Bible Commentaries

Genesis 11:31 — 31. Sarai his daughter-in-law—the same as Iscah [Genesis 11:29], granddaughter of Terah, probably by a second wife, and by early usages considered marriageable to her uncle, Abraham. they came unto Haran—two days' journey south-southeast from Ur, on the direct road to the ford of the Euphrates at Rakka, the nearest and most convenient route to Palestine.

Genesis 37:23 — 23. they stripped Joseph out of his coat . . . of many colors—Imagine him advancing in all the unsuspecting openness of brotherly affection. How astonished and terrified must he have been at the cold reception, the ferocious aspect, the rough usage of his unnatural assailants! A vivid picture of his state of agony and despair was afterwards drawn by themselves (compare Genesis 42:21).

Genesis 4:4 — 4. the Lord had respect unto Abel, not unto Cain, c.—The words, "had respect to," signify in Hebrew,—"to look at any thing with a keen earnest glance," which has been translated, "kindle into a fire," so that the divine approval of Abel's offering was shown in its being consumed by fire (see Genesis 15:17 Judges 13:20).

Genesis 47:4 — 4. For to sojourn . . . are we come—The royal conversation took the course which Joseph had anticipated (Genesis 46:33), and they answered according to previous instructions—manifesting, however, in their determination to return to Canaan, a faith and piety which affords a hopeful symptom of their having become all, or most of them, religious men.

Genesis 6:17 — 17-22. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood—The repetition of the announcement was to establish its certainty (Genesis 41:32). Whatever opinion may be entertained as to the operation of natural laws and agencies in the deluge, it was brought on the world by God as a punishment for the enormous wickedness of its inhabitants.

Genesis 6:19 — 17-22. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood—The repetition of the announcement was to establish its certainty (Genesis 41:32). Whatever opinion may be entertained as to the operation of natural laws and agencies in the deluge, it was brought on the world by God as a punishment for the enormous wickedness of its inhabitants.

Genesis 9:1 — 1. And God blessed Noah—Here is republished the law of nature that was announced to Adam, consisting as it originally did of several parts. Be fruitful, &c.—The first part relates to the transmission of life, the original blessing being reannounced in the very same words in which it had been promised at first [Genesis 1:28].

Job 29:4 — 4. youth—literally, "autumn"; the time of the ripe fruits of my prosperity. Applied to youth, as the Orientalists began their year with autumn, the most temperate season in the East. secret—when the intimate friendship of God rested on my tent (Proverbs 3:32; Psalms 31:20; Genesis 18:17; John 15:15). The Hebrew often means a divan for deliberation.

Psalms 105:10 — 10, 11. Alluding to God's promise to Jacob (Genesis 28:13). Out of the whole storehouse of the promises of God, only one is prominently brought forward, namely, that concerning the possession of Canaan [Psalms 105:11]. Everything revolves around this. The wonders and judgments have all for their ultimate design the fulfilment of this promise.

Psalms 105:16 — 16. God ordered the famine. God called for a famine—as if it were a servant, ready to come at God's bidding. Compare the centurion's words, as to disease being God's servant (Matthew 8:8; Matthew 8:9). upon the land—namely, Canaan (Genesis 41:54). staff of bread—what supports life (Leviticus 26:26; Psalms 104:15; Isaiah 3:1).

Psalms 23:1 — 1. Christ's relation to His people is often represented by the figure of a shepherd (John 10:14; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; 1 Peter 5:4), and therefore the opinion that He is the Lord here so described, and in Genesis 48:15; Psalms 80:1; Isaiah 40:11, is not without some good reason.

Psalms 84:2 — 2. longeth—most intensely (Genesis 31:30; Psalms 17:12). fainteth—exhausted with desire. courts—as tabernacles (Psalms 84:1) —the whole building. crieth out—literally, "sings for joy"; but here, and Psalms 84:1- :, expresses an act of sorrow as the corresponding noun (Psalms 17:1; Psalms 61:2). heart and . . . flesh—as in Psalms 63:1.

Isaiah 7:16 — HORSLEY takes it, "The land (Judah and Samaria) of (the former of) which thou art the plague (literally, 'thorn') shall be forsaken," c. a prediction thus, that Judah and Israel (appropriately regarded as one "land") should cease to be kingdoms (Luke 2:1; Genesis 49:10) before Immanuel came. Genesis 49:10- :. FATAL CONSEQUENCES OF AHAZ' ASSYRIAN POLICY. Though temporary deliverance (Isaiah 7:16; Isaiah 8:4) was to be given then, and final deliverance through Messiah, sore punishment shall follow the

Jeremiah 32:17 — 17. hast made . . . heaven—Jeremiah extols God's creative power, as a ground of humility on his part as man: It is not my part to call Thee, the mighty God, to account for Thy ways (compare Jeremiah 12:1). too hard—In Jeremiah 12:1- : God's reply exactly accords with Jeremiah's prayer (Genesis 18:14; Zechariah 8:6; Luke 1:37).

Lamentations 4:9 — 9. The speedy death by the sword is better than the lingering death by famine. pine away—literally, "flow out"; referring to the flow of blood. This expression, and "stricken through," are drawn from death by "the sword." want of . . . fruits—The words in italics have to be supplied in the original (Genesis 18:28; Psalms 109:24). Jod.

Zechariah 10:12 — 12. I . . . strengthen them in . . . Lord— (Hosea 1:7). I, the Father, will strengthen them in the name, that is, the manifested power, of the Lord, Messiah, the Son of God. walk . . . in his name—that is, live everywhere and continually under His protection, and according to His will (Genesis 5:22; Psalms 20:1; Psalms 20:7; Micah 4:5).

Romans 16:20 — the whole "purpose for which the Son of God was manifested, to destroy the works of the devil" (Psalms 91:13- :); and indeed this assurance is but a reproduction of the first great promise, that the Seed of the woman should bruise the Serpent's head (Genesis 3:15). The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen—The "Amen" here has no manuscript authority. What comes after this, where one would have expected the epistle to close, has its parallel in Genesis 3:15- :, &c., and being in fact

1 Timothy 2:14 — 14. Adam was not deceived—as Eve was deceived by the serpent; but was persuaded by his wife. Genesis 3:17, "hearkened unto . . . voice of . . . wife." But in Genesis 3:17- :, Eve says, "The serpent beguiled me." Being more easily deceived, she more easily deceives [BENGEL], (2 Corinthians 11:3). Last in being, she was first in sin—indeed, she

Revelation 22:2 — 2. The harmonious unity of Scripture is herein exhibited. The Fathers compared it to a ring, an unbroken circle, returning into itself. Between the events of Genesis and those at the close of the Apocalypse, at least six thousand or seven thousand years intervene; and between Moses the first writer and John the last about one thousand five hundred years. How striking it is that, as in the beginning we found

2 Samuel 8:3 — hereditary title of "Hadadezer" or "Hadarezer" ("Hadad," that is, "helped"). as he went to recover his border at the river Euphrates—in accordance with the promises God made to Israel that He would give them all the country as far as the Euphrates (Genesis 15:18; Numbers 24:17). In the first campaign David signally defeated Hadadezer. Besides a great number of foot prisoners, he took from him an immense amount of booty in chariots and horses. Reserving only a small number of the latter, he hamstrung