SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:36
¶ Entonces en Jope había una discípula llamada Tabita, que si lo declaras, quiere decir Dorcas. Esta era llena de buenas obras y de limosnas que hacía.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 9:36
Verse 36. Now there was at Joppa] This was a sea-port town on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, about a day's journey from Jerusalem. It is supposed to be the same which is called in the Old Testament Japho, which belonged to the tribe of Dan, Joshua xix. 46. It is at present called Jaffa, and is still a place of considerable note. A certain disciple named Tabitha] This word is more properly Syriac than Hebrew. (Syriac) tebitho is the word in the Syriac version, and is their manner of writing the Hebrew ybx tsebi, the f teth being changed for the x tsaddi. The word (Syriac) tabio, and the feminine (Syriac) tabitho, have the same meaning as the Hebrew ybx tsebi and the Greek dorkav, Dorcas, and signify the gazel or antelope; and it is still customary in the east to give the names of beautiful animals to young women. The comparison of fine eyes to those of the antelope is continually occurring in the writings of the Arabic and Persian poets. The person in the tern probably had her name in the same way. She was very beautiful, and was therefore called Tabitha and Dorcas.
This woman was full of good works] She spent her life in acts of kindness and charity. Her soul was full of love to God and man; and her whole time was filled up with works of piety and mercy.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 36. Now there was at Joppa , etc.] The same with Japho, ( Joshua 19:46) a sea port town in the tribe of Dan, said by some historians to be a very ancient one, even before the flood. It is now called Jaffa, and its name, in the Hebrew tongue, signifies beauty: some say it had its name from Jope, the daughter of Aeolus, the wife of Cepheus, the founder of it; and others derive it from the name of Japhet, because it looks towards Europe, which is inhabited by the sons of Japhet. It was built upon a hill, as Pliny says; and so high, as Strabo reports, that Jerusalem, the metropolis of Judea, might be seen from thence, which was distant from it forty miles; as may be concluded from what Jerom, says, who lived at Bethlehem many years: his words are; from Joppa, to our little village Bethlehem, are forty six miles; now Bethlehem was six miles distant from Jerusalem, to the south of it, and Joppa was to the west of it. The place is well known by Jonahs taking ship there, and going for Tarshish, when he was cast into the sea, and devoured by a fish; from whence the Ionian sea might have its name: and this was the occasion of the fable of Andromeda being exposed to a fish of a prodigious size at this place; the bones of which, Pliny relates, were brought to Rome from hence, being forty foot long; and, the stones, to which she was bound, Jerom says, were shown in his time on this shore: and here also, the inhabitants report, may be seen some stones in the sea, on which Peter stood and fished, when he dwelt in this place. A certain disciple, called Tabitha ; this was a womans name, the masculine name was Tabi. R. Gamaliel had a manservant of this name f507 , and also a maidservant, whose name was Tabitha f508 ; yea, every maidservant of his was called mother Tabitha, and every manservant father Tabi f509 : which by interpretation is called Dorcas ; which signifies a roe in the Greek language, as Tabitha does in the Syriac: this woman was full of good works ; was constantly employed in doing good; her works were both many and good: and alms deeds which she did ; she was very kind and beneficent to the poor; she wrought with her hands much for their sakes, as appears by what follows.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 36-43 - Many are full of good words, who are empty and barren in good works but Tabitha was a great doer, no great talker. Christians who have no property to give in charity, may yet be able to do acts of charity working with their hands, or walking with their feet, for the good of others. Those are certainly best praised whose own works praise them whether the words of others do so or not. But such are ungratefu indeed, who have kindness shown them, and will not acknowledge it, by showing the kindness that is done them. While we live upon the fulnes of Christ for our whole salvation, we should desire to be full of goo works, for the honour of his name, and for the benefit of his saints Such characters as Dorcas are useful where they dwell, as showing the excellency of the word of truth by their lives. How mean then the care of the numerous females who seek no distinction but outward decoration and who waste their lives in the trifling pursuits of dress and vanity Power went along with the word, and Dorcas came to life. Thus in the raising of dead souls to spiritual life, the first sign of life is the opening of the eyes of the mind. Here we see that the Lord can make u every loss; that he overrules every event for the good of those wh trust in him, and for the glory of his name __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
εν 1722 PREP ιοππη 2445 N-DSF δε 1161 CONJ τις 5100 X-NSM ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S μαθητρια 3102 N-NSF ονοματι 3686 N-DSN ταβιθα 5000 N-PRI η 3739 R-NSF διερμηνευομενη 1329 5746 V-PPP-NSF λεγεται 3004 5743 V-PPI-3S δορκας 1393 N-NSF αυτη 846 P-NSF 3778 D-NSF ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S πληρης 4134 A-NSF αγαθων 18 A-GPN εργων 2041 N-GPN και 2532 CONJ ελεημοσυνων 1654 N-GPF ων 3739 R-GPF εποιει 4160 5707 V-IAI-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
36. Disciple (maqhtria). A feminine form, only here in New Testament. Tabitha - Dorcas. The latter word being the Greek equivalent of the former, which is Aramaic, and meaning gazelle, which in the East was a favorite type of beauty. See Song of Solomon ii. 9, 17; iv. 5; vii. 3. It was customary at this time for the Jews to have two names, one Hebrew and the other Greek or Latin; and this would especially be the case in a seaport like Joppa, which was both a Gentile and a Jewish town. She may have been known by both names.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
9:36 {At Joppa} (en ioppei). The modern Jaffa, the port of Jerusalem (#2Ch 2:16). {Disciple} (maqetria). Feminine form of maqetes, a learner from manqanw, to learn, a late word and only here in the N.T. {Tabitha} (tabeiqa). Aramaic form of the Hebrew _Tsebi_ and, like the Greek word {Dorcas} (dorkas), means Gazelle, "the creature with the beautiful look" (or eyes), from derkomai. The gazelle was a favorite type for beauty in the orient (Song of Solomon #2:9,17; 4:5; 7:3). She may have had both the Aramaic and the Greek name, Tabitha Dorcas like John Mark. There is nothing said about a husband and so she was probably unmarried. She is the second woman mentioned by name after Pentecost (Sapphira the other). She did her beautiful deeds by herself. She did not have a Dorcas society. {Did} (epoiei). Imperfect active, her habit.
