SEV Biblia, Chapter 12:13
Y tocando Pedro a la puerta del patio, sali una muchacha, para escuchar, llamada Rode,
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 12:13
Verse 13. As Peter knocked] The door was probably shut for fear of the Jews; and, as most of the houses in the east have an area before the door, it might have been at this outer gate that Peter stood knocking. A damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.] She came to inquire who was there. Rhoda signifies a rose; and it appears to have been customary with he Jews, as Grotius and others remark, to give the names of flowers and trees to their daughters: thus Susannah signifies a lily, Hadassah, a myrtle, Tamar, a palm tree, &c., &c.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate , etc. The lesser door in the great gate, or the door of the porch through which they entered into the house. So the Jews distinguish between jtp , the door, and r[ , the gate; (see Judges 18:16,17) ( Ezekiel 40:11) where the Septuagint use the same words as here. Kimchi says, jtp , the door is what is of the gate, without the folding doors; for all is called r[ , the gate, whether within or without, with the folding doors, and the outward threshold, as that is joined to the side posts and lintel.
The door was kept shut, for fear of the Jews, lest they should be disturbed: here Peter stood and knocked: a damsel came to hearken ; hearing a knocking, she came out to the door, and listened, to try if she could know who it was, a friend or a foe, before she opened; or she came to answer, as the Syriac version renders it, to know who was there, and what he or she wanted, and to give an answer.
And the damsel was named Rhoda , which signifies a rose in the Greek language: so the Jewish women often had their names, in the Hebrew tongue, from flowers and trees, as Susanna from a lily, or rose: and which, perhaps, was the Hebrew name of this damsel; and Esther was called Hadassah, from the myrtle tree.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-19 - God's providence leaves room for the use of our prudence, though he ha undertaken to perform and perfect what he has begun. These Christian continued in prayer for Peter, for they were truly in earnest. Thus me ought always to pray, and not to faint. As long as we are kept waitin for a mercy, we must continue praying for it. But sometimes that whic we most earnestly wish for, we are most backward to believe. The Christian law of self-denial and of suffering for Christ, has not don away the natural law of caring for our own safety by lawful means. I times of public danger, all believers have God for their hiding-place which is so secret, that the world cannot find them. Also, the instruments of persecution are themselves exposed to danger; the wrat of God hangs over all that engage in this hateful work. And the rang of persecutors often vents itself on all in its way.
Greek Textus Receptus
κρουσαντος 2925 5660 V-AAP-GSM δε 1161 CONJ του 3588 T-GSM πετρου 4074 N-GSM την 3588 T-ASF θυραν 2374 N-ASF του 3588 T-GSM πυλωνος 4440 N-GSM προσηλθεν 4334 5627 V-2AAI-3S παιδισκη 3814 N-NSF υπακουσαι 5219 5658 V-AAN ονοματι 3686 N-DSN ροδη 4498 N-NSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
13. Door of the gate. The small outside door, forming the entrance from the street, and opening into the pulwn, or doorway, the passage from the street into the court. Others explain it as the wicket, a small door in the larger one, which is less probable.A damsel (paidiskh). Or maid. The word was used of a young female slave, as well as of a young girl or maiden generally. The narrative implies that she was more than a mere menial, if a servant at all. Her prompt recognition of Peter's voice, and her joyful haste, as well as the record of her name, indicate that she was one of the disciples gathered for prayer. Rhoda. Rose. The Jews frequently gave their female children the names of plants and flowers: as Susannah (lily); Esther (myrtle); Tamar (palm-tree). "God, who leaves in oblivion names of mighty conquerors, treasures up that of a poor girl, for his church in all ages" (Quesnel).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
12:13 {When he knocked at the door of the gate} (krousantos autou ten quran tou pulwnos). Genitive absolute with aorist active participle of krouw, common verb to knock or knock at. So from the outside (#Lu 13:25). pulwn here is the gateway or passageway from the door (qura) that leads to the house. In verse #14 it is still the passageway without the use of qura (door, so for both door and passageway). {To answer} (hupakousai). To listen under before opening. First aorist active infinitive of hupakouw, common verb to obey, to hearken. {A maid} (paidiske). Portress as in #Joh 18:17. A diminutive of pais, a female slave (so on an ostracon of second century A.D., Deissmann, _Light from the Ancient East_, p. 200). {Rhoda}. A rose. Women can have such beautiful names like Dorcas (Gazelle), Euodia (Sweet Aroma), Syntyche (Good Luck). Mark or Peter could tell Luke her name.
