Bible Commentaries

Genesis 20:2 — effects on the heathen around. Its mischievous tendency was not long in being developed. Abimelech (father-king) . . . sent and took Sarah—to be one of his wives, in the exercise of a privilege claimed by Eastern sovereigns, already explained (see on Genesis 20:1).

Exodus 3:6 — communicated. Moreover, the time, as well as all the circumstances of this miraculous appearance, were such as to give him an illustrious display of God's faithfulness to His promises. The period of Israel's journey and affliction in Egypt had been predicted (Genesis 15:13), and it was during the last year of the term which had still to run that the Lord appeared in the burning bush.

Job 27:19 — 19. gathered—buried honorably (Genesis 25:8; 2 Kings 22:20). But UMBREIT, agreeably to Job 27:18, which describes the short continuance of the sinner's prosperity, "He layeth himself rich in his bed, and nothing is robbed from him, he openeth his eyes, and nothing more is there." If

Ecclesiastes 6:3 — 3. Even if a man (of this character) have very many (equivalent to "a hundred," :-) children, and not have a "stranger" as his heir (Ecclesiastes 6:2), and live long ("days of years" express the brevity of life at its best, Genesis 47:9), yet enjoy no real "good" in life, and lie unhonored, without "burial," at death (2 Kings 9:26; 2 Kings 9:35), the embryo is better than he. In the East to be without burial is the greatest degradation. "Better the fruit that drops from

Song of Solomon 6:5 — 5. (Song of Solomon 4:9; Genesis 32:28; Exodus 32:9-14; Hosea 12:4). This is the way "the army" (Song of Solomon 6:4) "overcomes" not only enemies, but Jesus Christ Himself, with eyes fixed on Him (Psalms 25:15; Matthew 11:12). Historically, Song of Solomon 6:3-5, represent the

Isaiah 45:22 — 22. Look . . . and be ye saved—The second imperative expresses the result which will follow obedience to the first (Genesis 42:18); ye shall be saved (John 3:14; John 3:15). John 3:15- :: "If a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass he lived." What so simple as a look? Not do something, but look to the Saviour (Acts 16:30; Acts 16:31). Believers

Jeremiah 10:9 — for precious metals. Uphaz— ( :-). As the Septuagint in the Syrian Hexapla in the Margin, THEODOTUS, the Syrian and Chaldee versions have "Ophir," GESENIUS thinks "Uphaz" a colloquial corruption (one letter only being changed) for "Ophir." Ophir, in Genesis 10:29, is mentioned among Arabian countries. Perhaps Malacca is the country meant, the natives of which still call their gold mines Ophirs. HEEREN thinks Ophir the general name for the rich countries of the south, on the Arabian, African, and

Jeremiah 44:26 — 26. I have sworn—I, too have made a vow which I will fulfil. Since ye will not hear Me speaking and warning, hear Me swearing. by my great name—that is, by Myself (Genesis 22:16), the greatest by whom God can swear (Hebrews 6:13; Hebrews 6:14). my name shall no more be named—The Jews, heretofore, amidst all their idolatry, had retained the form of appeal to the name of God and the law, the distinctive glory of

Jeremiah 49:7 — probably in Sennacherib's time (compare Isaiah 34:5; Amos 1:11); Jeremiah's about the same time as his preceding prophecies (Jeremiah 49:12; Ezekiel 25:12). wisdom—for which the Arabs and the people of Teman (a city of Edom) in particular, were famed (Genesis 36:15; 1 Kings 4:30; see Job, everywhere; Obadiah 1:8). vanished—literally, "poured out," that is, exhausted (compare Obadiah 1:8- :, Margin) [MAURER]. Or, as the kindred Ethiopic word means, "worn out" [LUDOVICUS DE DIEU].

Ezekiel 21:3 — 3. righteous . . . wicked—not contradictory of Ezekiel 18:4; Ezekiel 18:9; Genesis 18:23. Ezekiel here views the mere outward aspect of the indiscriminate universality of the national calamity. But really the same captivity to the "righteous" would prove a blessing as a wholesome discipline, which to the "wicked" would be an

Daniel 2:49 — 49. Daniel requested—Contrast this honorable remembrance of his humble friends in his elevation with the spirit of the children of the world in the chief butler's case (Genesis 40:23; Ecclesiastes 9:15; Ecclesiastes 9:16; Amos 6:6). in the gate—the place of holding courts of justice and levees in the East (Esther 2:19; Job 29:7). So "the Sublime Porte," or "Gate," denotes the sultan's government, his counsels being

Joel 3:13 — 13. Direction to the ministers of vengeance to execute God's wrath, as the enemy's wickedness is come to its full maturity. God does not cut off the wicked at once, but waits till their guilt is at its full (so as to the Amorites' iniquity, Genesis 15:16), to show forth His own long-suffering, and the justice of their doom who have so long abused it (Matthew 13:27-30; Matthew 13:38; Matthew 13:40; Revelation 14:15-19). For the image of a harvest to be threshed, compare Revelation 14:15-66.14.19-

Amos 9:6 — 104:13. GROTIUS explains it, God's royal throne, expressed in language drawn from Solomon's throne, to which the ascent was by steps (compare 1 Kings 10:18; 1 Kings 10:19). founded his troop—namely, all animate creatures, which are God's troop, or host (Genesis 2:1), doing His will (Psalms 103:20; Psalms 103:21; Joel 2:11). MAURER translates, "His vault," that is, the vaulted sky, which seems to rest on the earth supported by the horizon.

Micah 2:1 — against the second table. A gradation: "devise" is the conception of the evil purpose; "work" ( :-), or "fabricate," the maturing of the scheme; "practise," or "effect," the execution of it. because it is in the power of their hand—for the phrase see Genesis 31:29; Proverbs 3:27. Might, not right, is what regulates their conduct. Where they can, they commit oppression; where they do not, it is because they cannot.

Zechariah 5:11 — 11. To build . . . house in . . . Shinar—Babylonia (Genesis 10:10), the capital of the God-opposed world kingdoms, and so representing in general the seat of irreligion. As the "building of houses" in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:5; Jeremiah 29:28) by the Jews themselves expressed their long exile there, so the building

Deuteronomy 8:1 — made inseparably connected with happiness; and the earnest enforcement of the divine law which Moses was making to the Israelites was in order to secure their being a happy (because a moral and religious) people: a course of prosperity is often called "life" (Genesis 17:18; Proverbs 3:2). live, and multiply—This reference to the future increase of their population proves that they were too few to occupy the land fully at first.

John 15:15 — receives and executes his orders. but . . . friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you—admitted you to free, unrestrained fellowship, keeping back nothing from you which I have received to communicate. (Compare Genesis 18:17; Psalms 25:14; Isaiah 50:4).

Galatians 3:6 — 6. The answer to the question in Galatians 3:5 is here taken for granted, It was by the hearing of faith: following this up, he says, "Even as Abraham believed," c. (Genesis 15:4-6 Romans 4:3). God supplies unto you the Spirit as the result of faith, not works, just as Abraham obtained justification by faith, not by works (Galatians 3:6; Galatians 3:8; Galatians 3:16; Galatians 4:22; Galatians 4:26; Galatians 4:28).

Revelation 16:12 — of kings" returning "from the way of the East" to reign over His ancient people. As to the drying up again of the waters opposing His people's assuming the kingdom, compare Isaiah 10:26; Isaiah 11:11; Isaiah 11:15; Zechariah 10:9-11. The name Israel (Genesis 32:28) implies a prince with God. Compare Genesis 32:28- : as to the return of the kingdom to Jerusalem. DURHAM, several centuries ago, interpreted the drying up of the Euphrates to mean the wasting away of the Turkish power, which has heretofore

Revelation 2:7 — :) and idol-meats (Revelation 2:14; Revelation 2:15), shall eat of meat infinitely superior, namely, the fruit of the tree of life, and the hidden manna (Revelation 2:17). in the midst of the paradise—The oldest manuscripts omit "the midst of." In Genesis 2:9 these words are appropriate, for there were other trees in the garden, but not in the midst of it. Here the tree of life is simply in the paradise, for no other tree is mentioned in it; in Genesis 2:9- : the tree of life is "in the midst of