Judg 9:8-15, 14:12-19, 2Sa 12:1-4, Eze 20:49, Hos 12:10, Mat 13:13-14, 35 | TSK | STEP | The trees.This is the most ancient fable or apologue extant; and is extremely beautiful, apposite, and intelligible. olive tree.The {zayith,} or olive tree, in the Linnean system, is a genus of the {diandra monogynia} class of plants. It is of a moderate height, and grows best in sunny places. Its trunk is knotty; bark smooth, of an ash colour: wood solid and yellowish; leaves oblong, almost like those of the willow, of a dark green colour on the upper side, and whitish below. In June it puts forth white flowers, growing in bunches, each of one piece, widening towards the top, and dividing into four parts. After this succeeds the fruit, which is oblong and plump; first green, then pale, and when quite ripe, black. Within it is enclosed a hard stone, filled with oblong seeds. It was the most useful of all trees in the forest; as the bramble was the meanest and most worthless. Reign.

Judges 9:8-15

The trees.This is the most ancient fable or apologue extant; and is extremely beautiful, apposite, and intelligible.

olive tree.The {zayith,} or olive tree, in the Linnean system, is a genus of the {diandra monogynia} class of plants. It is of a moderate height, and grows best in sunny places. Its trunk is knotty; bark smooth, of an ash colour: wood solid and yellowish; leaves oblong, almost like those of the willow, of a dark green colour on the upper side, and whitish below. In June it puts forth white flowers, growing in bunches, each of one piece, widening towards the top, and dividing into four parts. After this succeeds the fruit, which is oblong and plump; first green, then pale, and when quite ripe, black. Within it is enclosed a hard stone, filled with oblong seeds. It was the most useful of all trees in the forest; as the bramble was the meanest and most worthless.

Reign.

8:22,23

wherewith.

Ex 29:2,7; 35:14; Le 2:1; 1Ki 19:15,16; Ps 89:20; 104:15; Ac 4:27

Ac 10:38; 1Jo 2:20

God.{Elohim,} rather gods; the parable being adapted to the idolatrous Shechemites.

to be promoted over the trees. Heb. up and down for othertrees.

Job 1:7; 2:2

Lu 13:6,7

cheereth.

Nu 15:5,7,10; Ps 104:15; Pr 31:6; Ec 10:19

bramble. or, thistle.

2Ki 14:9

shadow.

Isa 30:2; Da 4:12; Ho 14:7; Mt 13:32

let fire.

20,49; Nu 21:28; Isa 1:31; Eze 19:14

the cedars.

2Ki 14:9; Ps 104:16; Isa 2:13; 37:24; Eze 31:3

Judges 14:12-19

a riddle.

1Ki 10:1; Ps 49:4; Pr 1:6; Eze 17:2; 20:49; Mt 13:13,34; Lu 14:7

Joh 16:29; 1Co 13:12; *marg:

the seven.

Ge 29:27,28; 2Ch 7:8

sheets. or, shirts.This will receive illustration from Mr. Jackson's description of the Moorish dress:--"It resembles that of the ancient patriarchs, as represented in paintings; (but the paintings are taken from Asiatic models:) that of the men consists of a red cap and turban, a ({kumja}) shirt, which hangs outside of the drawers, and comes below the knee; a ({caftan}) coat, which buttons close before, and down to the bottom with large open sleeves; over which, when they go out of doors, they throw carelessly, and sometimes elegantly, a {hayk,} or garment of white cotton, silk, or wool, five or six yards long, and five feet wide. The Arabs often dispense with the {caftan,} and even with the shirt, wearing nothing but the {hayk.}"

Mt 27:28; Mr 14:51,52

change.

Ge 45:22; 2Ki 5:5,22; Mt 6:19; Jas 5:2

Out of the eater.

Ge 3:15; De 8:15,16; 1Ki 17:6; 2Ch 20:2,25; Isa 53:10-12; Ro 5:3-5

Ro 8:37; 2Co 4:17; 12:9,10; Php 1:12-20; Heb 2:14,15; 12:10,11

Jas 1:2-4; 1Pe 2:24

they could.

Pr 24:7; Mt 13:11; Ac 8:31

on the seventh day.The LXX. reads "on the fourth day;" with which the Syriac and Arabic agree. This, as Dr. Wall observes, is certainly right; for it appears from ver. 17, that she wept the remainder of the seven days; for which there could have been no time, if they did not threaten her till the seventh.

Entice.

16:5; Ge 3:1-6; Pr 1:11; 5:3; 6:26; Mic 7:5

lest we burn.

12:1; 15:6

take that we have. Heb. possess us, or, impoverish us.

Thou dost.

16:15

I have not.

Ge 2:24

the seven, or, the rest of the seven days. she lay.

16:6,13,16; Ge 3:6; Job 2:9; Pr 7:21; Lu 11:8; 18:4,5

and she told.

Pr 2:16,17

the Spirit.

6; 3:10; 13:25; 15:14; 1Sa 11:6

spoil. or, apparel.

2 Samuel 12:1-4

1 Nathan's parable of the ewe lamb causes David to be his own judge.

7 David, reproved by Nathan, confesses his sin, and is pardoned.

15 David mourns and prays for the child while it lives.

24 Solomon is born, and named Jedidiah.

26 David takes Rabbah, and tortures the people thereof.

A.M. 2970. B.C. 1034. An. Ex. Is. 457. the Lord.

7:1-5; 24:11-13; 1Ki 13:1; 18:1; 2Ki 1:3

unto David.

11:10-17,25; 14:14; Isa 57:17,18

he came.

Ps 51:1; *title

There were.There is nothing in this parable which requires illustration. Its bent is evident; and it was wisely constructed, by not having too near a resemblance, to make David unwittingly pass sentence on himself. The parable was in David's hand what his own letter was in the hands of the brave Uriah. Nathan at length closed in with him in the application of it. In beginning with a parable he shewed his prudence, and great need there is of prudence in giving reproof; but now he speaks as an ambassador from God. He reminds David of the great things God had designed and done for him, and then charges him with a high contempt of the Divine authority, and threatens an entail of judgments upon his family for this sin. Those who despise the word and law of God, despise God himself, and will assuredly suffer for such contempt.

14:5-11; Jud 9:7-15; 1Ki 20:35-41; Isa 5:1-7; Mt 21:33-45

Lu 15:11-32; 16:19-31

exceeding.

8; 3:2-5; 5:13-16; 15:16; Job 1:3

one little.

11:3; Pr 5:18,19

meat. Heb. morsel. lay in his.

De 13:6; Mic 7:5

a traveller.

Ge 18:2-7; Jas 1:14

took the.

11:3,4

Ezekiel 20:49

Doth.Is it not his usual custom to deal in enigmas? His figures are not to be understood; we should not trouble ourselves with them. God therefore commands the prophet to declare, in the next chapter, the same things in the plainest terms, so that they should not complain of his parables.

Mt 13:13,14; Joh 16:25; Ac 17:18