DEDICATED

To my wife, Dorothy, and our children —

Finette, Rhoda Annabeth, and Finis, Jr. —

whose help on this work I gratefully acknowledge.

PREFACE

The purpose of this work is to give in ONE volume the helps a student of the Bible needs from many books — Bible Commentaries, Atlas, Dictionary, complete Concordance, Dispensational Truth, Topical Text Book, Bible Synthesis, Doctrines, Prophetic Studies, and others.

Special features include nearly 9,000 informative headings which divide the text and give a complete outline to all the Books of the Bible; 500,000 cross-references throughout 35,000 notes and comments; a summary of interesting facts at the end of each Book; the text emphasized with underlining where helpful; and lists of all the commands, prophecies, promises, prayers, questions, sins, apostasies, complaints, failures, plagues, judgments, healings, wars, miracles, assassinations, kings, queens, dukes, lakes, rivers, farm products, valleys, mountains, cities, empires, nations, etc.

All questions of the text and the prophecies are numbered in the side-columns; and quotations from the O. T. are noted in the N. T. columns. Thousands of texts are amplified and there are many renderings from various versions. Important Hebrew and Greek words are given with definitions and various ways translated. Obsolete and difficult English words are defined.

Parables, types, symbols, fables, allegories, figures of speech and numerous idioms are dealt with. Alleged contradictions and seeming diflficulties of the text are made clear. Bible and secular history are harmonized as well as the Gospels.

There are enlightening notes on astronomy, Bible animals, reptiles, birds, insects, trees, plants, minerals, precious stones, weights, measures, coin values, and other things which will enrich the reader's enjoyment of the Word of God. Modern-day costs are given for the tabernacle of Moses, Solomon's temple, and the sacrifices wherever they are mentioned throughout Scripture.

Furthermore, there is a guide showing how to read the Bible in a year on pg. 944, history between the Testaments (pg. 930), how to mark Bible prophecies (index pg. 131), and a personal work course (pg. 943). Of particular interest to ministers will be the wealth of sermon material in the 3,400 note columns—over 8,(XX) outlines on a great variety of subjects, and 2,000 illustrations.

Sunday school teachers and scholars will find much herein to help them with the weekly lesson. Of special benefit will be the section of maps with symbols of world empires, and charts of the Ages and Dispensations, the Tri-unity of Man, the Tabernacle, the Holy Oblation, the Times of the Gentiles, the Underworld of Departed Spirits, and the Books of Daniel and Revelation in picture form.

The general principle adhered to throughout is that of literalizing instead of spiritualizing. Statements of fact and historical accounts are accepted as such. THE RULE OBSERVED IS: Take the Bible literally wherein it is at all possible; if symbolic, figurative or typical language is used, then look for the literal truth it intends to convey.

During the author's 100,000 hours in 43 years of searching the Scriptures this all-important and fundamental principle of interpretation has been strictly and consistently followed. Novel interpretations have been rejected, and theories supported by personal opinion alone have been laid aside.

In the preparation of this work, therefore, the aim has been to prove the teachings of the side-columns with plain Bible references; and now, the reader is invited to see for himself what these related passages actually say on any given subject of the notes. In this way he will learn well the lesson of "rightly dividing the Word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15); and he will see that the Holy Bible is in perfect harmony throughout.

This Bible is being prayerfully presented in the hope that it may be used of God to bring a simple and clear understanding of His Word to the average pejson, and that it will inspire him with faith to receive the full benefits of the Gospel for body, soul, and spirit.

Concordance instructions are at the top of page one of the Index/Concordance.

Abbreviations: Ant. = Ante Nicene Fathers, Cant. = Canticles or Song of Solomon, col. = column, cp. = compare, ms. = manuscript, mss. = manuscripts, Sanhed. = Sanhedrin, Sept. = Septuagint, and vol. = volume.

"Ante Nicene Fathers" refers to the writings of church fathers or church leaders "before" (ante) the church council that met in 325 A.D. at Nicea.

"Josephus" refers to The Works of Flavins Josephus who was a Jewish historian of the first century A.D. and wrote a history of the nation of Israel.

"Apocrapha" refers to the 14 books between the Old Testament and the New Testament accepted as scripture by Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Anglican Churches, but rejected as scripture by leaders of the Protestant Reformation. Protestants accept 1st and 2nd Maccabees as accurate history only.

Symbols placed at the beginning or at the end of verses in the text indicates prophecies, promises, commands, and new messages from God, as follows:

* —^prophecy ▲ —promise

• —command

■ —message from God

—^FINIS JENNINGS DAKE