SEV Biblia, Chapter 9:4
y cayendo en tierra, oyó una voz que le decía: Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 9:4
Verse 4. And he fell to the earth] Being struck down with the lightning: many persons suppose he was on horseback, and painters thus represent him; but this is utterly without foundation. Painters are, in almost every case, wretched commentators.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. And he fell to the earth , etc.] Not being able to bear the light, and still less the divine glory and majesty which he perceived was present; and therefore, in great confusion, amazement, and fear, he fell with his face to the ground, and lay there prostrate and so did also those that were with him, ( Acts 26:14) and heard a voice, saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? this voice was the real voice of Christ in his human nature, and who visibly and in person appeared, and was seen by the apostle; ( Acts 26:16, Corinthians 15:8) the language he spoke in was the Hebrew tongue, and he calls him by his Hebrew name Saul, and which is doubled to denote vehemency and affection; (See Gill on “ Luke 22:31”) he knew him as one of his sheep, though straying, and calls him by name, and expostulates with him, wherefore he should persecute him in his members as he did; for the union between Christ and his people is so close, that what is done to them is done to him. There seems to be a considerable emphasis on the word “me”; “me”, who have been they surety from everlasting; “me”, who hath loved thee and given myself for thee; “me”, who have shed my blood, laid down my life, and died for thee; “me”, who am now at my Father’s right hand, interceding for thee, that grace might be bestowed upon thee, the set time being now come.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - So ill informed was Saul, that he thought he ought to do all he coul against the name of Christ, and that he did God service thereby; he seemed to breathe in this as in his element. Let us not despair of renewing grace for the conversion of the greatest sinners, nor let suc despair of the pardoning mercy of God for the greatest sin. It is signal token of Divine favour, if God, by the inward working of his grace, or the outward events of his providence, stops us from prosecuting or executing sinful purposes. Saul saw that Just One, ch 22:14; 26:13. How near to us is the unseen world! It is but for God to draw aside the veil, and objects are presented to the view, compare with which, whatever is most admired on earth is mean and contemptible Saul submitted without reserve, desirous to know what the Lord Jesu would have him to do. Christ's discoveries of himself to poor souls ar humbling; they lay them very low, in mean thoughts of themselves. For three days Saul took no food, and it pleased God to leave him for tha time without relief. His sins were now set in order before him; he wa in the dark concerning his own spiritual state, and wounded in spiri for sin. When a sinner is brought to a proper sense of his own stat and conduct, he will cast himself wholly on the mercy of the Saviour asking what he would have him to do. God will direct the humble sinner, and though he does not often bring transgressors to joy an peace in believing, without sorrows and distress of conscience, unde which the soul is deeply engaged as to eternal things, yet happy ar those who sow in tears, for they shall reap in joy.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ πεσων 4098 5631 V-2AAP-NSM επι 1909 PREP την 3588 T-ASF γην 1093 N-ASF ηκουσεν 191 5656 V-AAI-3S φωνην 5456 N-ASF λεγουσαν 3004 5723 V-PAP-ASF αυτω 846 P-DSM σαουλ 4549 N-PRI σαουλ 4549 N-PRI τι 5101 I-ASN με 3165 P-1AS διωκεις 1377 5719 V-PAI-2S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. Saying. In Paul's own account he says that the words were spoken in Hebrew (ch. xxvi. 14).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
9:4 {He fell upon the earth} (peswn epi ten gen). Second aorist active participle. So in #22:7 Paul says: "I fell unto the ground" (epesa eis to edafos) using an old word rather than the common gˆn. In #26:14 Paul states that "we were all fallen to the earth" (pantwn katapesontwn hemwn eis ten gen, genitive absolute construction). But here in verse #7 "the men that journeyed with him stood speechless" (histekeisan eneoi). But surely the points of time are different. In #26:14 Paul refers to the first appearance of the vision when all fell to the earth. Here in verse #7 Luke refers to what occurred after the vision when both Saul and the men had risen from the ground. {Saul, Saul} (saoul, saoul). The Hebrew form occurs also in #22:7; 26:14 where it is expressly stated that the voice was in the Hebrew (Aramaic) tongue as also in #9:17 (Ananias). Deissmann (_Bible Studies_, p. 316) terms this use of saoul "the historian's sense of liturgical rhythm." For the repetition of names by Jesus note #Lu 10:41 (Martha, Martha), #Lu 22:31 (Simon, Simon). {Me} (me). In persecuting the disciples, Saul was persecuting Jesus, as the words of Jesus in verse #5 made plain. Christ had already spoken of the mystic union between himself and his followers (#Mt 10:40; 25:40,45; Joh 15:1-5). The proverb (Pindar) that Jesus quotes to Saul about kicking against the goad is genuine in #26:14, but not here.
