Recent Commentaries

The rest of the chapter contains Ezra’s prayer. It is in its entirety one of confession of sin, with no petition or request of any kind. Although Ezra was not personally guilty of these sins, he identifies himself with his people in his prayer. He acknowledged that all the horrib …

David may have written this psalm after the purchase of the threshing floor of Araunah (II Sam. 24) and the erection of the alter there to the Lord. Prosperity had caused David to become self-confident and proud. As a result of this God sent a great plague upon Israel which killed 70,000 …

God is a God of holiness and those that disobey His law have judgment resting upon them. This section on curses is much more extensive than the blessings section. As a disobedient nation Israel would not only miss the rewards of obedience, but suffer pestilence (v. 16, 25), famin …

Governor Tattenai, Shethar Bozenai, and their advisors sent a report to King Darius wishing him the best (vv. 6-7). They tell how they went to Judah, where the temple of the great God is being built with huge stones and wooden beams set in the walls (v. 8). Everyone is working ha …

Psalm 120 is the first of a series of fifteen “Pilgrim Psalms” which were sung by those journeying to the Jewish Temple for the annual feasts (Passover, Pentecost, etc.). Each of these psalms is a “step” along the journey. Psalm 120 is not a happy song, beginning with distress and ending with …

III. THE PEACE (WEAVE OR HEAVE) OFFERING – Chapter 3The “peace (fellowship) offering” is the third sacrifice of worship. It represented the personal fellowship between God and each Israelite person that resulted from the relationship that God had established with the re …

This is a bloody account, an account of treachery, of jealously. Ishmael was of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king. Perhaps that accounts for his jealousy of the man who, though of humble origin, had been appointed governor of the land. So in a scene of appar …

Paul had not been hindered in going to Rome because of Satanic opposition or physical obstacles, but by the challenge of completing his work right where he was. He was the type of person who finished one job before he started another one. Paul had a desire for many years to go to Spain (v.

The cords that bound Samson were snapped and he grabbed a fresh jawbone of a donkey and made a wholesale slaughter of the Philistines (vv. 14-17). A fresh jawbone of a donkey would be heavier and less brittle and thus a more effective weapon than a jawbone that was old and dry. This great …

There are many ways to get money quickly. You might steal money. You might cheat other people. You might make an evil plan. These methods are all evil. If you do these things, then you will suffer punishments and troubles (v. 21). You should earn money from your work. This is …