divided to them an inheritance by line” Psalms 78:55. It is the reversal of the doom threatened by Micah, “Thou shalt have none, that shall cast a cord by lot in the

Zechariah 11:5 — habitation of justice, yea, the hope of their fathers, the Lord” Jeremiah 50:6-7. The offence of injuring Israel was that they were God’s people: when He cast them forth, they who chastened them were His servants Jeremiah 25:9; Jeremiah 27:6; Jeremiah 43:10, His instruments, and offended only when through pride they knew not in whose hands they themselves were Isaiah 10:7; Habakkuk 1:11, or through cruelty exceeded their office Isaiah 47:6; Zechariah 1:18, and so they became guilty.And they that sell

Zechariah 13:6 — which, One only lived. The most literal interpretation, then, of the wounds in the hands harmonizes with the piercing before, and the smiting of the Good Shepherd which follows, of whom David too prophesied, “They pierced My Hands and My Feet” Psalms 22:16. “What are those wounds on Thy hands? How long, think you, and how and by whom will this be said to Him? For ever and ever, unceasingly, and with unspeakable admiration it will be said, both by God the Father, “to whom He was obedient unto death, the

Mark 16:16 — one the beginning of piety in the soul, the other of its manifestation before men or of a profession, of religion. Every man endangers his eternal interest by being ashamed of Christ before men. See Mark 8:38.Shall be saved - Saved from sin Matthew 1:21 and from eternal death John 5:24; John 3:36, and raised to eternal life in heaven, John 5:28; John 17:2, John 17:24.Shall be damned - That is, condemned by God and cast off from his presence, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9. It implies that they will be adjudged

Acts 25:27 — to avail himself of the desire which Agrippa had expressed to hear Paul, that he might be able to specify the charges against him.Withal - Also; at the same time.To signify - To specify, or make them know. In concluding this chapter, we may observe:(1) That in the case of Agrippa, we have an instance of the reasons which induce many people to hear the gospel. He had no belief in it; he had no concern for its truth or its promises; but he was led by curiosity to desire to hear a minister of the gospel

Acts 9:19 — Acts 9:22; Acts 26:20. It might have been for some months, as he did not go to Jerusalem under three years from that time. He remained some time at Damascus, and then went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus, and then went to Jerusalem, Galatians 1:17. This visit to Arabia Luke has omitted, but there is no contradiction. He does not affirm that he did not go to Arabia.We have now passed through the account of one of the most remarkable conversions to Christianity that has ever occurred that of

Romans 3:19 — writings given expressly for them, and which recorded their own history, and which they admitted to be divinely inspired. These proofs, therefore, they could not evade.That every mouth may be stopped - This is perhaps, a proverbial expression, Job 5:15; Psalms 107:42. It denotes that they would be thoroughly convinced; that the argument would be so conclusive as that they would have nothing to reply; that all objections would be silenced. Here it denotes that the argument for the depravity of the