Apostlagärningarna 12:13

Svenska Bibel

Då han nu klappade på portdörren, kom en tjänsteflicka, vid namn Rode, för att höra vem det var.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

knocked: Acts 12:16, Luke 13:25

hearken: or, ask who was there

Reciprocal: Daniel 3:24 - astonied Acts 20:16 - had

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, c. 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

פתח, "the door", and שער, "the gate" see Judges 18:16 where the Septuagint use the same words as here. Kimchi h says,

"xtp, "the door" is what is of the gate, without the folding doors; for all is called שער, "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.

h Sepher Shorash. rad. פתח

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

At the door of the gate - Rather the door of the vestibule, or principal entrance into the house. The house was entered through such a porch or vestibule, and it was the door opening into this which is here intended. See the notes on Matthew 9:2.

A damsel - A girl.

Came to hearken - To hear who was there.

Named Rhoda - This is a Greek name signifying a rose. It was not unusual for the Hebrews to give the names of flowers, etc., to their daughters. Thus, Susanna, a lily; Hadessa, a myrtle; Tamar, a palm-tree, etc. (Grotius).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 12:13. 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.