Bible Commentaries

Genesis 1 overview — CHAPTER 1 Genesis 1:1; Genesis 1:2. THE CREATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH.

Genesis 23 overview — CHAPTER 23 Genesis 23:1; Genesis 23:2. AGE AND DEATH OF SARAH.

Genesis 31:31 — let him not live—Conscious of his own innocence and little suspecting the misdeed of his favorite wife, Jacob boldly challenged a search and denounced the heaviest penalty on the culprit. A personal scrutiny was made by Laban, who examined every tent [Genesis 31:33]; and having entered Rachel's last, he would have infallibly discovered the stolen images had not Rachel made an appeal to him which prevented further search [Genesis 31:34; Genesis 31:35].

Genesis 32 overview — CHAPTER 32 Genesis 32:1; Genesis 32:2. VISION OF ANGELS.

Genesis 49:1 — the inspired prophet, that attention is called in this chapter. Under the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit he pronounced his prophetic benediction and described the condition of their respective descendants in the last days, or future times. Genesis 49:3; Genesis 49:4. REUBEN forfeited by his crime the rights and honors of primogeniture. His posterity never made any figure; no judge, prophet, nor ruler, sprang from this tribe. Genesis 49:4- :. SIMEON AND LEVI were associate in wickedness,

1 Chronicles 1:22 — 22. Ebal—or, "Obal" (Genesis 10:28). Genesis 10:28- :. SHEM'S LINE TO ABRAHAM.

Job 5:25 — 25. as the grass— ( :-). Properly, "herb-bearing seed" (Genesis 1:11; Genesis 1:12).

Psalms 105:14 — 14. reproved kings—Pharaoh of Egypt and Abimelech of Gerar (Genesis 12:17; Genesis 20:3).

Psalms 105:22 — 22. To bind—Not literally bind; but exercise over them absolute control, as the parallel in the second clause shows; also Genesis 41:40; Genesis 41:44, in which not literal fettering, but commanding obedience, is spoken of. It refers to Psalms 105:18. The soul that was once bound itself now binds others, even princes. The same moral binding is assigned to the saints (Psalms

Psalms 74:22 — 22, 23. (Compare Psalms 3:7; Psalms 7:6). God hears the wicked to their own ruin (Genesis 4:10; Genesis 18:20).

Proverbs 5:14 — 14. evil—for affliction, as in Genesis 19:20; Genesis 49:15.

Ecclesiastes 7:26 — 26. "I find" that, of all my sinful follies, none has been so ruinous a snare in seducing me from God as idolatrous women (1 Kings 11:3; 1 Kings 11:4; Proverbs 5:3; Proverbs 5:4; Proverbs 22:14). As "God's favor is better than life," she who seduces from God is "more bitter than death." whoso pleaseth God—as Joseph (Genesis 39:2; Genesis 39:3; Genesis 39:9). It is God's grace alone that keeps any from falling.

Isaiah 41:1 — 1. ( :-). God is about to argue the case; therefore let the nations listen in reverential silence. Compare Genesis 28:16; Genesis 28:17, as to the spirit in which we ought to behave before God. before me—rather (turning), "towards me" [MAURER]. islands—including all regions beyond sea (Genesis 28:17- :), maritime regions, not merely isles in the strict

Ezekiel 16:11 — 11. The marriage gifts to Rebekah (Genesis 24:22; Genesis 24:47).

Ezekiel 2:2 — 2. spirit entered . . . when he spake—The divine word is ever accompanied by the Spirit (Genesis 1:2; Genesis 1:3). set . . . upon . . . feet—He had been "upon his face" (Genesis 1:3- :). Humiliation on our part is followed by exaltation on God's part (Ezekiel 3:23; Ezekiel 3:24; Job 22:29; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). "On the feet" was the fitting attitude when he was called on to walk and work for God (Ephesians 5:8; Ephesians 6:15). that I heard—rather, "then I heard."

Ezekiel 21:21 — and the bow in the left, probably practising divination. images—Hebrew, "teraphim"; household gods, worshipped as family talismans, to obtain direction as to the future and other blessings. First mentioned in Mesopotamia, whence Rachel brought them (Genesis 31:19; Genesis 31:34); put away by Jacob (Genesis 31:34- :); set up by Micah as his household gods (Genesis 31:34- :); stigmatized as idolatry (Genesis 31:34- :, Hebrew; Zechariah 10:2, Margin). liver—They judged of the success, or failure,

Amos 6:10 — 10. a man's uncle—The nearest relatives had the duty of burying the dead (Genesis 25:9; Genesis 35:29; Judges 16:31). No nearer relative was left of this man than an uncle. and he that burneth him—the uncle, who is also at the same time the one that burneth him (one of the "ten," Judges 16:31- :). Burial was the usual Hebrew

Matthew 2:1 — 1. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea—so called to distinguish it from another Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulun, near the Sea of Galilee ( :-); called also Beth-lehem-judah, as being in that tribe (Judges 17:7); and Ephrath (Genesis 35:16); and combining both, Beth-lehem Ephratah (Genesis 35:16- :). It lay about six miles southwest of Jerusalem. But how came Joseph and Mary to remove thither from Nazareth, the place of their residence? Not of their own accord, and certainly

Hebrews 12:16 — whosoever of them, like Esau, were only sons of Isaac according to the flesh [BENGEL]. for one morsel—The smallness of the inducement only aggravates the guilt of casting away eternity for such a trifle, so far is it from being a claim for mercy (compare Genesis 3:6). One single act has often the greatest power either for good or for evil. So in the cases of Reuben and Saul, for evil (Genesis 49:4; 1 Chronicles 5:1; 1 Samuel 13:12-14); and, on the other hand, for good, Abraham and Phinehas (Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis

Revelation 16:3 — 3. angel—So B and ANDREAS. But A, C, and Vulgate omit it. upon—Greek, "into." became as . . . blood—answering to another Egyptian plague. of a dead man—putrefying. living soul—So B and ANDREAS. But A, C, and Syriac, "soul of life" (compare Genesis 1:30; Genesis 7:21; Genesis 7:22). in the sea—So B and ANDREAS. But A, C, and Syriac read, "(as respects) the things in the sea."