Bible Commentaries

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 was

Psalms 45 overview — clothed in splendid raiment, attended by her virgin companions, and the entrance of the joyous throng into the palace of the king. A prediction of a numerous and distinguished progeny, instead of the complimentary wish for it usually expressed (compare Genesis 24:60; Ruth 4:11; Ruth 4:12), and an assurance of a perpetual fame, closes the Psalm. All ancient Jewish and Christian interpreters regarded this Psalm as an allegory of the purport above named. In the Song of Songs the allegory is carried out

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 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 (John 6:27- :), compare below, Song of Solomon 8:6, where she desires to be herself a signet-ring on His arms; so "graven on the palms," c., that is, on the signet-ring

Isaiah 19:18 — Israel, 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,

Daniel 7 overview — outward man. Daniel sees man spiritually degraded to the beast level, led by blind impulses, through his alienation from God. It is only from above that the perfect Son of man comes, and in His kingdom man attains his true destiny. Compare Psalms 8:1-9; Genesis 1:26-28. Humanity is impossible without divinity: it sinks to bestiality (Psalms 32:9; Psalms 49:20; Psalms 73:22). Obstinate heathen nations are compared to "bulls" (Psalms 73:22- :); Egypt to the dragon in the Nile (Isaiah 27:1; Isaiah 51:9;

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 6:3 — progress is illustrated by the light of "morning" increasing more and more "unto the perfect day" (Proverbs 4:18). prepared—"is sure," literally, "fixed," ordered in His everlasting purposes of love to His covenant-people. Compare "prepared of God" (Genesis 41:32, Margin; Revelation 12:6). Jehovah shall surely come to the relief of His people after their dark night of calamity. as the morning— (Revelation 12:6- :). as the rain . . . latter . . . former— (Job 29:23; Joel 2:23). First, "the rain" generally

Amos 9:11 — 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 his kingdom and family

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

Zechariah 11:7 — nations (Matthew 5:3- :), God's special manifestation to them (Psalms 147:19; Psalms 147:20), the glory of the temple ("the beauty of holiness," Psalms 147:20- :; compare Psalms 27:4; Psalms 90:17; 2 Chronicles 20:21), the "pleasantness" of their land (Genesis 49:15; Daniel 8:9; Daniel 11:16), "the glorious land." Bands—implying the bond of "brotherhood" between Judah and Israel. "Bands," in Psalms 119:61, Margin, is used for confederate companies: The Easterns in making a confederacy often tie a

Zechariah 9:7 — 7. take . . . his blood out of . . . mouth—Blood was forbidden as food (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 7:26). abominations—things sacrificed to idols and then partaken of by the worshippers (Numbers 25:2; Acts 15:29). The sense is, "I will cause the Philistines to cease from the worship of idols." even he shall be for our God—"even

Matthew 22:11 — hath bid His guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel." The custom in the East of presenting festival garments (see Genesis 45:22; 2 Kings 5:22), even though nor clearly proved, Is certainly presupposed here. It undoubtedly means something which they bring not of their own—for how could they have any such dress who were gathered in from the highways indiscriminately?—but

Ephesians 1:3 — in Him (Ephesians 1:13- :). God is "the God" of the man Jesus, and "the Father" of the Divine Word. The Greek is, "Blessed us," not "hath blessed us"; referring to the past original counsel of God. As in creation (Ephesians 1:13- :) so in redemption (Genesis 12:3; Matthew 5:3-11; Matthew 25:34) God "blesses" His children; and that not in mere words, but in acts. us—all Christians. blessings—Greek, "blessing." "All," that is, "every possible blessing for time and eternity, which the Spirit has

Colossians 1:15 — (Colossians 1:15; Colossians 1:16) and the Sustainer (Colossians 1:16- :) of the natural world; so the latter, as the source and stay of the new moral creation. image—exact likeness and perfect Representative. Adam was made "in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27). But Christ, the second Adam, perfectly reflected visibly "the invisible God" (1 Timothy 1:17), whose glories the first Adam only in part represented. "Image" (eicon) involves "likeness" (homoiosis); but "likeness" does not involve "image."

2 Thessalonians 2:8 — the destruction of her foe. As the reign of Israel in Canaan was ushered in by judgments on the nations for apostasy (for the Canaanites were originally worshippers of the true God: thus Melchisedek, king of Salem, was the "priest of the most high God," Genesis 14:18: Ammon and Moab came from righteous Lot), so the Son of David's reign in Zion and over the whole earth, is to be ushered in by judgments on the apostate Christian world. consume . . . and . . . destroy—So Daniel 7:26, "consume and destroy";

1 Timothy 2:5 — Hebrews 4:15). Even in nature, almost all blessings are conveyed to us from God, not immediately, but through the mediation of various agents. The effectual intercession of Moses for Israel (Numbers 14:13-19; Deuteronomy 9:1-29); of Abraham for Abimelech (Genesis 20:7); of Job for his friends (Job 42:10), the mediation being PRESCRIBED by God while declaring His purposes of forgiveness: all prefigure the grand mediation for all by the one Mediator. On the other hand, 1 Timothy 3:16 asserts that He was

Hebrews 11:13 — "greeted them." Jacob's exclamation, "I have waited for Thy salvation, O Lord" (John 8:56- :) is such a greeting of salvation from afar [DELITZSCH]. confessed . . . were strangers—so Abraham to the children of Heth (John 8:56- :); and Jacob to Pharaoh (Genesis 47:9; Psalms 119:19). Worldly men hold fast the world; believers sit loose to it. Citizens of the world do not confess themselves "strangers on the earth." pilgrims—Greek, "temporary (literally, 'by the way') sojourners." on the earth—contrasted with

1 John 3:9 — meaning, not aorist); it is not said, Because a man was once for all born of God he never afterwards can sin; but, Because he is born of God, the seed abiding now in Him, he cannot sin; so long as it energetically abides, sin can have no place. Compare Genesis 39:9, Joseph, "How CAN I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" The principle within me is at utter variance with it. The regenerate life is incompatible with sin, and gives the believer a hatred for sin in every shape, and an unceasing

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.