Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Acts 8:27

The second ὃς omitted with אACD. It is unrepresented in the Vulg.

27. ἀνὴρ Αἰθίοψ. The deletion of the second ὂς in this verse leaves the nominative with a verb to which it may be joined, which was not the case in the Text. recept.

Ethiopia, like Cush in the O.T., is a general name given to the country which is now called Nubia and Abyssinia. Its northern portion was the great kingdom of Meroë, which we know was ruled over by queens for a long period (Plin. H. N. VI. 29), and it is from this kingdom, most probably, that the eunuch had come. Jews were abundant in Egypt, and this man had become a proselyte to their religion.

Κανδάκης, of Candace. We are told by Pliny (l. c.) that this was the name of a series of queens of Meroë, just as Pharaoh at an early period, and Ptolemy subsequently, were general names for the kings of Egypt, and Cæsar for the Roman emperors.

ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς γάζης αὐτῆς, over all her treasure, γάζα is a word of Persian origin, and is found in nearly the same form in the Hebrew text of Ezra 5:17; Ezra 6:1; Ezra 7:20, and Esther 4:7, into which books it has come directly from the Persian.

ἐληλύθει προσκυνήσων, had come to worship, which proselytes did, as well as Jews. This we learn from the enumeration of those who were present at the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:10), among whom proselytes are expressly named. So (John 12:20) we find Greeks coming up to the feasts at Jerusalem.

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Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Acts 8:27

Old Testament

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