Letters

How Nave’s arranged it

• Written by David to Joab2 Samuel 11:14
• King of Syria to king of Israel2 Kings 5:52 Kings 5:6
• Rabshakeh to HezekiahIsaiah 37:9–14
• King of Babylon to HezekiahIsaiah 39:1
• Sennacherib to Hezekiah2 Kings 19:14
• Of Artaxerxes to NehemiahNehemiah 2:7–9
• Open letter from Sanballat to NehemiahNehemiah 6:5
• Luke to Theophilus (the books of Luke and Acts)Acts 1:1
• Claudius Lysias to FelixActs 23:25–30
• Letters of intercession by Paul and Philemon on behalf of OnesimusPhilemon 1:1
• Of recommendation2 Corinthians 3:1

The passages, in Bible order (12)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 12 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. 2 Samuel 11:14

   The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 11:142 voices

   “David wrote a letter - This was the sum of treachery and villany. He made this most noble man the carrier of letters which prescribed the mode in which he was to be murdered. This case some have likened to that of Bellerophon, son of Glaucus, king of Ephyra, who being in the court of Proetus, king of the Argives, his queen Antia, or as others Sthenoboea, fell violently in love with him; but he, refusing to gratify her criminal passions, was in revenge accused by her to Proetus her husband, as having attempted to corrupt her.

   “Thus David, who in the judgment of Him who chose him was well pleasing to Him in almost all his deeds, as soon as the weight of pressure was removed, broke out into a swelling sore, and, having been as a laxly running one in his appetite for the woman, became as a cruelly hard one in the slaughter of the man; and he who had before known pitifully how to spare the bad learnt afterwards, without impediment of hesitation, to pant even for the death of the good.

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 11:14→

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2. 2 Kings 5:5

   “Go now,” said the king of Aram, “and I will send you with a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman departed, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing.

   ›Commentary on 2 Kings 5:51 voice

   “Six thousand pieces of gold - Rather, “six thousand shekels of gold.” Coined money did not exist as yet, and was not introduced into Judea until the time of Cyrus. Gold was carried in bars, from which portions were cut when need arose, and the value was ascertained by weighing.

   Everything gathered on 2 Kings 5:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. 2 Kings 5:6

   And the letter that he took to the king of Israel stated: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

   ›Commentary on 2 Kings 5:61 voice

   “That thou mayest recover him - literally, “And thou shalt recover him.” The Syrian king presumes that, if there is a cure for leprosy to be had in Israel, the mode of obtaining it will be well known to his royal brother.

   Everything gathered on 2 Kings 5:6→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. 2 Kings 19:14

   So Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers, read it, and went up to the house of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD.

   ›Commentary on 2 Kings 19:142 voices

   “Faith unguarded is armed by God. Hezekiah, through the power of faith, proved stronger with his puny force than Sennacherib, king of Babylon and rich Nineveh, with his thousands. Sennacherib had enlisted the forces of Assyria and the realm of the Medes. Laying waste with …

   “Spread it before the Lord - The temple was considered to be God’s dwelling-place; and that whatever was there was peculiarly under his eye. Hezekiah spread the letter before the Lord, as he wished him to read the blasphemies spoken against himself.

   Everything gathered on 2 Kings 19:14→

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5. Nehemiah 2:7–9

   I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may letters be given to me for the governors west of the Euphrates, so that they will grant me safe passage until I reach Judah.

   ›Commentary on Nehemiah 2:7–92 voices

   “Moreover, I said unto the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river,.... The river of Euphrates, on that side of it towards the land of Judea: that they may convey me over till I come into Judah; furnish him with provisions, and a guard to protect him.

   “I set him a time--Considering the great despatch made in raising the walls, it is probable that this leave of absence was limited at first to a year or six months, after which he returned to his duties in Shushan.

   Everything gathered on Nehemiah 2:7–9→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Nehemiah 6:5

   The fifth time, Sanballat sent me this same message by his young servant, who had in his hand an unsealed letter

   ›Commentary on Nehemiah 6:52 voices

   “Letters were, and are still, sent to persons of distinction in a bag or purse, and even to equals they are enclosed--the tie being made with a colored ribbon. But to inferiors, or persons who are to be treated contemptuously, the letters were sent open--that is, not enclosed in a bag.

   “Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time,.... In his own name, neither Tobiah nor Geshem joining with him, he being more solicitous and anxious to get him into his hands than any of them; and it may be, as some think, pretending more friendship for him than the rest, and therefore writes alone, as if they knew nothing of his writing: with an open letter in his hand: which having in it an intimation of Nehemiah being guilty of treason, anyone that would might read it, and so spread the defamation.

   Everything gathered on Nehemiah 6:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Isaiah 37:9–14

   Now Sennacherib had been warned about Tirhakah king of Cush: “He has set out to fight against you.” On hearing this, Sennacherib sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,

   ›Commentary on Isaiah 37:9–141 voice

   “And he heard say - The report or rumour referred to in Isa 37:7. In what way he heard this is not intimated. It is probable that the preparations which Tirhakah had made, were well known to the surrounding regions, and that he was already on his march against Sennacherib. Tirhakah - This king, who, by Eusebius and by most ancient writers, is called Ταρακὸς Tarakos, was a celebrated conqueror, and had subdued Egypt to himself. He reigned over Egypt eighteen years. When Sennacherib marched into Egypt, Sevechus or Sethon was on the throne.

   Everything gathered on Isaiah 37:9–14→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Isaiah 39:1

   At that time Merodach-baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters and a gift to Hezekiah, for he had heard about Hezekiah’s illness and recovery.

   ›Commentary on Isaiah 39:12 voices

   “Merodach-baladan--For a hundred fifty years before the overthrow of Nineveh by Cyaxares the Mede, a succession of rulers, mostly viceroys of Assyria, ruled Babylon, from the time of Nabonassar, 747 B.C. That date is called "the Era of Nabonassar." Pul or Phallukha was then expelled, and a new dynasty set up at Nineveh, under Tiglath-pileser.

   At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon,.... The same is called Berodach, 2Ki 20:12 which, according to Hillerus (z), is the same with Barmerodach, the son of Merodach; though it is generally took to be a slip of the scribe's there, or a change of letter, as is common in names; he was either afterwards made a god of, or he had his name from an idol of the Babylonians so called, Jer 50:1, which signifies "a pure lord."

   Everything gathered on Isaiah 39:1→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Acts 1:1

   In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach,

   ›Commentary on Acts 1:11 voice

   “The former treatise - The former book. The Gospel of Luke is here evidently intended. Greek: the former λόγος logos, meaning “a discourse,” or “a narrative.” O Theophilus - See the notes on Luk 1:3. Since this book was written to the same individual as the former, it was evidently written with the same design to furnish an authentic and full narrative of events concerning which there would be many imperfect and exaggerated accounts. See Luk 1:1-

   Everything gathered on Acts 1:1→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Acts 23:25–30

    And he wrote the following letter:

    ›Commentary on Acts 23:25–302 voices

    “He wrote a letter after this manner - It appears that this was not only the substance of the letter, but the letter itself: the whole of it is so perfectly formal as to prove this; and in this simple manner are all the letters of the ancients formed. In this also we have an additional proof of St. Luke’s accuracy.

    “Here is a letter written in defense of him and in accusation of the Jews. Look: Paul is acknowledged as innocent not by the Jews, but by foreigners, just as Christ was by Pilate.

    Everything gathered on Acts 23:25–30→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. 2 Corinthians 3:1

    Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

    ›Commentary on 2 Corinthians 3:12 voices

    “Since he said many great things about himself, he says: will not someone say: what is this, Paul? By saying this about yourself, you are praising yourself. He removes this objection with the following words. He says this with force, making his speech more expressive. …

    “Do we begin again - This is designed evidently to meet an objection. He had been speaking of his triumph in the ministry 2Co 2:14, and of his sincerity and honesty, as contrasted with the conduct of many who corrupted the Word of God, 2Co 2:17. It might be objected that he was magnifying himself in these statements, and designed to commend himself in this manner to the Corinthians. To this he replies in the following verses. To commend ourselves? - To recommend ourselves; do we speak this in our own praise, in order to obtain your favor.

    Everything gathered on 2 Corinthians 3:1→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Philemon 1:1

    Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker,

    ›Commentary on Philemon 1:12 voices

    “Paul has not used "prisoner of Jesus Christ" in any other epistle as a part of his name, though he has used it in Ephesians and in Philippians as a form of proclamation. Thus, I think it of more importance that he says he is a prisoner of Jesus Christ than an apostle. Indeed, the apostles gloried that they were worthy to suffer abuse for the name of Jesus Christ. Indeed, their chains carried an automatic authority.

    “Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ,.... Not made a prisoner by Christ, though he was apprehended, laid hold on, and detained by Christ as a prisoner of hope, at his conversion; but this is not intended here: but he was a prisoner at Rome for the sake of Christ, on account of professing him, and preaching in his name; his bonds were for the sake of the Gospel of Christ; and therefore they are in this epistle called the bonds of the Gospel.

    Everything gathered on Philemon 1:1→

    Verse page →Original language →