Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 13:19
And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
19. seven nations ] They are enumerated (Deu 7:1) before the people went over the Jordan, viz. the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
In the latter part of this verse and in the next the oldest authorities read, “He gave their land for an heritage, about the space of four hundred and fifty years; and after these things he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.” This text would carry back the possession of the land to the first promise thereof at the time when Abram was called, for according to the received chronology about four hundred and fifty years elapsed between that event and the death of Joshua.
On Samuel, as the prophet par excellence, cp. Act 3:24 note.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And when he had destroyed – Subdued, cast out, or extirpated them as nations. It does not mean that all were put to death, for many of them were left in the land; but that they were subdued as nations, they were broken up and overcome, Deu 7:1, And hath cast out many nations before them, etc.
Seven nations – The Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, Deu 7:1; Jos 3:10; Neh 9:8.
In the land of Canaan – The whole land Was called by the name of one of the principal nations. This was the promised land; the holy land, etc.
He divided … – See an account of this in Jos. 1415: The lot was often used among the Jews to determine important questions. See the note at Act 1:26.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. Destroyed seven nations] The Canaanites, Hittites, Girgasites, Amorites, Hivites, Peresites, and Jebusites. The rabbins frequently call them Shebaah Omoth, the Seven Nations.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
These seven nations are mentioned, Jos 3:10.
He divided their land to them by lot; the lot being disposed only as God would, Pro 16:33. And it was but reasonable that God, having miraculously got this land, (for the Israelites did rather go to take possession of it than to fight for it), and assumed a special right unto it, that he should divide it to whom he pleased, and in what proportions he thought good.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan,…. The Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites, and Girgashites; and the name of seven nations is what they are usually called by in Jewish writings; and though they were not utterly destroyed, or everyone of them put to death, or driven out, for some remained to be thorns in the sides of the Israelites; yet they were so wasted and conquered, that they could never recover any more: he divided their land to them; every tribe had its portion of it assigned, by lot; see Jos 14:1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When he had destroyed (). Second aorist active participle of , to tear down, old verb.
He gave them for an inheritance (). First aorist active indicative of the double compound verb —, late verb in LXX (Num 34:18; Deut 3:28; Josh 14:1) and only here in the N.T., to distribute by lot, to distribute as an inheritance. This is the correct reading and not from of the Textus Receptus. These two verbs were confused in the MSS. of the LXX as well as here.
For about four hundred and fifty years ( ). Associative instrumental case with an expression of time as in Acts 8:11; Luke 8:29 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 527). The oldest MSS. (Aleph A B C Vg Sah Boh) place these figures before “after these things” and so in verse 19. This is the true reading and is in agreement with the notation in 1Ki 6:1. The difficulty found in the Textus Receptus (King James Version) thus disappears with the true text. The four hundred and fifty years runs therefore from the birth of Isaac to the actual conquest of Canaan and does not cover the period of the Judges. See on Ac 7:6.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Divided by lot [] . The A. V. gives the literal rendering. The Rev., gave them their land for an inheritance, is correct, so far as the meaning inheritance is concerned (see on 1Pe 1:4), but does not give the sense of distribution which is contained in the word.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And when He had destroyed seven nations,” (kai kathelon ethne hepte) “And when He had destroyed, scattered, or dispersed seven nations,” of the idolatrous Canaanites who dwelt in the promised land territory west of the Jordan River. They were the: 1) Hittites, 2) Girgashites, 3) Amorites, 4) Canaanites, 5) Perizzites, 6) Hivites, and 7) Jebusites, They were seven heathen nations, Deu 7:1.
2) “In the land of Canaan,” (en ge chanaan) “in the land (territory) of Canaan,” that portion of the Abrahamic covenant land grant laying west of the Jordan River, Gen 15:18; Gen 17:8. The legal or survey for the land division is recounted, Num 26:52-55; Num 34:1-29.
3) “He divided their land to them by lot.” (katekleronomesen ten gen auton) “He gave to them (Israel) the land as their inheritance,” the land called Canaan, also known as Palestine, with a partial inheritance having been extended east of the Jordan River, for two tribes and an half tribe, while the Levites had no land-grant inheritance or estate, Jos 13:7; Jos 14:1-5.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(19) He divided their land to them by lot.Accepting this reading, the reference is to the command given in Num. 26:55-56, and recorded as carried into effect in Joshua 14-19. The better MSS., however, give a kindred word, which signifies he gave as an inheritance.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. Seven nations The names of which may be found in Deu 7:1.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.
Ver. 19. And when he had destroyed seven nations ] Who had “filled the land from one end to another with their uncleanness,” Ezr 9:11 ; so that God was forced to sweep it with the besom of destruction; like as, before that, the face of the old world was grown so foul that God was fain to wash it with a flood.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
19. ] See Deu 7:1 ; Jos 3:10 ; Jos 24:11 .
The unusual transitive sense of , justified by reff. LXX, has not been understood by the copyists, and has led to the rec. reading.
From the occurrence of manifest references, in these opening verses of the speech, to Deu 1 and Isa 1 , combined with the fact that these two chapters form the present lessons in the synagogues on one and the same sabbath, Bengel and Stier conclude that they had been then read. It may have been so: but see on Act 13:15 .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Act 13:19 . , cf. Deu 7:1 . In LXX the stronger verb is used, but in LXX often means to destroy, Jer 24:6 , Psa 27:5 , and so in classical Greek. Weiss prefers the force of the verb as in Luk 1:52 , to cast down, i.e. , from their sovereignty. – , see critical notes. If we adopt reading of R.V. W.H [260] : “he gave them their land for an inheritance”.
[260] Westcott and Hort’s The New Testament in Greek: Critical Text and Notes.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
when He had = having. seven. See Deu 7:1.
nations. Greek. ethnos.
divided . . . by lot = gave by lot. Greek. kataklerodoteo. Only here. Compare Septuagint, Psa 77:55. But texts read katakleronomeo, distributed by lot. Frequently in Septuagint; e.g. Num 33:54.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
19. ] See Deu 7:1; Jos 3:10; Jos 24:11.
The unusual transitive sense of , justified by reff. LXX, has not been understood by the copyists, and has led to the rec. reading.
From the occurrence of manifest references, in these opening verses of the speech, to Deuteronomy 1 and Isaiah 1, combined with the fact that these two chapters form the present lessons in the synagogues on one and the same sabbath, Bengel and Stier conclude that they had been then read. It may have been so: but see on Act 13:15.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Act 13:19. , seven nations) Deu 7:1. [There were ten in all, Gen 15:19-21 (where the Rephaims stand instead of the Hivites, and the Kenites, Kenizzites, and Kadmonites are added to the seven); but seven were destroyed by Joshua.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
when: Act 7:45, Deu 7:1, Jos 24:11, Neh 9:24, Psa 78:55
Chanaan: Gen 12:5, Gen 17:8, Psa 135:11, Canaan
he divided: Num 26:53-56, Jos 14:1, Jos 18:10, Jos 23:4, Psa 78:55
Reciprocal: Jos 18:6 – that I may cast Jos 18:9 – into seven Isa 34:17 – he hath cast Jon 1:7 – and let Hab 3:12 – didst march Act 1:26 – they
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9
Act 13:19. The seven nations are named in Deu 7:1. Joshua conquered 31 kings (chapter 12:24), but many of them ruled only over single cities. The seven nations were important groups in Canaan. The division of the land is in Joshua, chapters 15, 16 and 17, and the division was decided by means of the lot.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 13:19. Seven nations in the land of Chanaan. Compare Deu 7:1. These seven were the principal and most powerful tribes of Canaan.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Act 13:19-20. And when he had destroyed seven nations Enumerated Deu 7:1; in the land of Chanaan Where they had been long settled, and had erected many kingdoms, defended by fortifications of great strength, as well as by numerous forces of horse and foot; he divided their land Even the whole country; to them by lot Or, for an inheritance, as , seems rather to signify, and supported them in it for many generations. After that he gave them judges By whose heroic interposition he delivered them from those repeated oppressions and miseries which their frequent revolts to idolatry had brought upon them; until Samuel the prophet Who was the last of these extraordinary leaders and magistrates. About the space of four hundred and fifty years As the course of the sacred history will by no means permit us to imagine that the judges, in their succession, continued four hundred and fifty years after the settlement of Israel in Canaan, it being stated, (1Ki 6:1,) that Solomon began to build the temple in the four hundred and eightieth year after they came out of Egypt; therefore, Sir Norton Knatchbull (with whom Bengelius, Doddridge, and many other learned men agree) is of opinion, that the apostle is not to be understood as signifying, how long God gave them judges, but when he gave them. He therefore refers the first words of this verse, , to the words going before, (Act 13:17,) that is, to the time when the God of the children of Israel chose their fathers: and points and renders them thus: And afterward, about four hundred and fifty years, or, and about four hundred and fifty years afterward, he gave them judges, &c.; according to which sense, he observes, the old Latin and the Ethiopic interpreters read the passage; adding, (Annot. on some difficult Texts in the New Testament, p. 131,) now this time, wherein God may properly be said to have chosen their fathers, about four hundred and fifty years before he gave them judges, is by them computed from the birth of Isaac, in whom God may properly be said to have chosen their fathers; for in his family the covenant was to rest. And, to make this computation evident: From the birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob, are sixty years; from thence to their going into Egypt, one hundred and thirty; from thence to their coming out, two hundred and ten; from thence to their entrance into the land of Canaan, forty; and from thence to the division of the land, the time wherein it had rest, (about which time, it is probable, they began to settle their government by judges,) seven years; which, altogether, make up four hundred and forty-seven. And if it should be reckoned from the year before, when God established his covenant between himself and Abraham, and all his seed after him, (Gen 17:19,) then it will be four hundred and forty-eight years, which comes one nearer to our number of four hundred and fifty; and answers sufficiently the apostles manner of expression, , about four hundred and fifty years.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
See notes one verse 17