Bible Commentaries

Isaiah 18:4 — not appearing to oppose them, but keeping as calm, and as still, as if I seemed to favor their plans - as the sun shines on the herb, and the gentle dew falls on the grass, until the proper time for me to interpose and defeat them shall arise Isaiah 18:5-6.I will consider - I will look on; that is, I will not now interpose and disarrange their plans before they are complete. We learn here, (1) That God sees the plans of the wicked; (2) That he sees them “mature” them without attempting then to interpose

Isaiah 35:10 — pedûyēy from פדה pâdâh; though it is not easy, perhaps not possible, to designate the difference in the sense. Doubtless there was a shade of difference among the Hebrews, but what it was is not now known. See this word explained in the note at Isaiah 1:27. The language here is all derived from the deliverance from Babylon, and the images employed by the prophet relate to that event. Still, there can be no doubt that he meant to describe the deliverance under the Messiah.Shall return, and come to Zion

Isaiah 49:6 — pure and spiritual worship of God.The preserved of Israel - Lowth renders this, ‘To restore the branches of Israel;’ as if it were נצרי netsârēy in the text, instead of נצוּרי netsûrēy. The word נצר nêtser means “branch” (see the notes at Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 14:9), and Lowth supposes that it means the branches of Israel; that is, the descendants of Israel or Jacob, by a similitude drawn from the branches of a tree which are all derived from the same stem, or root. The Syriac here renders it,

Isaiah 53:7 — that taxes were demanded of the exiles, when they were in a foreign land. The word used here (נגשׂ nāgas') properly means, “to drive,” to impel, to urge; and then to urge a debtor, to exact payment; or to exact tribute, a ransom, etc. (see Deuteronomy 15:2-3; 2 Kings 23:35.) Compare Job 3:18; Zechariah 9:8; Zechariah 10:4, where one form of the word is rendered ‘oppressor;’ Job 39:7, the ‘driver;’ Exodus 5:6, ‘taskmasters;’ Daniel 11:20, ‘a raiser of taxes.’ The idea is that of urgency, oppression,

Isaiah 63:9 — people.And the angel of his presence saved them - This angel, called ‘the angel of the presence of God,’ is frequently mentioned as having conducted the children of Israel through the wilderness, and as having interposed to save them Exodus 23:20, Exodus 23:31; Exodus 32:34; Exodus 33:2; Numbers 20:16. The phrase, ‘the angel of his presence,’ (Hebrew, פניו מלאך פ male'âk pânâyv, ‘angel of his face,’ or ‘countenance’), means an angel that stands in his presence, and that enjoys his favor, as a man does

Isaiah 66:23 — literally is, ‘As often as the month cometh in its month;’ that is, in its time, every month, every new moon (Gesenius, Lexicon, on the word מדי midēy). The Hebrews held a festival on the return of each month, or at every new moon (see the notes at Isaiah 1:14). A similar prophecy occurs in Zechariah 14:16 : ‘And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came up against Jerusalem, shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the

Daniel 10:21 — Scriptures respecting future events.They are described as written down in a book that is in the hands of God, in which are recorded all future events - the names of those that shall be saved - and all the deeds of men. Compare Deuteronomy 32:34; Malachi 3:16; Psalms 139:16; Revelation 5:1. The representation is figurative, of course; and the meaning is, that, in the view of the Divine mind, all future events are as certain as if they were actually recorded as history, or as if they were now all written

Hosea 10:10 — enforce His justice, with no reserve whatever from His mercy. His whole mind, so to speak, is to punish them. God is “without passions.” Yet, in order to impress on us the truth, that one day there will, to some, be “judgment without mercy” James 2:13, He speaks as one, whose longing could not be satisfied, until the punishment were executed. So He says, “I will ease Me of Mine adversaries” Isaiah 1:24; “Mine anger shall be accomplished and I will cause My fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted”

Hosea 10:14 — one awful type.As Shalman spoiled - (or wasted) Beth-Arbel in the day of battle “Shalman” is, no doubt, “Shalmaneser king of Assyria,” who came up against Hoshea, early in his reign, “and he became a servant to him and brought him a present 2 Kings 17:3. Shalman” being the characteristic part of the name , the prophet probably omitted the rest, on the ground of the rhythm. “Beth-Arbel” is a city, which the Greeks, retaining, in like way, only the latter and characteristic half of the name, called

Hosea 13:6 — longed for, what they murmured for, and spoke evil of God. For instance, when they said, ‘who wil give us flesh to eat? We remember the flesh which we did eat in Egypt freely. Our soul is dried up, because our eyes see nothing but this manna’ Numbers 11:4-6. Since they desired such things in such wise, and, desiring, were filled with them to loathing, well are they called ‘their pastures.’ For they sought God, not for Himself, but for them. They who follow God for Himself, things of this sort are

Hosea 9:10 — anything, as though “He” had lost it, or knew not where it was, or came suddenly upon it, not expecting it. “They” were lost, as relates to Him, when they were found by Him. As our Lord says of the returned prodigal, “This my son was lost and is found” Luke 15:32. He “found” them and made them pleasant in His own sight, “as grapes which a man finds unexpectedly, in “a great terrible wilderness of fiery serpents and drought” Deuteronomy 8:15, where commonly nothing pleasant or refreshing grows; or “as the

Amos 6:10 — Philistines might disinter them, if buried, and renew their insults upon them. The Israelites still buried what would not be disturbed or could be concealed - the bones. David solemnly buried their remains in the sepulchre of Kish, Saul’s father 2 Samuel 21:12-14. So probably here also, it is mentioned as an aggravation, that one who loved them, had to burn their bodies. He does not say, why: but mentions it, as one feature of the common suffering. Parents, brothers - all gone; a man’s uncle was his “burner.”

Jonah 3:8 — his own special heart’s sin. All were to return, but by forsaking, each, one by one, his own habitual, favorite sin.And from the violence - “Violence” is singled out as the special sin of Nineveh, out “of all their evil way;” as the angel saith, Mark 16:7. “tell His diciples and Peter.” This was the giant, Goliath-sin. When this should be effaced, the rest would give way, as the Philistines fled, when their champion was fallen to the earth dead. “That is in their hands,” literally “in their palms”

Micah 1:5 — of man’s lust of conquest. None could have any power against God’s people, unless it had been given him by God. Those mighty monarchies of old existed but as God’s instruments, especially toward His own people. God said at this time of Assyria Isaiah 10:5, Asshur rod of Mine anger, and the staff in his hand is Mine indignation; and Isaiah 37:26, Now have I brought it to pass, that thou shouldest be to lay waste defensed cities into ruinous heaps. Each scourge of God chastised just those nations, which

Malachi 1:14 — for some temporal end, and then substituted for that which had typical perfection, the less valuable animal, the ewe and that, diseased. It was probably, to prevent self-deceit, that the law commanded that the oblation for a vow should be Leviticus 22:19, Leviticus 22:21, “a male without blemish, perfect;” lest (which may be a temptation in impulsive vows) repenting of their vow, they should persuade themselves, that they had vowed less than they had. Ordinarily, then, it would not have been allowed

Malachi 1:7 — the offerings by fire altogether, as in Ezekiel Ezekiel 44:7, “When ye offer My bread, the fat and the blood;” and in Leviticus “the offerings of the Lord, made by fire, the bread of their God, do they offer;” and of the “peace-offering Leviticus 3:11, the priest shall burn it upon the altar; the bread of the offering made by fire unto the Lord:” and specifically, of animals with blemish, as these, it is forbidden Leviticus 22:25, “Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your

Matthew 13:3-9 — ignorant people, making an appeal to them through the “senses.” To convey some offensive truth, some pointed personal rebuke. in such a way as to bring it “home” to the conscience. Of this kind was the parable which Nathan delivered to David 2 Samuel 12:1-7, and many of our Saviour’s parables addressed to the Jews. To “conceal” from one part of his audience truths which he intended others should understand. Thus Christ often, by this means, delivered truths to his disciples in the presence of the

Mark 10:17-31 — See this passage illustrated in the notes at Matthew 19:16-30.Mark 10:17Gone forth - From the place where he had been teaching.Into the way - Into the road or path on his journey.Running - Thus showing the intensity with which he desired to know the way of life. Zeal to know the way to be saved is proper,

John 15:16 — Ye have not chosen me - The word here translated “chosen” is that from which is derived the word “elect,” and means the same thing. It is frequently thus translated, Mark 13:20; Matthew 24:22, Matthew 24:24, Matthew 24:31; Colossians 3:12. It refers here, doubtless, to his choosing or electing them to be apostles. He says that it was not because they had chosen him to be their teacher and guide, but because he had designated

John 15:2 — truly united to the Lord Jesus. He here refers to such cases as that of Judas, the apostatizing disciples, and all false and merely nominal Christians (Dr. Adam Clarke).He taketh away - The vine-dresser cuts it off. God removes such in various ways: 1.By the discipline of the church. 2.By suffering them to fall into temptation. 3.By persecution and tribulation, by the deceitfulness of riches, and by the cares of the world Matthew 13:21-22; by suffering the man to be placed in such circumstances as