the formal commission of Saul as the "Apostle of the Gentiles." The first word in that verse is translated in the common English version, "delivering;" whereas, the original, [Greek: Exairoumenos], means also "taking out," "choosing;" and is clearly shown by Bretschneider, sub voc. in numerous references to the usages of the LXX., and by Kuinoel, in loc., to bear this latter meaning here. Rosenmueller and others however, have been led, by the circumstance that Hesychius gives the meaning of "rescue," to prefer that. Rosenmueller's remark, that the context demands this meaning, is however certainly unauthorized; for, on this same ground, Kuinoel bases the firmest support of the meaning of "choice." The meaning of "rescue" was indeed the only one formerly received, but the lights of modern exegesis have added new distinctness and aptness to the passage, by the meaning adopted above. Beza, Piscator, Pagninus, Arias Montanus, Castalio, &c., as well as the oriental versions, are all quoted by Poole in defense of the common rendering, nor does he seem to know of the sense now received. But Saul was truly chosen, both "out of the people" of Israel, (because he was a Jew by birth and religion,) "and out of the heathen," (because he was born and brought up among the Grecians, and therefore was taken out from among them, as a minister of grace to them,) and the whole passage is thus shown to be most beautifully just to the circumstances which so eminently fitted him for his Gentile apostleship. The Greek verb used in the conclusion of the passage, is the consecrating word, [Greek: apostellô], (apostello,) and makes up the formula of his apostolic commission, which is there given in language worthy of the vast and eternal scope of the sense,—words fit to be spoken from heaven, in thunder, amid the flash of lightnings, that called the bloody-minded, bitter, maddened persecutor, to the peaceful, devoted, unshrinking testimony of the cause, against the friends of which he before breathed only threatenings and slaughter.
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[Greek: Exairoumenos se ek tou laou kai <g>tôn ethnôn</g>, eis hous nyn se APOSTELLÔ .]
All this took place while the whole company of travelers were lying prostrate on the ground, stunned and almost senseless. Of all those present, however, Saul only heard these solemn words of warning, command, and prophecy, thus sent from heaven in thunder; for he himself afterwards, in narrating these awful events before the Jewish multitude, expressly declares "the men that were with me, saw the light, indeed, and were afraid; but they heard NOT the voice of him who spoke to me." And though in the previous statement given by Luke, in the regular course of the narrative, it is said that "the men who journeyed with Saul were speechless,—hearing a voice, but seeing no man;" yet the
