Bible Commentaries

Job 26:5-14 — exist, as Bildad says (Job 25:2), “in high places” (heaven), but reaches to the region of the dead. Rephaim here, and in Proverbs 21:16 and Isaiah 14:9, is from a Hebrew root, meaning “to be weak,” hence “deceased”; in Genesis 14:5 it is applied to the Canaanite giants; perhaps in derision, to express their weakness, in spite of their gigantic size, as compared with Jehovah [Umbreit]; or, as the imagination of the living magnifies apparitions, the term originally was

Job 26:5 — tremble." Not only does God's power exist, as Bildad says (Job 26:13- :), "in high places" (heaven), but reaches to the region of the dead. Rephaim here, and in Proverbs 21:16; Isaiah 14:9, is from a Hebrew root, meaning "to be weak," hence "deceased"; in Genesis 14:5 it is applied to the Canaanite giants; perhaps in derision, to express their weakness, in spite of their gigantic size, as compared with Jehovah [UMBREIT]; or, as the imagination of the living magnifies apparitions, the term originally

Song of Solomon 3:4 — there; she hastens past the guideposts to the goal [MOODY STUART]. Not even angels could satisfy Mary, instead of Jesus Christ ( :-). found him— (Isaiah 45:19; Hosea 6:1-3; Matthew 13:44-46). held him, c.—willing to be held not willing, if not held (Genesis 32:26; Matthew 28:9; Luke 24:28; Luke 24:29; Revelation 3:11). "As a little weeping child will hold its mother fast, not because it is stronger than she, but because her bowels constrain her not to leave it; so Jesus Christ yearning over the believer

Song of Solomon 3:4 — the guideposts to the goal [MOODY STUART]. Not even angels could satisfy Mary, instead of Jesus Christ ( :-). found him— (Isaiah 45:19; Hosea 6:1-3; Matthew 13:44-46). held him, c.—willing to be held not willing, if not held (Genesis 32:26; Matthew 28:9; Luke 24:28; Luke 24:29; Revelation 3:11). "As a little weeping child will hold its mother fast, not because it is stronger than she, but because her bowels constrain her not to leave it; so Jesus Christ yearning over

Song of Solomon 4:1 — 10:30). appear from — literally, “that lie down from”; lying along the hillside, they seem to hang from it: a picture of the bride‘s hanging tresses. Gilead — beyond Jordan: there stood “the heap of witness” (Genesis 31:48).

Song of Solomon 5:14 — cylinders used as signets, such as are found in Nineveh, and which resemble fingers. A ring is the token of sonship (Luke 15:22). A slave was not allowed to wear a gold ring. He imparts His sonship and freedom to us (Galatians 4:7); also of authority (Genesis 41:42; compare John 6:27). He seals us in the name of God with His signet (Revelation 7:2-4), compare below, Song of Solomon 8:6, where she desires to be herself a signet-ring on His arms; so “graven on the palms,” etc., that is, on

Isaiah 19:18-22 — Assyria, and Egypt, once mutual foes, shall be bound together by the tie of a common faith as one people. So a similar issue from other prophecies (Isaiah 18:7; Isaiah 23:18). five cities — that is, several cities, as in Isaiah 17:6; Isaiah 30:17; Genesis 43:34; Leviticus 26:8. Rather, five definite cities of Lower Egypt (Isaiah 19:11, Isaiah 19:13; Isaiah 30:4), which had close intercourse with the neighboring Jewish cities [Maurer]; some say, Heliopolis, Leontopolis (else Diospolis), Migdol,

Ezekiel 9:4 — things else on earth are confounded, God will secure His people from the common ruin. God gives the first charge as to their safety before He orders the punishment of the rest (Psalm 31:20; Isaiah 26:20, Isaiah 26:21). So in the case of Lot and Sodom (Genesis 19:22); also the Egyptian first-born were not slain till Israel had time to sprinkle the blood-mark, ensuring their safety (compare Revelation 7:3; Amos 9:9). So the early Christians had Pella provided as a refuge for them, before the destruction

Hosea 12:3 — He took Esau by the heel in the womb in order to obtain, if possible, the privileges of the first-born (Micah 2:7- :), whence he took his name, Jacob, meaning "supplanter"; and again, by his strength, prevailed in wrestling with God for a blessing (Genesis 32:24-29); whereas ye disregard My promises, putting your confidence in idols and foreign alliances. He conquered God, ye are the slaves of idols. Only have Jehovah on your side, and ye are stronger than Edom, or even Assyria. So the spiritual

Hosea 12:3 — He took Esau by the heel in the womb in order to obtain, if possible, the privileges of the first-born (Micah 2:7- :), whence he took his name, Jacob, meaning "supplanter"; and again, by his strength, prevailed in wrestling with God for a blessing (Genesis 32:24-29); whereas ye disregard My promises, putting your confidence in idols and foreign alliances. He conquered God, ye are the slaves of idols. Only have Jehovah on your side, and ye are stronger than Edom, or even Assyria. So the spiritual

Amos 9:11 — In that day — quoted by James (Acts 15:16, Acts 15:17), “After this,” that is, in the dispensation of Messiah (Genesis 49:10; Hosea 3:4, Hosea 3:5; Joel 2:28; Joel 3:1). tabernacle of David — not “the house of David,” which is used of his affairs when prospering (2 Samuel 3:1), but the tent or booth, expressing the low condition to which

Jonah 3:10 — to be inconsistent with His own immutable character of dealing with men according to their works and state of heart, taking vengeance at last on the hardened impenitent, and delighting to show mercy on the penitent. Compare Abraham's reasoning, Genesis 18:25; Ezekiel 18:21-25; Jeremiah 18:7-10. What was really a change in them and in God's corresponding dealings is, in condescension to human conceptions, represented as a change in God (compare Exodus 32:14), who, in His essential righteousness

Jonah 3:10 — not to be inconsistent with His own immutable character of dealing with men according to their works and state of heart, taking vengeance at last on the hardened impenitent, and delighting to show mercy on the penitent. Compare Abraham's reasoning, Genesis 18:25; Ezekiel 18:21-25; Jeremiah 18:7-10. What was really a change in them and in God's corresponding dealings is, in condescension to human conceptions, represented as a change in God (compare Exodus 32:14), who, in His essential righteousness

Jonah 3:10 — to be inconsistent with His own immutable character of dealing with men according to their works and state of heart, taking vengeance at last on the hardened impenitent, and delighting to show mercy on the penitent. Compare Abraham‘s reasoning, Genesis 18:25; Ezekiel 18:21-25; Jeremiah 18:7-10. What was really a change in them and in God‘s corresponding dealings is, in condescension to human conceptions, represented as a change in God (compare Exodus 32:14), who, in His essential righteousness

Malachi 4:6 — coming would prove “a curse” to the “earth,” not a blessing. It proved so to guilty Jerusalem and the “earth,” that is, the land of Judea when it rejected Messiah at His first advent, though He brought blessings (Genesis 12:3) to those who accepted Him (John 1:11-13). Many were delivered from the common destruction of the nation through John‘s preaching (Romans 9:29; Romans 11:5). It will prove so to the disobedient at His second advent, though He comes

Hebrews 11:3 — we understand — We perceive with our spiritual intelligence the fact of the world‘s creation by God, though we see neither Him nor the act of creation as described in Genesis 1:1-31. The natural world could not, without revelation, teach us this truth, though it confirms the truth when apprehended by faith (Romans 1:20). Adam is passed over in silence here as to his faith, perhaps as being the first who fell and brought

Hebrews 9:28 — exhaust the penalty of death incurred by all. He was offered by the Father, His own “eternal Spirit” (Hebrews 9:14) concurring; as Abraham spared not Isaac, but offered him, the son himself unresistingly submitting to the father‘s will (Genesis 22:1-24). to bear the sins — referring to Isaiah 53:12, “He bare the sins of many,” namely, on Himself; so “bear” means, Leviticus 24:15; Numbers 5:31; Numbers 14:34. The Greek is literally “to bear up”

James 2:23 — scripture was fulfilled — Genesis 15:6, quoted by Paul, as realized in Abraham‘s justification by faith; but by James, as realized subsequently in Abraham‘s work of offering Isaac, which, he says, justified him. Plainly, then, James must mean by works the same thing

Revelation 6:9 — poured at the bottom of the altar, so the souls of those sacrificed for Christ's testimony are symbolically represented as under the altar, in heaven; for the life or animal soul is in the blood, and blood is often represented as crying for vengeance (Genesis 4:10). The altar in heaven, antitypical to the altar of sacrifice, is Christ crucified. As it is the altar that sanctifies the gift, so it is Christ alone who makes our obedience, and even our sacrifice of life for the truth, acceptable to God.

Revelation 6:9 — at the bottom of the altar, so the souls of those sacrificed for Christ's testimony are symbolically represented as under the altar, in heaven; for the life or animal soul is in the blood, and blood is often represented as crying for vengeance (Genesis 4:10). The altar in heaven, antitypical to the altar of sacrifice, is Christ crucified. As it is the altar that sanctifies the gift, so it is Christ alone who makes our obedience, and even our sacrifice of life for the truth, acceptable to