Bible Commentaries
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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Abijam's Reign. (b. c. 958.)
ABIJAM'S REIGN. (B. C. 958.) We have here a short account of the short reign of Abijam the son of Rehoboam king of Judah. He makes a better figure, 2 Chronicles 13:1-22, where we have an account of his war with Jeroboam…
Asa's Reign. (b. c. 914.)
ASA'S REIGN. (B. C. 914.) We have here a short account of the reign of Asa; we shall find a more copious history of it 2 Chronicles 14:1 Here is, I. The length of it: He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem, 1 Kings 15:…
The Reign of Nadab and Baasha. (b. c. 954.)
THE REIGN OF NADAB AND BAASHA. (B. C. 954.) We are now to take a view of the miserable state of Israel, while the kingdom of Judah was happy under Asa's good government. It was threatened that they should be as a reed s…
Ruin of Baasha's Family Foretold. (b. c. 931.)
RUIN OF BAASHA'S FAMILY FORETOLD. (B. C. 931.) Here is, I. The ruin of the family of Baasha foretold. He was a man likely enough to have raised and established his family—active, politic, and daring; but he was an idola…
Zimri's Death; Reign of Omri. (b. c. 929.)
ZIMRI'S DEATH; REIGN OF OMRI. (B. C. 929.) Solomon observes (Proverbs 28:2) that for the transgression of a land many were the princes thereof (so it was here in Israel), but by a man of understanding the state thereof…
Ahab's Reign. (b. c. 925.)
AHAB'S REIGN. (B. C. 925.) We have here the beginning of the reign of Ahab, of whom we have more particulars recorded than of any of the kings of Israel. We have here only a general idea given us of him, as the worst of…
Elijah's First Prophecy; Elijah Fed by Ravens. (b. c. 910.)
ELIJAH'S FIRST PROPHECY; ELIJAH FED BY RAVENS. (B. C. 910.) The history of Elijah begins somewhat abruptly. Usually, when a prophet enters, we have some account of his parentage, are told whose son he was and of what tr…
The Widow of Zarephath. (b. c. 908.)
THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH. (B. C. 908.) We have here an account of the further protection Elijah was taken under, and the further provision made for him in his retirement. At destruction and famine he shall laugh that has…
The Widow's Child Raised to Life. (b. c. 908.)
THE WIDOW'S CHILD RAISED TO LIFE. (B. C. 908.) We have here a further recompence made to the widow for her kindness to the prophet; as if it were a small thing to be kept alive, her son, when dead, is restored to life,…
The Character of Obadiah; Elijah's Interview with Obadiah. (b. c. 906.)
THE CHARACTER OF OBADIAH; ELIJAH'S INTERVIEW WITH OBADIAH. (B. C. 906.) In these verses we find, I. The sad state of Israel at this time, upon two accounts:— 1. Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord (1 Kings 18:4), s…
Elijah's Interview with Ahab. (b. c. 906.)
ELIJAH'S INTERVIEW WITH AHAB. (B. C. 906.) We have here the meeting between Ahab and Elijah, as bad a king as ever the world was plagued with and as good a prophet as ever the church was blessed with. 1. Ahab, like hims…
Elijah's Trial of the False Prophets; the Destruction of Baal's Prophets. (b. c. 906.)
ELIJAH'S TRIAL OF THE FALSE PROPHETS; THE DESTRUCTION OF BAAL'S PROPHETS. (B. C. 906.) Ahab and the people expected that Elijah would, in this solemn assembly, bless the land, and pray for rain; but he had other work to…
Rain Sent on the Land. (b. c. 906.)
RAIN SENT ON THE LAND. (B. C. 906.) Israel being thus far reformed that they had acknowledged the Lord to be God, and had consented to the execution of Baal's prophets, that they might not seduce them any more, though t…
Elijah's Flight from Jezebel. (b. c. 906.)
ELIJAH'S FLIGHT FROM JEZEBEL. (B. C. 906.) One would have expected, after such a public and sensible manifestation of the glory of God and such a clear decision of the controversy depending between him and Baal, to the…
Elijah's Converse with God. (b. c. 906.)
ELIJAH'S CONVERSE WITH GOD. (B. C. 906.) Here is, I. Elijah housed in a cave at Mount Horeb, which is called the mount of God, because on it God had formerly manifested his glory. And perhaps this was the same cave, or…
The Call of Elisha. (b. c. 901.)
THE CALL OF ELISHA. (B. C. 901.) Elisha was named last in the orders God gave to Elijah, but he was first called, for by him the other two were to be called. He must come in Elijah's room; yet Elijah is forward to raise…
Ben-hadad's Insolent Demand. (b. c. 900.)
BEN-HADAD'S INSOLENT DEMAND. (B. C. 900.) Here is, I. The threatening descent which Ben-hadad made upon Ahab's kingdom, and the siege he laid to Samaria, his royal city, 1 Kings 20:1. What the ground of the quarrel was…
Ben-hadad's Defeat. (b. c. 900.)
BEN-HADAD'S DEFEAT. (B. C. 900.) The treaty between the besiegers and the besieged being broken off abruptly, we have here an account of the battle that ensued immediately. I. The Syrians, the besiegers, had their direc…
Ahab's Folly Reproved. (b. c. 900.)
AHAB'S FOLLY REPROVED. (B. C. 900.) We have here an account of another successful campaign which Ahab, by divine aid, made against the Syrians, in which he gave them a greater defeat than in the former. Strange! Ahab id…
Matthew Henry on 1 Kings 20:31-43
Here is an account of what followed upon the victory which Israel obtained over the Syrians. I. Ben-hadad's tame and mean submission. Even in his inner chamber he feared, and would, if he could, flee further, though non…
Naboth's Vineyard Refused to Ahab. (b. c. 899.)
NABOTH'S VINEYARD REFUSED TO AHAB. (B. C. 899.) Here is, 1. Ahab coveting his neighbour's vineyard, which unhappily lay near his palace and conveniently for a kitchen-garden. Perhaps Naboth had been pleased that he had…
Naboth Murdered by Jezebel. (b. c. 899.)
NABOTH MURDERED BY JEZEBEL. (B. C. 899.) Nothing but mischief is to be expected when Jezebel enters into the story—that cursed woman, 2 Kings 9:34. I. Under pretence of comforting her afflicted husband, she feeds his pr…
Ahab's Doom Foretold. (b. c. 899.)
AHAB'S DOOM FORETOLD. (B. C. 899.) In these verses we may observe, I. The very bad character that is given of Ahab (1 Kings 21:25-26), which comes in here to justify God in the heavy sentence passed upon him, and to sho…
Jehoshaphat's League with Ahab. (b. c. 897.)
JEHOSHAPHAT'S LEAGUE WITH AHAB. (B. C. 897.) Though Ahab continued under guilt and wrath, and the dominion of the lusts to which he had sold himself, yet, as a reward for his professions of repentance and humiliation, t…