Acts 9:24
in Acts 9but Saul learned of their plot. Day and night they watched the city gates in order to kill him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
but their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates also day and night that they might kill him:
KJV
But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
⋯
This verse in Acts 9
Commentary
7 notes on this verseBut 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.
This site's exposition
the Jews conspired to kill him
on Acts 9:23-25
The Jews conspired to kill Saul and watched the city gates day and night, so the persecutor is now the one hunted. His disciples lowered him in a basket through the wall, an escape Paul recounts in 2 Corinthians 11:32 to 33.
This site's exposition
they watched the city gates
Paul's own account in 2 Corinthians 11:32 adds that the governor under King Aretas guarded the city, as Albert Barnes notes. Adam Clarke explains that Aretas ruled Damascus then and was at war with Herod, who had put away his daughter. Chrysostom observes that Saul escaped by ordinary human means.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him." For this was more intolerable to them than the miracles which had taken place-than the five thousand, the three thousand, than everything, in short. And observe him, how he is delivered, not by miraculous grace, but by man's wisdom-not as the apostles were-that thou mayest learn the energetic character of the man, how he shines even without miracles.
The Medieval Church1 voice
The Jews made a council to kill him. But the plot against Paul was known to him; and they watched the gates of the city day and night to kill him. It was not the Jews who kept watch, but the citizens themselves with their …
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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.
The words behind it
19 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐγνώσθη | egnosthe | became known | G1097 → | 221 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Σαύλῳ | saulo | to Saul | G4569 → | 15 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐπιβουλὴ | epiboule | plot | G1917 → | 4 times |
| αὐτῶν. | auton | of them. | G846 → | 5565 times |
| παρετηροῦντο | pareterounto | They were themselves watching | G3906 → | |
| δὲ | de | now | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὰς | tas | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πύλας | pulas | gates | G4439 → | 10 times |
| ἡμέρας | hemeras | by day | G2250 → | 389 times |
| τε | te | and | G5037 → | 213 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| νυκτός, | nuktos | night, | G3571 → | 61 times |
| ὅπως | hopos | so that | G3704 → | 52 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἀνέλωσιν· | anelosin | they may execute; | G337 → | 24 times |
ἐγνώσθηbecame known
egnostheG1097 →221 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
Σαύλῳto Saul
sauloG4569 →15 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
ἐπιβουλὴplot
epibouleG1917 →4 times
αὐτῶν.of them.
autonG846 →5565 times
παρετηροῦντοThey were themselves watching
pareterountoG3906 →
δὲnow
deG1161 →2765 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὰςthe
tasG3588 →19766 times
πύλαςgates
pulasG4439 →10 times
ἡμέραςby day
hemerasG2250 →389 times
τεand
teG5037 →213 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
νυκτός,night,
nuktosG3571 →61 times
ὅπωςso that
hoposG3704 →52 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
ἀνέλωσιν·they may execute;
anelosinG337 →24 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 20:3where he stayed three months. And when the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 11:26
In my frequent journeys, I have been in danger from rivers and from bandits, in danger from my countrymen and from the Gentiles, in danger in the city and in the country, in danger…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 20:19
I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.
- Acts 25:3
to grant them a concession against Paul by summoning him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
- 2 Corinthians 11:26
Through
Acts 20:19I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, especially in the trials that came upon me through the plots of the Jews.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:24
because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
- 2 Corinthians 2:4
For through many tears I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart, not to grieve you but to let you know how much I love you.
- Acts 20:3
where he stayed three months. And when the Jews formed a plot against him as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia.
- Romans 12:11
Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
- 2 Corinthians 4:7–11
Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.
- Colossians 3:24
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Retractions on Acts; J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 20; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.