Acts 9:24

Act 9:24. Παρετήρουν, they kept watching) by the assistance of the governor. Comp. 2Co 11:32.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act_9:24-25. Παρετηροῦντο δὲ καί (see the critical remarks), but they watched also, etc., contains what formed a special addition to the danger mentioned in Act_9:23. The subject is the Jews; they did itand thereby the apparent difference with 2Co_11:33 is removedon the obtained permission or order of the Arabian ethnarch. Comp. 2Co_11:33. More artificial attempts at reconciliation are quite unnecessary. Comp. Wieseler, p. 142.

οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ (see the critical remarks), opposed to the Ἰουδαῖοι, Act_9:23. Saul had already gained scholars among the Jews of Damascus; they rescued him from the plot of their fellow Jews (in opposition to de Wettes opinion, that disciples of the apostle were out of the question).

διὰ τοῦ τείχους] through the wall: whether an opening found in it, or the window of a building abutting on the city-wall, may have facilitated the passage. The former is most suited to the mode of expression.

ἐν σπυρίδι] see on Mat_15:37. On the spelling σφυρίδι, attested by C א, see Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 113.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Act 9:24 . ἐπιβουλὴ : “plot”; N.T. only used in Acts; in three other passages, Act 20:3 ; Act 20:19 , Act 23:30 . It is used in the same sense in LXX, Est 2:22 (for other instances of the word see H. and R.), and frequently in classical Greek. παρετήρουν : if we follow R.V., see critical notes, we have the middle for the active, cf. Luk 14:1 ; Luk 6:7 , Gal 4:10 . There is no contradiction involved with 2Co 11:32 . The ethnarch acted as the instrument of the Jews, at their instigation, or they acted by his permission, or possibly as the Jews were the actual originators of the persecution of Saul, St. Luke for brevity speaks of them as carrying it out, cf. Act 2:23 , Act 28:27 . See to this effect, Blass, Zöckler, Felten, Wendt. τε : if we add καὶ R.V., see critical notes, the two words τε καὶ signify that they not only laid wait for him, but also watched the city gates day and night, to secure the success of their design; “and they watched the gates also,” R.V. In 2Co 11:32 , according to Paul’s own statement, the ethnarch under Aretas the king guarded the walls to prevent his escape. But this seems strange, as Damascus was part of the Roman province of Syria. The difficulty is met by a large number of modern writers by the assumption that Caligula, whose reign began in 37 A.D., gave Damascus to Aretas, to whose predecessors it had belonged (Jos., Ant. , xiii., 5, 2). On the accession of Caligula a great change of policy occurred Antipas, the old foe of Aretas, who was indignant with him for the divorce of his daughter, was shortly after deposed, and his kingdom was added to that of Herod Agrippa, who had already received from the emperor the tetrarchy of Philip and Lysanias (Jos., Ant. , xviii., 6, 10). But this latter grant was one of the first acts of Caligula’s reign, and there is nothing improbable in the supposition that the new ruler should also bestow some gift of territory on the great foe of the Herodian house, who apparently reigned until 40 A.D. Added to this there is the fact that we have no coins of Damascus with the imperial superscription from 34 62 A.D. In 62 63 the image of Nero begins, but there are no coins marked with that of Caligula or Claudius. The latter emperor died in 54 A.D., and in a few years Damascus must have passed again into Roman hands, if the above theory is correct. Certainly this theory is more feasible than that which supposes that Aretas had actually seized Damascus himself in 37 A.D., when upon the death of Tiberius (who had supported Antipas), Vitellius, the governor of Syria, had withdrawn his troops and the expedition which the emperor had despatched against Aretas. But whether this forcible taking possession of the city is placed before, during, or after the expedition of Vitellius, we should expect that it would have met with energetic punishment at the hands of the governor of Syria, but of this there is nontion or trace (P. Ewald), McGiffert, who favours an earlier chronology, and dates Paul’s conversion in 31 or 32 A.D., contends that the flight from Damascus may have occurred as well in the year 35, i.e. , in the reign of Tiberius, as in 38, when no change had taken place in the status of Damascus; the city was subject to Rome, but Aretas may have had control over it, just as Herod had control over Jerusalem. There is at all events no ground for supposing that the term ethnarch denotes that Aretas was only head of the Arabian colony in Damascus (so O. Holtzmann, following Keim, Nösgen, etc.), or that he was only a chance visitor who exercised his authority to the detriment of Paul (Anger); any such suggestion utterly fails to account for the fact that he is represented as guarding Damascus. It has been suggested that the wife of Aretas may well have been a proselyte, but the fact that the Jews of Damascus were both numerous and powerful is quite sufficient to explain the attitude of the governor, Jos., B. J. , ii., 20, 2; vii., 8, 7. See “Aretas” in Hastings’ B.D., and B.D. 2 . McGiffert, Apostolic Age , pp. 164, 165; G. A. Smith, Hist. Geog. , pp. 619, 620; O. Holtzmann, Neutest. Zeitgeschichte , p. 97; Schürer, Jewish People , div. i., vol. ii., p. 356, and div. ii., vol. i., p. 98, E.T.; Real-Encyclopädie für protestant. Theol. (Hauck), i., pp. 795 797, by P. Ewald. See further on the title ἐθνάρχης Schürer, Studien und Kritiken , 1899 (1), which he explains by the conditions of the Nabatean kingdom, in which tribes not cities were concerned the head of such a tribe being actually so called in more than one inscription.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

they watched the gates night and day to kill him--The full extent of his danger appears only from his own account (Co2 11:32): "In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me"; the exasperated Jews having obtained from the governor a military force, the more surely to compass his destruction.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 24. They watched the gates day and night to kill him.] At this time Damascus was under the government of Aretas, king of Arabia, who was now at war with Herod, his son-in-law, who had put away his daughter in order to marry Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. As Herod was supported by the Romans, Saul's enemies might intimate that he was in league with them or Herod; and, as the gates of the city were constantly watched and shut, that no spy might enter, and no fugitive get away, they thought it would be easy to apprehend him; and doubtless got orders for the different officers at the gates to be on the look-out that he might not be permitted to escape.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(24) They watched the gates day and night to kill him.—A somewhat fuller account of this episode in the Apostle’s life is given by him in 2Co_11:32. There we read that the governor—literally, ethnarch—of the city, under Aretas, King of Arabia Petræa, with Petra as his capital, the father of the wife whom Herod Antipas divorced, in order that he might marry Herodias, took an active part in the plot against Paul. On the manner in which Aretas had gained possession of a city which was properly attached to the Roman province of Syria, see Note on Act_9:2. It is noticeable that there are coins of Damascus bearing the names of Augustus and Tiberius, and again of Nero and his successors, but none of those of Caligula and Claudius, who succeeded Tiberius. Caligula, on his accession, reversed the policy of Tiberius, who had been a friend and supporter of Antipas against Aretas, and it is probable that, as in other instances, he created a new principality, or ethnarchy, in favour of Aretas, to whose predecessors Damascus had belonged (Jos. Ant. xiii. 15, § 2). The ethnarch apparently wished to court the favour of the large Jewish population, and, looking on St. Paul as a disturber of the public peace, took measures for his arrest and condemnation. Troops were stationed at each gate of the city in order to prevent his escape.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24. but their laying await [plot] was known of Saul] Perhaps from the information of some of the Christian disciples, who would be well disposed to Saul by what they had heard of him from Ananias, and who played the part of friends in aiding his escape from Damascus.

And they watched the gates day and night to kill him] The gates were the places to which one fleeing from death would naturally make his way. St Paul says (2Co_11:32) of the circumstances under which this plot was made against his life, that “In Damascus the governor [Ethnarch] of King Aretas kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me.” Hence it appears that it was no mere attack made by the Jews resident in Damascus, but they had gained the support of the authorities for the time being. We do not know enough of the history of Syria and Arabia at this period to be able to explain with certainty how an Ethnarch of Aretas, who was king of Arabia Petræa, came to be holding Damascus. But we do know (Joseph. Antiq. xviii. 3. 1–4) that Aretas had been at war with Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee, who in consequence of his attachment to his brother Philip’s wife, had forsaken his own wife, who was the daughter of Aretas. Herod had appealed to Rome, and been promised the help of the Roman power, but the death of Tiberius (a.d. 37) checked the march of Vitellius, the Roman governor of Syria, into Arabia, and he thereupon returned to Antioch. It may have been that Aretas, encouraged by this withdrawal, had advanced, and in the general confusion had taken possession of Damascus. He had, in a former stage of the war, destroyed the army of Herod; and some of the Jews, who hated Herod, spoke of this destruction of his troops as a Divine judgement for his murder of John the Baptist. We can understand then that the Jews in Damascus might under such circumstances favour Aretas, and in return for their support be aided by his Ethnarch in an attempt on the life of Saul.

Or the occupation of Damascus by Aretas may have been (as Dean Howson suggests) in consequence of the change of policy which took place so widely at the death of Tiberius; and Caligula, in contradiction of what his predecessor had been designing, to crush Aretas, may have put the Arabian king in command of the city of Damascus for a time.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But their laying await was known of Saul,.... Either by divine revelation, or by some friends, who had got knowledge of it, and gave him information, as in Act 23:16 and they watched the gates night and day to kill him; that is, the Jews, together with the governor of the city, and the garrison of soldiers in it. These all watched at the several gates of the city, night and day, that Saul might not make his escape, and that they might take him, and put him to death.

and they watched the gates night and day to kill him; that is, the Jews, together with the governor of the city, and the garrison of soldiers in it. These all watched at the several gates of the city, night and day, that Saul might not make his escape, and that they might take him, and put him to death.

Acts 9:25

act 9:25

act 9:25

act 9:25Then the disciples took him by night,.... The Alexandrian copy reads, "his disciples"; the disciples of Saul, such as he had been instrumental in making at Damascus: but it is not usual for the saints to be called in Scripture the disciples of any man; therefore the common reading is best, and designs the disciples and followers of Christ; who being concerned for the preservation of so valuable a life, took Saul in the night season,

and let him down by the wall in a basket. Damascus was a walled city; hence we read of the wall of Damascus, Jer 49:27. And the house where Saul was, and which very likely was one of the disciples, was built upon the wall, as the house of Rahab was upon the town wall of Jericho; and as she let down the spies from thence by a cord through the window, Jos 2:15 so the disciples let down Saul in a basket with cords through the window of the house, as appears from Co2 11:33. See Gill on Co2 11:33, no doubt, the disciples were directed by the overruling providence of God, in order to preserve the life of the apostle, who had much work to do for Christ in several parts of the world, and therefore must not fall into the hands of his enemies and die, his time not being yet come; and this shows, that it is lawful to make use of all prudent means and proper methods to prevent the designs of wicked men, and escape out of their hands, and preserve life when in danger; by which means Saul escaped their hands.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

Ver. 24. But their laying await] Some friend likely had advertised him, as a senator of Hala did Brentins, when some had conspired his death, Fuge, fuge, Brenti, cito, citius, citissime. Flee speedily, away for thy life. (Melch. Adam.)

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But their laying await - Their counsel; their design.

Was known of Saul - Was made known to him. In what way this was communicated we do not know. This design of the Jews against Saul is referred to in 2Co 11:32-33, where it is said, “In Damascus, the governor under Aretas the king kept the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me; and through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.”

And they watched the gates - Cities were surrounded by high walls, and of course the gates were presumed to be the only places of escape. As they supposed that Saul, apprised of their designs, would make an attempt to escape, they stationed guards at the gates to intercept him. In 2Co 11:32, it is said that the governor kept the city for the purpose of apprehending him. It is possible that the governor might have been a Jew, and one, therefore, who would enter into their views. Or if not a Jew, the Jews who were there might easily represent Saul as an offender, and demand his being secured, and thus a garrison or guard might be furnished them for their purpose. See a similar attempt made by the Jews recorded in Mat 28:14.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Their laying await; the Jews, who stirred up Aretas the king of Damascus against Paul, 2Co 11:32,33; now began those things to be fulfilled, foretold Act 9:16.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

24. Gates—As the only outlets from the city. Paul must have been very closely concealed, as there can be no doubt that the ethnarch or viceroy of Aretas, then master of Damascus, rendered them every aid to apprehend him.

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

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Their plot (ejpiboulh) became known for their laying await was known, A.V; to Saul for of Saul, A.V.; the gates also for the gates, A.V. and T.R.; that they might for to, A.V.; a colon instead of full point at end of verse.

Ver. 25. But for then, A.V.; his disciples for the disciples, A.V. and T.R.; through for by, A.V.; lowering him in for in, A.V. Lowering him, etc. The A.V. gives the sense freely; and combining the verb kaqhkan with the participle calasantev, translates both by the one word "let him down." The by of the A.V. seems preferable to the through of the R.V., as through suggests the idea, which cannot be intended, of making a hole in the wall. The escape of the spies from Jericho, as described in Jos_2:15, was exactly in the same way, except that they had only a rope to descend by, whereas St. Paul had a rope-basket. In the description of his escape given by St. Paul to the Corinthians, (2Co_11:33) he uses the same word for "let down" (ejcalasqhn), tells us he was let down "by the wall," R.V diacouv, with the additional particular that he got out through the window, diadov, and that it was a sarganh, a basket made of ropes (which describes the kind of basket somewhat more accurately than the spuriv here used) in which he was let down (see note on ver. 20). The passage in 2 Corinthians gives us a further interesting account of how the Jews went about to accomplish their purpose of killing Paul. It seems that at this time, either in revolt against the Romans or by permission of Caligula (it is not known certainly which), a certain Aretas, or Hareth, King of Arabia Petrea, included Damascus in his dominions for a time, i.e. through the reigns of Caligula and Claudius. He appointed an ethnarch, who was doubtless a Jew, to rule the large Jewish population according to their Law, and who was the ready tool of the unbelieving Jews, using his power as governor to have the gates kept day and night so as to prevent Saul"s escape. But he that keepeth Israel neither slumbered nor slept, and by his watchful providence Saul escaped from their hands. As regards the R.Y., his disciples for the disciples, Alford adopts the reading labontev de oiJ maqhtain, and holds aujtou of the R.T. to be simply a mistake for aujton, caused by the situation of aujton after labontev. The R.T. cannot be right. "The disciples" is St. Luke"s regular expression for "Christians", (Act_6:1, Act_6:2, 7 9:10, 19, 26 14:22 21:16) and is our Lord"s name for his followers, but is never used by an apostle of his own followers. (see 1Co_1:12, 13 3:4-7)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They guarded the gates day and night - That is, the governor did, at their request, 2 Cor. xi, 32.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

See notes on verse 23

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

24. They watched the gates. “The governor, under Aretas the king, kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me” (2 Cor. 11:32).

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

24. ἐγνώσθη δὲ τῷ Σαύλῳ ἡ ἐπιβουλὴ αὐτῶν, but their plot was known to Saul. Perhaps the information was given by some of the Christian disciples, who would be well disposed to him from what they had heard from Ananias. These certainly manifested their zeal towards him in aiding him to make his escape from Damascus.

παρετηροῦντο δὲ καὶ τὰς πύλας, and they watched the gates also. The gates were the places to which one fleeing from death would naturally make his way. St Paul says (2Co 11:32), of the circumstances under which this plot was made against his life, that ‘in Damascus the governor (ὁ ἐθνάρχης) of king Aretas kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me.’ Hence it appears that it was no mere attack made by the Jews resident in Damascus, but they had gained the support of the authorities for the time being. We do not know enough of the history of Syria and Arabia at this period to be able to explain with certainty how an ethnarch of Aretas, who was king of Arabia Petræa, came to be holding Damascus. But we do know (Joseph. Ant. XVIII. 3. 1–4) that Aretas had been at war with Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee, who in consequence of his attachment to his brother Philip’s wife, had forsaken his own wife, who was the daughter of Aretas. Herod had appealed to Rome, and had been promised the help of the Roman power, but the death of Tiberius (A.D. 37) checked the march of Vitellius, the Roman governor of Syria, into Arabia, and he thereupon returned to Antioch. It may have been that Aretas, encouraged by this withdrawal, had advanced, and in the general confusion had taken possession of Damascus. He had, in a former stage of the war, destroyed the army of Herod; and some of the Jews, who hated Herod, spake of this destruction of his troops as a divine judgment for his murder of John the Baptist. We can understand then that the Jews in Damascus might under such circumstances favour Aretas, and in return for their support be aided by his ethnarch in an attempt on the life of Saul.

Or the occupation of Damascus by Aretas may have been (as Dean Howson suggests) in consequence of the change of policy which took place so widely at the death of Tiberius; and Caligula, in contradiction of what his predecessor had been designing, to crush Aretas, may have put the Arabian king in command of the city of Damascus for a time.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24.] In 2Co 11:32, Paul writes, ἐν Δαμασκῷ ὁ ἐθνάρχης Ἀρέτα τοῦ βασιλέως ἐφρούρει τὴν πόλιν Δαμασκηνῶν, πιάσαι με [θέλων]. A somewhat difficult chronological question arises respecting the subordination of Damascus to this Aretas. The city, under Augustus and Tiberius, was attached to the province of Syria: and we have coins of Damascus of both these emperors, and again of Nero and his successors. But we have none of Caligula and Claudius; and the following circumstances seem to point to a change in the rulership of Damascus at the death of Tiberius. There had been for some time war between Aretas, king of Arabia Nabatæa (whose capital was Petra), and Herod Antipas, on account of the divorce by Herod of Aretas’ daughter at the instance of Herodias, and on account of some disputes about their frontiers. A battle was fought, and Herod’s army entirely destroyed (Jos. Antt. xviii. 5. 1). On this Antipas, who was a favourite with Tiberius, sent to Rome for help: and Vitellius, the governor of Syria, was commissioned to march against Aretas, and take him, dead or alive. While on his march, he heard at Jerusalem of the death of Tiberius (March 16, a.d. 37), and πόλεμον ἐκφέρειν οὐκέθʼ ὁμοίως δυνάμενος διὰ τὸ εἰς Γάϊον μεταπεπτωκέναι τὰ πράγματα (Antt. xviii. 5. 3), abandoned his march, and sent his army into their winter quarters, himself returning to Antioch: Antt. ibid. This μεταπεπτωκέναι τὰ πρ. brought about a great change in the situation of Antipas and his enemy. Antipas was soon (a.d. 39) banished to Lyons, and his kingdom given to Agrippa, his foe (Antt. xviii. 7. 2), who had been living in habits of intimacy with the new emperor (xviii. 6. 5). It would be natural that Aretas, who had been grossly injured by Antipas, should, by this change of affairs, be received into favour; and the more so, as there was an old grudge between Vitellius and Antipas, of which Jos. says (Antt. xviii. 4. 5), ἔκρυπτεν ὀργήν, μέχρι δὴ καὶ μετῆλθε, Γαΐου τὴν ἀρχὴν παρειληφότος.

Now in the year 38 Caligula made several changes in the East, granting Ituræa to Soæmus, Lesser Armenia and parts of Arabia to Cotys, the territory of Cotys to Rhæmetalces,—and to Polemon, the son of Polemon, his father’s governments. These facts, coupled with that of no Damascene coins of Caligula and Claudius existing (which might be fortuitous, but acquires force when thus combined), make it probable that about this time Damascus, which belonged to the predecessors of Aretas (Jos. Antt. xiii. 5. 2), was granted to Aretas by Caligula. This would at once solve the difficulty. The other suppositions,—that the Ethnarch (see on 2Co 11:32) was only visiting the city (as if he could then have guarded the city to prevent Paul’s escape),—or that Aretas had seized Damascus on Vitellius giving up the expedition against him (as if a Roman governor or a province would, while waiting for orders from a new emperor, quietly allow one of its chief cities to taken from him), are in the highest degree improbable. The above is taken in substance from Wieseler, Chron. des Apost. Zeitalters, pp. 167-175. His argument from a coin βασιλέως Ἀρέτα φιλέλληνος does not seem conclusive, as it leaves the latter title altogether unaccounted for. It probably (C. and H. i. pp. 101 and 132) belongs to a former Aretas.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Laying await [επιβουλη] . So rendered by A. V. wherever it occurs, viz., ch. Act 20:3, 19; Act 23:30; but properly changed by Rev., in every case, to plot. "Laying await" refers rather to the execution of the plot than to the plot itself.

Watched. See on Mr 3:2. Imperfect : they were or kept watching, day and night.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.