Bible Commentaries

Genesis 35:4 — 4. they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods . . . and earrings—Strange gods, the "seraphim" (compare Genesis 31:30), as well, perhaps, as other idols acquired among the Shechemite spoil—earrings of various forms, sizes, and materials, which are universally worn in the East, and, then as now, connected with incantation and idolatry (compare Hosea 2:13).

Genesis 4:7 — thy birthright." This language implies that previous instructions had been given as to the mode of worship; Abel offered through faith (Hebrews 9:28- :). unto thee shall be his desire—The high distinction conferred by priority of birth is described (Genesis 27:29); and it was Cain's conviction, that this honor had been withdrawn from him, by the rejection of his sacrifice, and conferred on his younger brother—hence the secret flame of jealousy, which kindled into a settled hatred and fell revenge.

Job 1:5 — gone about—that is, at the end of all the birthdays collectively, when the banquets had gone round through all the families. Job . . . sanctified—by offering up as many expiatory burnt offerings as he had sons ( :-). This was done "in the morning" (Genesis 22:3; Leviticus 6:12). Jesus also began devotions early (Mark 1:35). The holocaust, or burnt offering, in patriarchal times, was offered (literally, "caused to ascend," referring to the smoke ascending to heaven) by each father of a family officiating

Job 29:18 — dying before me, as now, I shall live so long as to die with them: proverbial for long life. Job did realize his hope ( :-). However, in the bosom of my family, gives a good sense (Numbers 24:21; Obadiah 1:4). Use "nest" for a secure dwelling. sand— (Genesis 22:17; Habakkuk 1:9). But the Septuagint and Vulgate, and Jewish interpreters, favor the translation, "the phoelignix bird." "Nest" in the parallel clause supports the reference to a bird. "Sand" for multitude, applies to men, rather than to years.

Isaiah 21:11 — 11. Dumah—a tribe and region of Ishmael in Arabia (Genesis 25:14; 1 Chronicles 1:30); now called Dumah the Stony, situated on the confines of Arabia and the Syrian desert; a part put for the whole of Edom. VITRINGA thinks "Dumah," Hebrew, "silence," is here used for Idumea, to imply that it was soon to

Jeremiah 1:10 — nations, and to predict their destruction, or restoration, according as their conduct was bad or good. Prophets are said to do that which they foretell shall be done; for their word is God's word; and His word is His instrument whereby He doeth all things (Genesis 1:3; Psalms 33:6; Psalms 33:9). Word and deed are one thing with Him. What His prophet saith is as certain as if it were done. The prophet's own consciousness was absorbed into that of God; so closely united to God did he feel himself, that Jehovah's

Jeremiah 23:6 — 60:1-22; Isaiah 65:17-25; Zechariah 14:11). shall be called, the Lord—that is, shall be (Zechariah 14:11- :) "Jehovah," God's incommunicable name. Though when applied to created things, it expresses only some peculiar connection they have with Jehovah (Genesis 22:14; Exodus 17:15), yet when applied to Messiah it must express His Godhead manifested in justifying power towards us (1 Timothy 3:16). our—marks His manhood, which is also implied in His being a Branch raised unto David, whence His human title,

Ezekiel 18:2 — the modern Jews attribute their present dispersion, not to their own sins, but to those of their forefathers. It is a universal mark of corrupt nature to lay the blame, which belongs to ourselves, on others and to arraign the justice of God. Compare Genesis 3:12, where Adam transfers the blame of his sin to Eve, and even to God, "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat."

Daniel 2:41 — as the blending of barbarous nations with Rome by intermarriages and alliances, in which there was no stable amalgamation, though the ten kingdoms retained much of Rome's strength. The "mingling with the seed of men" (Daniel 2:44) seems to refer to Genesis 6:2, where the marriages of the seed of godly Seth with the daughters of ungodly Cain are described in similar words. The reference, therefore, seems to be to the blending of the Christianized Roman empire with the pagan nations, a deterioration

Micah 5:5 — 5. this man—in Hebrew simply "This." The One just mentioned; He and He alone. Emphatical for Messiah (compare :-). the peace—the fountainhead of peace between God and man, between Israel and Israel's justly offended God (Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 9:6; Ephesians 2:14; Ephesians 2:17; Colossians 1:20), and, as the consequence, the fountain of "peace on earth," where heretofore all is strife (Micah 4:3; Hosea 2:18; Zechariah 9:10; Luke 2:14). the Assyrian—Being Israel's most

Romans 8:4 — law, meaning here, we believe, the practical obedience which the law calls for. might be fulfilled in us—or, as we say, "realized in us." who walk—the most ancient expression of the bent of one's life, whether in the direction of good or of evil (Genesis 48:15; Psalms 1:1; Isaiah 2:5; Micah 4:5; Ephesians 4:17; 1 John 1:6; 1 John 1:7). not after—that is, according to the dictates of the flesh, but after the spirit—From Romans 8:9 it would seem that what is more immediately intended by "the spirit"

1 Corinthians 11:26 — 11:24; 1 Corinthians 11:25), implies not literal presence, but a vivid realization, by faith, of Christ in the Lord's Supper, as a living person, not a mere abstract dogma, "bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh" (1 Corinthians 11:25- :; compare Genesis 2:23); and ourselves "members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones," "our sinful bodies made clean by His body (once for all offered), and our souls washed through His most precious blood" [Church of England Prayer Book]. "Show," or "announce,"

Ephesians 1:18 — unbelieving, the heart being in fault (Ephesians 4:18; Matthew 13:15). Translate, "Having the eyes of your heart enlightened" (Ephesians 5:14; Matthew 4:16). The first effect of the Spirit moving in the new creation, as in the original physical creation (Genesis 1:3; 2 Corinthians 4:6). So THEOPHILUS to AUTOLYCUS (1.3), "the ears of the heart." Where spiritual light is, there is life (John 1:4). The heart is "the core of life" [HARLESS], and the fountain of the thoughts; whence "the heart" in Scripture

Ephesians 5:22 — yourselves"; supplying it from Ephesians 5:21, "Ye wives (submitting yourselves) unto your own husbands." "Your own" is an argument for submissiveness on the part of the wives; it is not a stranger, but your own husbands whom you are called on to submit unto (compare Genesis 3:16; 1 Corinthians 7:2; 1 Corinthians 14:34; Colossians 3:18; Titus 2:5; 1 Peter 3:1-7). Those subject ought to submit themselves, of whatever kind their superiors are. "Submit" is the term used of wives: "obey," of children (Ephesians 6:1),

Joshua 1:1 — would be continued to the new leader, though God might not perhaps speak to him "mouth to mouth" (Numbers 27:21- :). Joshua—The original name, Oshea, (Numbers 13:8), which had been, according to Eastern usage, changed like those of Abram and Sarai (Genesis 17:5-15) into Jehoshua or Joshua (that is, "God's salvation") was significant of the services he was to render, and typified those of a greater Saviour (Hebrews 4:8). Moses' minister—that is, his official attendant, who, from being constantly

James 5:9 — is virtually to judge, and so to become liable to be judged. judge . . . before the door—referring to Matthew 24:33. The Greek is the same in both passages, and so ought to be translated here as there, "doors," plural. The phrase means "near at hand" (Genesis 4:7), which in the oldest interpretations [Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem] is explained, "thy sin is reserved unto the judgment of the world to come." Compare "the everlasting doors" (Psalms 24:7, whence He shall come forth). The Lord's coming

Revelation 1:8 — in Christ comprises all that goes between, as well as the first and last. the beginning and the ending—omitted in the oldest manuscripts, though found in Vulgate and Coptic. Transcribers probably inserted the clause from Revelation 21:6. In Christ, Genesis, the Alpha of the Old Testament, and Revelation, the Omega of the New Testament, meet together: the last book presenting to us man and God reconciled in Paradise, as the first book presented man at the beginning innocent and in God's favor in

Revelation 13:11 — is in Revelation 11:7; Revelation 17:8, said to ascend out of the bottomless pit: its very culture and world wisdom only intensify its infernal character, the pretense to superior knowledge and rationalistic philosophy (as in the primeval temptation, Genesis 3:5; Genesis 3:7, "their EYES [as here] were opened") veiling the deification of nature, self, and man. Hence spring Idealism, Materialism, Deism, Pantheism, Atheism. Antichrist shall be the culmination. The Papacy's claim to the double power,

Revelation 7:3 — winds. till we have sealed the servants of our God—parallel to :-, "His angels . . . shall gather together His elect from the four winds." God's love is such, that He cannot do anything in the way of judgment, till His people are secured from hurt (Genesis 19:22). Israel, at the eve of the Lord's coming, shall be found re-embodied as a nation; for its tribes are distinctly specified (Joseph, however, being substituted for Dan; whether because Antichrist is to come from Dan, or because Dan is to

2 Samuel 14:22 — character of an Oriental despot rather than a constitutional king of Israel. The feelings of the father triumphed over the duty of the king, who, as the supreme magistrate, was bound to execute impartial justice on every murderer, by the express law of God (Genesis 9:6; Numbers 35:30; Numbers 35:31), which he had no power to dispense with (Deuteronomy 18:18; Joshua 1:8; 1 Samuel 10:25).