Acts 13:21

Acts 13:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.
• New International Version (NIV)Then the people asked for a king, and he gave them Saul son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, who ruled forty years.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And afterward they asked for a king; so God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.

Context of Acts 13:21

19Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to his people as an inheritance. 20He did all this in about four hundred and fifty years. “After that he gave his people judges until the time of the prophet Samuel. “Then the people demanded a king, so God gave them Saul, son of Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin. After forty years 22God removed Saul and made David their king. God spoke favorably about David. He said, ‘I have found that David, son of Jesse, is a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’ 23“God had the Savior, Jesus, come to Israel from David’s descendants, as he had promised.

Acts 13:21 word by word

κἀκεῖθεν ᾐτήσαντο βασιλέα, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ θεὸς τὸν Σαοὺλ υἱὸν Κίς, ἄνδρα ἐκ φυλῆς Βενιαμίν, ἔτη τεσσεράκοντα·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And afterwardκἀκεῖθενkakeithen · and from thereG2547
• they desiredαἰτέωaiteō · to askG154
• a kingβασιλεύςbasileus · kingG935
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• SaulΣαούλSaoul · SaulG4549
• the sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
• of CisΚίςKis · KishG2797
• a manἀνήρanēr · manG435
• ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the tribeφυλήphulē · tribeG5443
• of BenjaminΒενιαμίνBeniamin · BenjaminG958
• by the space of fortyτεσσαράκονταtessarakonta · fortyG5062
• yearsἔτοςetos · yearG2094

Cross-references for Acts 13:21

• 1 Samuel 8:5They told him, “You’re old, and your sons aren’t following your example. Now appoint a king to judge us so that we will be like all the other nations.”
• 1 Samuel 12:12But when you saw King Nahash of Ammon coming to attack you, you told me, ‘No, a king should rule over us,’ though the Lord your God was your king.
• 1 Samuel 10:1Samuel took a flask of olive oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “The Lord has anointed you to be ruler of his people Israel. You will rule his people and save them from all their enemies. This will be the sign that the Lord has anointed you to be ruler of his people.
• 1 Samuel 11:15Then all the troops went to Gilgal, and there in the Lord’s presence, they confirmed Saul as their king. There they sacrificed fellowship offerings to the Lord. Saul and all of Israel’s soldiers celebrated.
• 1 Samuel 15:1Samuel told Saul, “The Lord sent me to anoint you king of his people Israel. Now listen to the Lord’s words.
• 1 Samuel 9:1There was a man from the tribe of Benjamin whose name was Kish. He was a son of Abiel, grandson of Zeror, and great-grandson of Becorath, whose father was Aphiah, a descendant of Benjamin. Kish was a powerful man.
• 1 Samuel 10:21When he had the tribe of Benjamin come forward by families, the family of Matri was chosen. Then Saul, the son of Kish, was chosen. They looked for him but couldn’t find him.

Commentaries on Acts 13:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Saul the son of Cis - In all proper names quoted from the Old Testament, we should undoubtedly follow, as nearly as possible, the same orthography: קיש Kish, was the name of this king's father, and so we spell it in the Old Testament, and yet have transformed it into Cis in the New, where the orthography is almost entirely lost. The space of forty years - Reckoning from the time of his anointing by Samuel to the time of his death, from a.m. 2909 to 2949.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21And afterward they desired a king - See 1 Samuel 8:5; Hosea 13:10. It was predicted that they would have a king, Deuteronomy 17:14-15. Saul, the son of Cis - is the Greek mode of writing the Hebrew name Kish. In the Old Testament it is uniformly written as “Kish,” and it is to be regretted that this has not been retained in the New Testament. See 1 Samuel 9:1. By the space of forty years - During forty years. The Old Testament has not mentioned the time…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-31Verses 14-31 When we come together to worship God, we must do it, not only by prayer and praise, but by the reading and hearing of the word of God. The bare reading of the Scriptures in public assemblies is not enough; they should be expounded, and the people exhorted out of them. This is helping people in doing that which is necessary to make the word profitable, to apply it to themselves. Every thing is touched upon in this sermon, which might best…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-22To establish common ground with his audience, Paul traced Jewish history starting from the Israelite exodus from Egypt. He emphasized: the Israelites' escape from Egyptian slavery, their settlement in Canaan, the establishment of the kingdom of Israel, the removal of King Saul, and the special role of King David.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2218-22. forty years suffered he their manners--rather, according to what appears the true reading, "cherished he them" (as a nurse the infant in her bosom).Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 13:21

• Antioch
• Kish
• Law
• Minister, Christian
• Paul
• Preaching
• Synagogue
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Benjamin
• God
• Saul
• Benjamin, Benjaminite
• Paul, Saul
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Kish
• Light
• Lo
• Ordain

Commentaries on Acts 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings