Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• 11. Abraham's sojourn at Gerar ch. 20
  The writer composed chapter 20 as another chiasm with the focal point being Abimelech warning his servants (v. 8). Two dialogues dominate the story: the one between God and Abimelech (vv. 3-7) and the one between Abimelech an...
• 2. Defeat at Ai ch. 7
  At Jericho, Israel learned God's strength. At Ai, she learned her own weakness. She could only conquer her enemies as she remained faithful to God's covenant."We are never in greater danger than right after we have won a grea...
• Solomon's wealth 10:14-29
  This pericope summarizes Solomon's wealth as the previous one summarized his wisdom.God brought much wealth to Solomon, almost 25 tons of gold a year (v. 14), plus many other riches."Those who would consider his income of 666...
• God's ability to heal and cleanse ch. 5
  Naaman (Aram. gracious) was commander of the Aramean army under Ben-Hadad II (cf. 1 Kings 15:18, 20). Leprosy in the ancient world degenerated the bodies of its victims and eventually proved fatal. At this time no one could c...
• 3. Reminder to thank God 136:26
  This concluding exhortation contains a title for God unique in the Psalter. It highlights His sovereignty and was a favorite of the postexilic community (2 Chron. 36:23; Ezra 2:1; 5:11-12; 6:9-10; 7:12, 21, 23 [twice]; Neh. 1...
• The oracle against Tyre ch. 23
  The first cycle of oracles closed by revealing that Egypt, the political oppressor of the Israelites, would come into equal status with Israel in the future (19:25). The second cycle similarly closes by disclosing that Tyre, ...
• The Servant's confidence 50:4-9
  This is the third Servant Song (cf. 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 52:13-53:12). Like the second song, this one is autobiographical, but unlike the first and second songs it contains no reference to the Servant. That it is the Servant who i...
• 4. The conclusion of the vision 3:12-15
  "Ezekiel's vision of God's glory had provided the needed perspectivefor his task (1:4-2:7). The messagehe was to deliver was provided by God (2:8-3:11). Then he needed motivationto direct him to the task. That motivation was ...
• Yahweh's inescapable punishment 9:1-4
  9:1 In the final vision that Amos recorded, he saw Yahweh standing beside an altar. The altar at Bethel is probably in view since Bethel was the worship site in view in most of this book and since Amos' encounter with Amaziah...
• Historicity
  Since the rise of critical scholarship in the nineteenth century, many writers and teachers now believe that the events recorded in this book were not historical.8They interpret this book as an allegory or as a parable.The al...
• Message18
  The Book of Jonah does not contain the record of a prophet's message as much as the record of a prophet's experience. That feature makes Jonah distinctive among the prophetic books. This prophet's experiences are what we need...
• Outline
  I. The disobedience of the prophet chs. 1-2A. Jonah's attempt to flee from God 1:1-3B. Jonah's lack of compassion 1:4-6C. Jonah's failure to fear his sovereign God 1:7-10D. The sailors' compassion and fear of God 1:11-16D. Jo...
• A. Jonah's attempt to flee from God 1:1-3
  The story opens with God commissioning His prophet and Jonah rebelling against His will.1:1 The book and verse open with a conjunction (Heb. wa, Eng. "Now"). Several versions leave this word untranslated because it makes no s...
• B. Jonah's lack of compassion 1:4-6
  1:4 Jonah subjected himself to dangers that Israel and the entire ancient Near East viewed as directly under divine control when he launched out on the sea. The sea to them was the embodiment of the chaotic forces that humans...
• C. Jonah's failure to fear his sovereign God 1:7-10
  The sailors interrogated Jonah about his reasons for travelling on their ship, but it was his failure to live consistently with his convictions that amazed them.1:7 It appears to have been common among the heathen to cast lot...
• D. The sailors' compassion and fear of God 1:11-16
  Rather than becoming God's instrument of salvation Jonah became an object for destruction because he rebelled against God.1:11 The sailors might have known what to do with Jonah had he been a criminal guilty of some crime aga...
• E. Jonah's deliverance by God 1:17-2:1
  For the second time in this incident God took the initiative to move His prophet to carry out His will (cf. v. 1). This time Jonah turned to the Lord.1:17 The identity of the great fish remains a mystery since the only record...
• F. Jonah's psalm of thanksgiving 2:2-9
  The following prayer is mainly thanksgiving for deliverance from drowning. It is not thanksgiving for deliverance from the fish. Jonah prayed it while he was in the fish. Evidently he concluded after some time in the fish's s...
• G. Jonah's deliverance from the fish 2:10
  Again the writer glorified Yahweh by attributing control of this formidable sea creature to Him (cf. 1:17). The first and the second chapters both close on this note. The Hebrew text says, "The Lord spoke to the fish"(cf. 1:1...
• II. The obedience of the prophet chs. 3--4
  The second half of this book records Jonah's obedience to the Lord following his initial disobedience (chs. 1-2). However, he was not completely obedient in his attitudes even though he was in his actions....
• A. Jonah's proclamation to the Ninevites 3:1-4
  God gave Jonah a second chance to obey Him as He has many of His servants (e.g., Peter, John Mark, et al.).3:1 The writer did not clarify exactly when this second commission came to Jonah. It may have been immediately after J...
• B. The Ninevites' repentance 3:5-10
  Jonah's proclamation moved the Ninevites to humble themselves and seek divine mercy.3:5 The people believed in God because of the message from God that Jonah had brought to them. Fasting and wearing sackcloth were signs of se...
• C. Jonah's displeasure at God's mercy 4:1-4
  The reader might assume that the Lord's deliverance of the Ninevites from imminent doom is the climax of the story. This is not the case. The most important lesson of the book deals with God's people and specifically God's in...
• The raising of Tabitha at Joppa 9:36-43
  9:36 The site of Joppa (modern Yafo, a suburb of Tel Aviv) was on the Mediterranean coast 10 miles west and a little north of Lydda. It was the ancient seaport for Jerusalem (cf. 2 Chron. 2:16; Jon. 1:3). Tabitha (lit. "Gazel...
• 2. The salvation of the great multitude 7:9-17
  There are a number of contrasts between the 144,000 and this great multitude. The number of the first group is not only smaller but definite whereas the number of the second group is larger and indefinite. People from the 12 ...

Expositions Of Holy Scripture (Maclaren)

• Guilty Silence And Its Reward
  Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2. Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before Me. 3. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the...