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Selected Verse: John 4:18 - Strong Concordance
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Joh 4:18 |
Strong Concordance |
For [1063] thou hast had [2192] five [4002] husbands [435]; and [2532] he whom [3739] thou [2192] now [3568] hast [2192] is [2076] not [3756] thy [4675] husband [435]: in that [5124] saidst thou [2046] truly [227]. |
|
King James |
For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Hast had five husbands - Who have either died; or who, on account of your improper conduct, have divorced you; or whom you have left improperly, without legal divorce. Either of these might have be. en the case.
Is not thy husband - You are not lawfully married to him. Either she might have left a former husband without divorce, and thus her marriage with this man was unlawful, or she was living with him without the form of marriage, in open guilt. |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
Thou hast had five husbands - Whether they were all dead or not, her own conscience now awakened would tell her. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Thou hast had five husbands - It is not clear that this woman was a prostitute: she might have been legally married to those five, and might have been divorced through some misbehavior of her own, not amounting to adultery; for the adulteress was to be put to death, both by the Jewish and Samaritan law, not divorced: or she might have been cast off through some caprice of her husband; for, in the time of our Lord, divorces were very common among the Jews, so that a man put away his wife for any fault. See the note on Mat 5:31. Some are so very fond of exaggerating that nothing can pass through their hands without an increase: hence Heracleon says she had six husbands, and Jerome modestly gives her twenty-two! Viginti duos habuisti maritos, et ille a quo sepelieris non est tuus. "Thou hast had twenty-two husbands and he by whom thou shalt be buried is not thine." Epist. xi.
He whom thou now hast is not thy husband - Νυν ὁν εχεις, ουκ εϚι σου ανηρ. Bishop Pearce would translate this clause in the following manner: There is no husband whom thou now hast - or, less literally, Thou hast no husband now: probably the meaning is, Thou art contracted to another, but not yet brought home: therefore he is not yet thy husband. See Rosenmuller. Bishop Pearce contends that our Lord did not speak these words to her by way of reproof:
1. Because it is not likely that a woman so far advanced in years as to have had five husbands should have now been found living in adultery with a sixth person.
2. Because it is not likely that our Lord would not, in some part of his discourse, have reproved her for her fornication, especially if guilty of it under such gross circumstances.
3. Nor is it likely that a woman of so bad a life should have had so much influence with the people of her city that they should, on her testimony, Joh 4:39-42, believe Jesus to be the Messiah.
4. Nor is it at all likely that when a discovery of her guilt was made to her, by one whom she acknowledged to be a prophet, Joh 4:19, the first thing which came into her thoughts should be the important question in religion, about the place appointed by God for his worship, so warmly contested between the Jews and Samaritans.
5. Nor is it at all probable that a person of such a bad life, without any mentioned sign of repentance, should have been the first (perhaps the only private person) to whom Jesus is recorded as declaring himself to be the Christ, as he does to her, Joh 4:26. |
26 Jesus [2424] saith [3004] unto her [846], I [1473] that speak [2980] unto thee [4671] am [1510] he.
19 The woman [1135] saith [3004] unto him [846], Sir [2962], I perceive [2334] that [3754] thou [4771] art [1488] a prophet [4396].
39 And [1161] many [4183] of the Samaritans [4541] of [1537] that [1565] city [4172] believed [4100] on [1519] him [846] for [1223] the saying [3056] of the woman [1135], which testified [3140], [3754] He told [2036] me [3427] all [3956] that ever [3745] I did [4160].
40 So [3767] when [5613] the Samaritans [4541] were come [2064] unto [4314] him [846], they besought [2065] him [846] that he would tarry [3306] with [3844] them [846]: and [2532] he abode [3306] there [1563] two [1417] days [2250].
41 And [2532] many [4183] more [4119] believed [4100] because [1223] of his own [846] word [3056];
42 And [5037] said [3004] unto the woman [1135], [3754] Now [3765] we believe [4100], not [3754] because [1223] of thy [4674] saying [2981]: for [1063] we have heard [191] him ourselves [846], and [2532] know [1492] that [3754] this [3778] is [2076] indeed [230] the Christ [5547], the Saviour [4990] of the world [2889].
31 [1161] It hath been said [4483] [3754], Whosoever [3739] [302] shall put away [630] his [846] wife [1135], let him give [1325] her [846] a writing of divorcement [647]: