Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 21:5
Verse 5. When we had accomplished those days] That is, the seven days mentioned in the preceding verse. And they all brought us on our way, with wives and children] It is not likely that Paul, Silas, Luke, &c., had either wives or children with them; and it is more natural to suppose that the brethren of Tyre, with their wives and children are those that are meant; these, through affection to the apostles, accompanied them from their homes to the ship; and the coming out of the husbands, wives, and children, shows what a general and affectionate interest the preaching and private conversation of these holy men had excited.
Kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.] As God fills heaven and earth, so he may be worshipped every where; as well, when circumstances require it, on the seashore as in the temple. We have already seen, in the case of Lydia, that the Jews had proseuchas by the river sides, &c.; and an observation in Tertullian seems to intimate that they preferred such places, and in the open air offered their petitions to God by the seashore: Omissis templis, per omne littus, quocumque in aperto aliquando jam preces ad coelum mittunt. Tertul. de Jejunio.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 5. And when we had accomplished those days , etc.] The seven days before mentioned: we departed and went our way ; from their quarters where they lodged, or from some one house of the disciples, where they met, and had conversed together: and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city ; that is, the disciples, even all of them that dwelt in that city, with their whole families, their wives and children, accompanied the apostle and those that were with him, through the streets of the city of Tyre, till they came out of it to the shore, where lay the ship they were to go aboard; and which was a mark of their affection and respect to the apostle, as well as a token of their public spirit, that they were not ashamed of Christ and his ministers, nor of their profession of the Gospel: and we kneeled down on the shore and prayed ; which was agreeably to the custom of the Jews, who had, as Tertullian observes f1077 , their orationes litterales, their prayers at the sea shore; (see Gill on Acts 16:13).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - Providence must be acknowledged when our affairs go on well. Whereve Paul came, he inquired what disciples were there, and found them out Foreseeing his troubles, from love to him, and concern for the church they wrongly thought it would be most for the glory of God that he should continue at liberty; but their earnestness to dissuade him from it, renders his pious resolution the more illustrious. He has taught u by example, as well as by rule, to pray always, to pray withou ceasing. Their last farewell was sweetened with prayer.
Greek Textus Receptus
οτε 3753 ADV δε 1161 CONJ εγενετο 1096 5633 V-2ADI-3S ημας 2248 P-1AP εξαρτισαι 1822 5658 V-AAN τας 3588 T-APF ημερας 2250 N-APF εξελθοντες 1831 5631 V-2AAP-NPM επορευομεθα 4198 5711 V-INI-1P προπεμποντων 4311 5723 V-PAP-GPM ημας 2248 P-1AP παντων 3956 A-GPM συν 4862 PREP γυναιξιν 1135 N-DPF και 2532 CONJ τεκνοις 5043 N-DPN εως 2193 CONJ εξω 1854 ADV της 3588 T-GSF πολεως 4172 N-GSF και 2532 CONJ θεντες 5087 5631 V-2AAP-NPM τα 3588 T-APN γονατα 1119 N-APN επι 1909 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM αιγιαλον 123 N-ASM προσηυξαμεθα 4336 5662 V-ADI-1P
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. Accomplished (exartisai). Only here and 2 Tim. iii. 17, where it is used in the sense of equip or furnish.Children. The first time that children are mentioned in the notice of a Christian church.
Shore (aigialon). Rev., beach. See on Matt. xiii. 2.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
21:5 {That we had accomplished the days} (exartisai hemas tas hemeras). First aorist active infinitive of exartizw, to furnish perfectly, rare in ancient writers, but fairly frequent in the papyri. Only twice in the N.T., here and #2Ti 3:17. Finish the exact number of days (seven) of verse #4. The accusative of general reference hemas is the usual construction and the infinitive clause is the subject of egeneto. We departed and went on our journey (exelqontes eporeuomeqa). Sharp distinction between the first aorist active participle exelqontes (from exercomai, to go out) and the imperfect middle eporeuomeqa from poreuw (we were going on). {And they all, with wives and children, brought us on our way} (propempontwn hemas pantwn sun gunaixi kai teknois). No "and" in the Greek, simply genitive absolute, "They all with wives and children accompanying us," just as at Miletus (#20:28), same verb propempw which see. The first mention of children in connection with the apostolic churches (Vincent). Vivid picture here as at Miletus, evident touch of an eyewitness. {Till we were out of the city} (hews exw tes polews). Note both adverbial prepositions (hews exw) clear outside of the city.
