50 matching verse commentaries
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The Creation. (b. c. 4004.) 1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. In these verses we have the work of creation in its epitome and in its embryo. I. In its epitome, v. 1, where we find,...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter is an appendix to the history of the creation, more particularly explaining and enlarging upon that part of the history which relates immediately to man, the favourite of this lower world. We have in it, I. The institution and sanctification of the sabbath, which was made for man, to further his holiness and comfort (ver. 1-3). II. A...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The story of this chapter is perhaps as sad a story (all things considered) as any we have in all the Bible. In the foregoing chapters we have had the pleasant view of the holiness and happiness of our first parents, the grace and favour of God, and the peace and beauty of the whole creation, all good, very good; but here the scene is altered. We...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have both the world and the church in a family, in a little family, in Adam's family, and a specimen given of the character and state of both in after-ages, nay, in all ages, to the end of time. As all mankind were represented in Adam, so that great distinction of mankind into saints and sinners, godly and wicked, the children...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter is the only authentic history extant of the first age of the world from the creation to the flood, containing (according to the verity of the Hebrew text) 1656 years, as may easily be computed by the ages of the patriarchs, before they begat that son through whom the line went down to Noah. This is one of those which the apostle calls...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The most remarkable thing we have upon record concerning the old world is the destruction of it by the universal deluge, the account of which commences in this chapter, wherein we have, I. The abounding iniquity of that wicked world, ver. 1-5, and ver. 11, 12. II. The righteous God's just resentment of that abounding iniquity, and his holy...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have the performance of what was foretold in the foregoing chapter, both concerning the destruction of the old world and the salvation of Noah; for we may be sure that no word of God shall fall to the ground. There we left Noah busy about his ark, and full of care to get it finished in time, while the rest of his neighbours were...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In the close of the foregoing chapter we left the world in ruins and the church in straits; but in this chapter we have the repair of the one and the enlargement of the other. Now the scene alters, and another face of things begins to be presented to us, and the brighter side of that cloud which there appeared so black and dark; for, though God...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
Both the world and the church were now again reduced to a family, the family of Noah, of the affairs of which this chapter gives us an account, of which we are the more concerned to take cognizance because from this family we are all descendants. Here is, I. The covenant of providence settled with Noah and his sons, ver. 1-11. In this covenant, 1....
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter shows more particularly what was said in general (ch. ix. 19), concerning the three sons of Noah, that "of them was the whole earth overspread;" and the fruit of that blessing (ch. ix. 1, 7), "replenish the earth." Is is the only certain account extant of the origin of nations; and yet perhaps there is no nation but that of the Jews...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The old distinction between the sons of God and the sons of men (professors and profane) survived the flood, and now appeared again, when men began to multiply: according to this distinction we have, in this chapter, I. The dispersion of the sons of men at Babel (ver. 1-9), where we have, 1. Their presumptuous provoking design, which was to build...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The pedigree and family of Abram we had an account of in the foregoing chapter; here the Holy Ghost enters upon his story, and henceforward Abram and his seed are almost the only subject of the sacred history. In this chapter we have, I. God's call of Abram to the land of Canaan, ver. 1-3. II. Abram's obedience to this call, ver. 4, 5. III. His...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have a further account concerning Abram. I. In general, of his condition and behaviour in the land of promise, which was now the land of his pilgrimage. 1. His removes, ver. 1, 3, 4,, 18. 2. His riches, ver. 2. 3. His devotion, ver. 4, 18. II. A particular account of a quarrel that happened between him and Lot. 1. The unhappy...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
We have four things in the story of this chapter. I. A war with the king of Sodom and his allies, ver. 1-11. II. The captivity of Lot in that war, ver. 12. III. Abram's rescue of Lot from that captivity, with the victory he obtained over the conquerors, ver. 13-16. IV. Abram's return from the expedition, (ver. 17), with an account of what passed,...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter we have a solemn treaty between God and Abram concerning a covenant that was to be established between them. In the former chapter we had Abram in the field with kings; here we find him in the mount with God; and, though there he looked great, yet, methinks, here he looks much greater: that honour have the great men of the world,...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
Hagar is the person mostly concerned in the story of this chapter, an obscure Egyptian woman, whose name and story we never should have heard of if Providence had not brought her into the family of Abram. Probably she was one of those maid-servants whom the king of Egypt, among other gifts, bestowed upon Abram, ch. xiv. 16. Concerning her, we have...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
This chapter contains articles of agreement covenanted and concluded upon between the great Jehovah, the Father of mercies, on the one part, and pious Abram, the father of the faithful, on the other part. Abram is therefore called "the friend of God," not only because he was the man of his counsel, but because he was the man of his covenant; both...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
We have an account in this chapter of another interview between God and Abraham, probably within a few days after the former, as the reward of his cheerful obedience to the law of circumcision. Here is, I. The kind visit which God made him, and the kind entertainment which he gave to that visit, ver. 1-8. II. The matters discoursed of between...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
The contents of this chapter we have, 2 Pet. ii. 6-8, where we find that "God, turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, and delivered just Lot." It is the history of Sodom's ruin, and Lot's rescue from that ruin. We read (ch. xviii) of God's coming to take a view of the present state of Sodom, what its...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
We are here returning to the story of Abraham; yet that part of it which is here recorded is not to his honour. The fairest marbles have their flaws, and, while there are spots in the sun, we must not expect any thing spotless under it. The scripture, it should be remarked, is impartial in relating the blemishes even of its most celebrated...