Bible Commentaries

Genesis 1:9 — Genesis 1:9-13. Third Day. let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place — The world was to be rendered a terraqueous globe, and this was effected by a volcanic convulsion on its surface, the upheaving of some parts, the

Genesis 15:1 — Genesis 15:1-21. Divine encouragement. After these things — the conquest of the invading kings. the word of the Lord — a phrase used, when connected with a vision, to denote a prophetic message. Fear not, Abram — When the excitement

Genesis 3:14 — Genesis 3:14-24. The sentence. And the Lord God said unto the serpent — The Judge pronounces a doom: first, on the material serpent, which is cursed above all creatures. From being a model of grace and elegance in form, it has become the type

Genesis 31:3 — land of thy fathers — Notwithstanding the ill usage he had received, Jacob might not have deemed himself at liberty to quit his present sphere, under the impulse of passionate fretfulness and discontent. Having been conducted to Haran by God (Genesis 28:15) and having got a promise that the same heavenly Guardian would bring him again into the land of Canaan, he might have thought he ought not to leave it, without being clearly persuaded as to the path of duty. So ought we to set the Lord

Job 10:22 — The ideas of order and light, disorder and darkness, harmonize (Genesis 1:2). Three Hebrew words are used for darkness; in Job 10:21 (1) the common word “darkness”; here (2) “a land of gloom” (from a Hebrew root, “to cover up”); (3) as “thick darkness” or blackness (from

Job 27:19 — 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

Job 33:4 — The Spirit of God hath made me — as He did thee: latter clause of Job 33:6 (Genesis 2:7). Therefore thou needest not fear me, as thou wouldest God (Job 33:7; Job 9:34). On the other hand, “the breath of the Almighty hath inspired me” (as Job 32:8); not as English Version, “given me life”; therefore “I

Ecclesiastes 1:2 — The theme proposed of the first part of his discourse. Vanity of vanities — Hebraism for the most utter vanity. So “holy of holies” (Exodus 26:33); “servant of servants” (Genesis 9:25). The repetition increases the force. all — Hebrew, “the all”; all without exception, namely, earthly things. vanity — not in themselves, for God maketh nothing in vain (1 Timothy 4:4, 1 Timothy 4:5),

Ecclesiastes 6:3 — character) have very many (equivalent to “a hundred,” 2 Kings 10:1) 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.

Ecclesiastes 7:29 — accounting for the scarcity of even comparatively upright men and women is that, whereas God made man upright, they (men) have, etc. The only account to be “found” of the origin of evil, the great mystery of theology, is that given in Holy Writ (Genesis 2:1-3:24). Among man‘s “inventions” was the one especially referred to in Ecclesiastes 7:26, the bitter fruits of which Solomon experienced, the breaking of God‘s primeval marriage law, joining one man to “one”

Song of Solomon 6:5 — (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 (Psalm 25:15; Matthew 11:12). Historically, Song of Solomon

Song of Solomon 7:13 — mandrakes — Hebrew, {(dudaim}, from a root meaning “to love”; love apples, supposed to exhilarate the spirits and excite love. Only here and Genesis 30:14-16. Atropa mandragora of Linnaeus; its leaves like lettuce, but dark green, flowers purple, root forked, fruit of the size of an apple, ruddy and sweet-smelling, gathered in wheat harvest, that is, in May (Mariti, ii. 195). gates —

Isaiah 45:7 — create — {(yatzar}, to give “form” to previously existing matter. {(Bara}, to “create” from nothing the chaotic dark material. light  …  darkness — literally (Genesis 1:1-3), emblematical also, prosperity to Cyrus, calamity to Babylon and the nations to be vanquished [Grotius]  …  Isaiah refers also to the Oriental belief in two coexistent, eternal principles, ever struggling with each other,

Numbers 13:33 — son of Arba, a great man among the Arabians (Joshua 15:14), who probably obtained his appellation from wearing a splendid collar or chain round his neck, as the word imports. The epithet “giant” evidently refers here to stature. (See on Genesis 6:4). And it is probable the Anakims were a distinguished family, or perhaps a select body of warriors, chosen for their extraordinary size. we were in our own sight as grasshoppers — a strong Orientalism, by which the treacherous spies

Deuteronomy 8:1 — 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.

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 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 — 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

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