Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 42:19 — שׁלם shālam means properly “to be whole, sound, safe”; to be completed, finished, ended: and then, to be at peace or friendship with anyone. And it may he applied to the Jews, to whom it undoubtedly refers here, in one of the following senses; either (1) ironically, as claiming to be perfect; or (2) as those who professed to be perfect; or (3) as being favored with rites and laws, and a civil and sacred constitution that were complete (Vitringa); or (4) as being in friendship with God, as Grotius and

Isaiah 42:4 — accomplish his purposes.’ We have a similar phraseology when we speak of a man’s being heart-broken.Till he have set judgment - Until he has secured the prevalence of the true religion in all the world.And the isles - Distant nations (see the note at Isaiah 41:1); the pagan nations. The expression is equivalent to saying that the Gentiles would be desirous of receiving the religion of the Messiah, and would wait for it (see the notes at Isaiah 2:3).Shall wait - They shall be dissatisfied with their own religions,

Isaiah 45:21 — Tell ye, and bring them near - That is, announce, and bring forward your strongest arguments (see the notes at Isaiah 41:1).Who hath declared this from ancient time? - Who has clearly announced the events respecting Cyrus, and the conquest of Babylon, and the deliverance from the captivity? The argument is an appeal to the fact that God had clearly foretold these events

Isaiah 48:18 — prospective, or a declaration in the abstract. It relates to sin which had been actually committed, and proves that even in regard to that, God would have preferred that it had not been committed. A declaration remarkably similar to this, occurs in Psalms 81:13-16 : O that my people had hearkened unto me, And Israel had walked in my ways; I should soon have subdued their’ enemies, And turned their hand against their adversaries The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him: But their

Isaiah 49:5 — and he had such assurances of that favor, that he could confidently commit himself to his care.That formed thee from the womb - Who appointed me before I was born to the office of a servant to accomplish important purposes (see the notes at Isaiah 49:1).To bring Jacob again to him - To recover the Jewish people again to the pure worship of Yahweh. To them the Messiah was first to be sent, and when they rejected him, he was to proffer the same salvation to the Gentiles (see Isaiah 49:6; compare Matthew

Isaiah 52:7 — How beautiful upon the mountains - This passage is applied by Paul to the ministers of the gospel (see Romans 10:15). The meaning here seems to be this: Isaiah was describing the certain return of the Jews to their own land. He sees in vision the heralds announcing their return to Jerusalem running on the distant hills. A herald bearing good news is a beautiful

Isaiah 60:11 — in those times, such would be the prevalence of peace, and such would be the purposes for which the multitude of strangers would come from all parts of the world, that the gates might be left open, and the city unguarded at all times. The sense is - 1. That there will be immense multitudes that shall enter the true church from the pagan world.2. That the gospel will be constantly and unceasingly offered to people. The doors of the church shall at no time be closed. By day and by night, at all seasons

Isaiah 62:1 — For Zion’s sake - (See the notes at Isaiah 1:8). On account of Zion; that is, on account of the people of God.I will not hold my peace - There have been very various opinions in regard to the person referred to here by the word ‘I.’ Calvin and Gesenius suppose that the speaker here is the prophet,

Daniel 11:16 — “the land of ornament,” or, “goodly land.” The Hebrew word צבי tsebı̂y means, properly, “splendor, beauty,” and was given to the holy land, or Palestine, on account of its beauty, as being a land of beauty or fertility. Compare Ezekiel 20:6, Ezekiel 20:15; Ezekiel 26:12; Jeremiah 3:19, and Daniel 11:45. The meaning here is, that he would obtain possession of the land of Israel, and that no one would be able to stand against him. By the defeat of Scopas, and of the forces sent to aid him when entrenched

Daniel 11:7 — But out of a branch of her roots - Compare the notes at Isaiah 11:1. The meaning is, that as a branch or shoot springs up from a tree that is decayed and fallen, so there would spring up some one of her family who would come to avenge her. That is, a person is indicated who would be of a common stock with her; or,

Daniel 3:21 — The more common and just representation, however, is to regard this as referring to an article of dress. The Chaldee word (פטישׁ paṭṭı̂ysh) is from פטשׁ pâṭash, to break, to hammer (πατάσσω patassō); to spread out, to expand; and the noun means(1) a hammer; Isaiah 41:7; Jeremiah 23:29; Jeremiah 50:23; and(2) a garment, probably with the idea of its being “spread out,” and perhaps referring to a tunic or under-garment.Compare Gesenius on the word. The Greek is, τιάραις tiarais, and so the Latin

Daniel 4:8 — the Chaldee with sufficient accuracy, though a more literal translation would be, “until afterward.”Whose name was Belteshazzar - That is, this was the name which he bore at court, or which had been given him by the Chaldeans. See the note at Daniel 1:7.According to the name of my god - That is, the name of my god Bel, or Belus, is incorporated in the name given to him. This is referred to here, probably, to show the propriety of thus invoking his aid; because he bore the name of the god whom the

Daniel 5:7 — clothed with scarlet - The color worn usually by princes and by persons of rank. The margin is “purple.” So the Greek of Theodotion - πορφύραν porphuran. So also the Latin Vulgate - “purpura.” On the nature and uses of this color, see the note at Isaiah 1:18.And have a chain of gold about his neck - Also indicative of rank and authority. Compare Genesis 41:42. When Joseph was placed over the land of Egypt, the king honored him in a similar manner, by putting “a gold chain about his neck.” This was common

Hosea 11:3 — wearied, taking him in the arms of His mercy and refreshing him. So Moses says, “In the wilderness thou hast seen, how that the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came unto this place” Deuteronomy 1:31; and he expostulates with God, “Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that Thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth his sucking child, unto the land which Thou swarest unto their father’s?”

Hosea 7:16 — They return, but not to the most High - God exhorts by Jeremiah, “If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto Me” Jeremiah 4:1. They changed, whenever they did change, with a feigned, hypocritical conversion, but not to God, nor acknowledging His Majesty. Man, until truly converted, turns to and fro, unstably, hither and thither, changing from one evil to another, from the

Joel 2:1 — of God was to echo with alarms; the holiness, once bestowed upon it, was to be no security against the judgments of God; yea, in it rather were those judgments to begin. So Peter saith, “The time is come, that judgment must begin at the house of God” 1 Peter 4:17. The alarm being blown in Zion, terror was to spread to all the inhabitants of the land, who were, in fear, to repent. The Church of Christ is foretold in prophecy under the names of “Zion” and of the holy “mountain.” It is the “stone cut

Amos 1:4 — palaces of Benhadad,” and also stands as a symbol of all other severity in war as in the ancient proverb, “a fire is gone out from Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon; it hath consumed Ar of Moab, the lords of the high places of Arnon” Numbers 21:28; and again of the displeasure of Almighty God, as when He says, “a fire is kindled in Mine anger, and it shall burn unto the lowest hell” Deuteronomy 32:22. For the fire destroys not the natural buildings only, but “the house of Hazael,” that is,

Micah 3:5 — The prophets that make My people err - Flattering them in their sins and rebellions, promising that they shall go unpunished, that God is not so strict, will not put in force the judgments tie threatens. So Isaiah saith Isaiah 3:12; O my? people, they which lead thee, mislead thee; and (Isaiah 9:16, (Isaiah 9:15 in Hebrew)), the leaders of this people are its misleaders, and they that are led of them are destroyed. And Jeremiah, “The prophets have seen for thee vanity and folly;

Micah 5:6 — the same image. “The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch tents against her round about; they shall feed, each his space” Jeremiah 6:3. So Joshua and Caleb say, “They, (the inhabitants of Canaan,) are bread for us” Numbers 14:9. So it was said to Peter, “arise, Peter, kill and eat” Acts 10:13; and what once was common, defiled and unclean, shall turn to the nourishment and growth of the Church, and be incorporated into Christ, being made part of His Body.And the land of

Micah 7:7 — help fails, “I”, for my part, “will look unto”, (literally, “on”) “the Lord” God, the Unchangeable. The prophet sets himself, I, with emphasis, against the multitude of the ungodly. When all forsake, betray, fail, when “love is waxed cold” Matthew 24:12, and men, in the last days, shall be “lovers of their ownselves” 2 Timothy 3:2, 2 Timothy 3:4, “not lovers of God”, I, - he does not say, “will trust,” but - , “will” (Jerome), “with the eye of the heart contemplating, loving, venerating God most High,