SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:11
Y el Seor le dijo : Levntate, y ve a la calle que se llama la Derecha, y busca en casa de Judas a uno llamado Saulo, de Tarso; porque he aquí, l ora;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 9:11
Verse 11. Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight] How very particular is this direction! And it was necessary that it should be so, that he might see the whole to be a Divine communication; the house was probably one in which Saul was accustomed to reside when at Damascus; and where he was known as a native of Tarsus. Tarsus was a city of Cilicia, seated on the Cydnus, and now called Tarasso. It was, at one period, the capital of all Cilicia, and became a rival to Alexandria and Athens in the arts and sciences. The inhabitants, in the time of Julius Caesar, having shown themselves friendly to the Romans, were endowed with all the privileges of Roman citizens; and it was on this account that St. Paul claimed the rights of a Roman citizen; a circumstance which, on different occasions, was to him, and the cause in which he was engaged, of considerable service.
Behold, he prayeth] He is earnestly seeking to know my will, and to find the salvation of his soul; therefore, go speedily, and direct him. Some have laid needless stress on these words, as if they intimated, that "though Saul as a Pharisee had often said his prayers, yet he had never prayed them till now." This is not correct: he could himself testify that, while he was a Pharisee, he had lived in all good conscience towards God; and consequently, in that time, made many faithful and fervent prayers; but he was praying now for instruction, and his prayers were speedily answered.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. And the Lord said unto him, arise , etc.] Quickly, directly, immediately, from off thy bed; the case required haste and dispatch: and go into the street which is called Straight ; a street in the city of Damascus so called; the streets of cities were called by different names, to distinguish them as ours now are. So in Jerusalem there was the street of the house of God, which led to the temple, ( Ezra 10:9) and the upper street, in which idolatrous Gentiles, and such as were fullers by trade, dwelt f465 ; and the street of the butchers; and the street of the wool staplers f466 : and this street in Damascus might be called Straight; because it might be a long straight street, without any windings and turnings, which might go through the city. Whether or no this was one of the streets which Benhadad allowed Ahab to make in Damascus, ( 1 Kings 20:34) cannot be said; and inquire in the house of Judas ; which was in that street: who this Judas was is not certain, that he was a Jew appears by his name, but whether a believing, or an unbelieving Jew, is not known; however, he was Sauls host, and if this was the house he was recommended to from Jerusalem, or designed to go to when he set out from thence, it is very probable he was an unbeliever; but if it was an house he pitched on after his conversion, it is likely this Judas was a believer, and whether the same with Judas surnamed Barsabas may be considered, who is mentioned in ( Acts 15:22,32) however, at this mans house Ananias was to inquire for one called Saul of Tarsus ; or Saul by name the Tarsian. So it is said of Bigthan and Teresh, ( Esther 6:2) that they were yysrj yn , two Tarsians, perhaps citizens of Tarsus, as Saul was. Tarsus was a city in Cilicia, and which Solinus calls the mother of cities, and is the same with the Tarshish of the Old Testament; here Saul was born, and of it he was a citizen; ( Acts 21:39, 22:3) and therefore is here called Saul of Tarsus, or Saul the Tarsian: for behold he prayeth : so as he had never prayed before; now he prayed with the Spirit, and with the understanding, from a feeling sense of his wants, for spiritual blessings, such as he had no knowledge of, nor desire after before. God has no stillborn children; as soon as any are quickened by his grace, they cry unto him; prayer is the breath of a regenerate man, and shows him to be alive. He who before was breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of Christ, now breathes after communion with Christ and them. This is said, no doubt, to encourage Ananias to go to him. The Syriac and Arabic versions place this clause at the beginning of the next verse, for behold, whilst he prayed he saw, etc. the Ethiopic version has it not.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 10-22 - A good work was begun in Saul, when he was brought to Christ's fee with those words, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And never di Christ leave any who were brought to that. Behold, the proud Pharisee the unmerciful oppressor, the daring blasphemer, prayeth! And thus it is even now, and with the proud infidel, or the abandoned sinner. What happy tidings are these to all who understand the nature and power of prayer, of such prayer as the humbled sinner presents for the blessing of free salvation! Now he began to pray after another manner than he had done; before, he said his prayers, now, he prayed them Regenerating grace sets people on praying; you may as well find living man without breath, as a living Christian without prayer. Ye even eminent disciples, like Ananias, sometimes stagger at the command of the Lord. But it is the Lord's glory to surpass our scant expectations, and show that those are vessels of his mercy whom we ar apt to consider as objects of his vengeance. The teaching of the Holy Spirit takes away the scales of ignorance and pride from the understanding; then the sinner becomes a new creature, and endeavour to recommend the anointed Saviour, the Son of God, to his forme companions.
Greek Textus Receptus
ο 3588 T-NSM δε 1161 CONJ κυριος 2962 N-NSM προς 4314 PREP αυτον 846 P-ASM αναστας 450 5631 V-2AAP-NSM πορευθητι 4198 5676 V-AOM-2S επι 1909 PREP την 3588 T-ASF ρυμην 4505 N-ASF την 3588 T-ASF καλουμενην 2564 5746 V-PPP-ASF ευθειαν 2117 A-ASF και 2532 CONJ ζητησον 2212 5657 V-AAM-2S εν 1722 PREP οικια 3614 N-DSF ιουδα 2455 N-GSM σαυλον 4569 N-ASM ονοματι 3686 N-DSN ταρσεα 5018 N-ASM ιδου 2400 5628 V-2AAM-2S γαρ 1063 CONJ προσευχεται 4336 5736 V-PNI-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
11. Street (rumhn). See on Luke xiv. 21. A narrow street or lane.Straight. So called from its running in a direct line from the eastern to the western gate of the city.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
9:11 {To the street} (epi ten rhumen). See on Lu 14:21. A run way (from rhew, to run) between the houses. So were the narrow lanes or alleys called streets and finally in later Greek the word is applied to streets even when broad. {Straight} (euqeian). Most of the city lanes were crooked like the streets of Boston (old cow-paths, people say), but this one still runs "in a direct line from the eastern to the western gate of the city" (Vincent). Since the ancients usually rebuilt on the same sites, it is probable that the line of the street of that name today is the same, though the actual level has been much raised. Hence the identification of the house of Ananias and the house of Judas are very precarious.
