Bible Commentaries

Genesis 1:6 — Genesis 1:6-8. Second day. firmament — an expanse - a beating out as a plate of metal: a name given to the atmosphere from its appearing to an observer to be the vault of heaven, supporting the weight of the watery clouds. By the creation of

Genesis 13:7 — afraid of doing anything that might tend to injure its character or bring discredit on its name, and he rightly judged that such unhappy effects would be produced if two persons whom nature and grace had so closely connected should come to a rupture [Genesis 13:8 ]. Waiving his right to dictate, he gave the freedom of choice to Lot. The conduct of Abraham was not only disinterested and peaceable, but generous and condescending in an extraordinary degree, exemplifying the Scripture precepts (Matthew

Genesis 26:34 — took to wife — If the pious feelings of Abraham recoiled from the idea of Isaac forming a matrimonial connection with a Canaanitish woman [Genesis 24:3 ], that devout patriarch himself would be equally opposed to such a union on the part of his children; and we may easily imagine how much his pious heart was wounded, and the family peace destroyed, when his favorite but wayward son brought

Genesis 3:2 — declared there was no doubt, either of the prohibition or the penalty. But there is reason to think that she had already received an injurious impression; for in using the words “lest ye die,” instead of “ye shall surely die” [Genesis 2:17 ], she spoke as if the tree had been forbidden because of some poisonous quality of its fruit. The tempter, perceiving this, became bolder in his assertions.

Genesis 33:12 — Genesis 33:12-20. The parting. And he said, Let us take our journey — Esau proposed to accompany Jacob and his family through the country, both as a mark of friendship and as an escort to guard them. But the proposal was prudently declined. Jacob

Genesis 34:5 — the father, but the full brothers, on whom the protection of the daughters devolves - they are the guardians of a sister‘s welfare and the avengers of her wrongs. It was for this reason that Simeon and Levi, the two brothers of Dinah by Leah [Genesis 34:25 ], appear the chief actors in this episode; and though the two fathers would have probably brought about an amicable arrangement of the affair, the hasty arrival of these enraged brothers introduced a new element into the negotiations.

Genesis 37:4 — could not speak peaceably unto him — did not say “peace be to thee” [Genesis 43:23, etc.], the usual expression of good wishes among friends and acquaintances. It is deemed a sacred duty to give all this form of salutation; and the withholding of it is an unmistakable sign of dislike or secret hostility. The habitual refusal

Genesis 40:9-11 — Genesis 40:9-15. The butler‘s dream. In my dream, behold, a vine was before me — The visionary scene described seems to represent the king as taking exercise and attended by his butler, who gave him a cooling draught. On all occasions,

Genesis 43:2 — Go again, buy us a little food — It was no easy matter to bring Jacob to agree to the only conditions on which his sons could return to Egypt (Genesis 42:15). The necessity of immediately procuring fresh supplies for the maintenance of themselves and their families overcame every other consideration and extorted his consent to Benjamin joining in a journey, which his sons entered on with mingled

Genesis 43:31 — Genesis 43:31-34. The dinner. Joseph said, Set on bread — equivalent to having dinner served, “bread” being a term inclusive of all victuals. The table was a small stool, most probably the usual round form, “since persons might

1 Chronicles 1:37 — modern tribes of Arabia. But it is unnecessary to mention any more of these obscure nomads, except to notice that Jobab (1 Chronicles 1:44), one of the kings of Edom, is considered to be Job, and that his seat was in the royal city of Dinahab (Genesis 36:32; 1 Chronicles 1:43), identified with O‘Daeb, a well-known town in the center of Al Dahna, a great northern desert in the direction of Chaldea and the Euphrates [Forster].

Job 1:7 — to and fro.” The original idea in Arabic is the heat of haste (Matthew 12:43; 1 Peter 5:8). Satan seems to have had some peculiar connection with this earth. Perhaps he was formerly its ruler under God. Man succeeded to the vice royalty (Genesis 1:26; Psalm 8:6). Man then lost it and Satan became prince of this world. The Son of man (Psalm 8:4) - the representative man, regains the forfeited inheritance (Revelation 11:15). Satan‘s replies are characteristically curt and short. When

Isaiah 10:28-32 — Onward gradual march of Sennacherib‘s army towards Jerusalem, and the panic of the inhabitants vividly pictured before the eyes. come to — come upon as a sudden invader (Genesis 34:27). Aiath — same as Ai (Joshua 7:2; Nehemiah 7:32). In the north of Benjamin; so the other towns also; all on the line of march to Jerusalem. Michmash — nine miles northeast of Jerusalem. laid up  …  carriages

Matthew 1:1 — 1. The book of the generation—an expression purely Jewish; meaning, "table of the genealogy." In Genesis 5:1 the same expression occurs in this sense. We have here, then, the title, not of this whole Gospel of Matthew, but only of the first seventeen verses. of Jesus Christ—For the meaning of these glorious words, see on Genesis 5:1- :; Matthew

1 Corinthians 11:5 — her: in putting away the veil, she puts away the badge of her subjection to man, which is her true "honor"; for through him it connects her with Christ, the head of the man. Moreover, as the head-covering was the emblem of maiden modesty before man (Genesis 24:65), and conjugal chastity (Genesis 20:16); so, to uncover the head indicated withdrawal from the power of the husband, whence a suspected wife had her head uncovered by the priest (Numbers 5:18). ALFORD takes "her head" to be man, her symbolical,

1 Corinthians 11:5 — in putting away the veil, she puts away the badge of her subjection to man, which is her true "honor"; for through him it connects her with Christ, the head of the man. Moreover, as the head-covering was the emblem of maiden modesty before man (Genesis 24:65), and conjugal chastity (Genesis 20:16); so, to uncover the head indicated withdrawal from the power of the husband, whence a suspected wife had her head uncovered by the priest (Numbers 5:18). ALFORD takes "her head" to be man, her

Hebrews 11:3 — 3. we understand—We perceive with our spiritual intelligence the fact of the world's creation by God, though we see neither Him nor the act of creation as described in Genesis 1:1-31. The natural world could not, without revelation, teach us this truth, though it confirms the truth when apprehended by faith (Genesis 1:1-1.1.31- :). Adam is passed over in silence here as to his faith, perhaps as being the first who

Hebrews 11:3 — 3. we understand—We perceive with our spiritual intelligence the fact of the world's creation by God, though we see neither Him nor the act of creation as described in Genesis 1:1-31. The natural world could not, without revelation, teach us this truth, though it confirms the truth when apprehended by faith (Genesis 1:1-1.1.31- :). Adam is passed over in silence here as to his faith, perhaps as being the first who fell

Hebrews 11:40 — 40. provided—with divine forethought from eternity (compare Genesis 22:8; Genesis 22:14). some better thing for us— (Hebrews 7:19); than they had here. They had not in this world, "apart from us" (so the Greek is for "without us," that is, they had to wait for us for), the clear revelation of the

Hebrews 11:40 — 40. provided—with divine forethought from eternity (compare Genesis 22:8; Genesis 22:14). some better thing for us— (Hebrews 7:19); than they had here. They had not in this world, "apart from us" (so the Greek is for "without us," that is, they had to wait for us for), the clear revelation of the promised salvation