Acts 23:32

On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

23:25-35 God has instruments for every work. The natural abilities and moral virtues of the heathens often have been employed to protect his persecuted servants. Even the men of the world can discern between the conscientious conduct of upright believers, and the zeal of false professors, though they disregard or understand not their doctrinal principles. All hearts are in God's hand, and those are blessed who put their trust in him, and commit their ways unto him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They left the horsemen - As they were then beyond the danger of the conspirators, the soldiers who had guarded them thus far returned to Jerusalem.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

32. On the morrow they—the infantry.

left the horsemen—themselves no longer needed as a guard. The remaining distance was about twenty-five or twenty-six miles.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The footmen returned to the castle or fort of Antonia in Jerusalem, from whence they did set out, there being no fear of any such design upon Paul at that distance from Jerusalem, which the horsemen might not easily avoid.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him,.... That is, the two hundred soldiers, and the two hundred spearmen, who were all on foot, left the seventy horsemen to conduct Paul to Caesarea; for being come to Antipatris, all danger from the Jews was over:

and returned to the castle; the castle Antonia in Jerusalem, from whence they set out.

Geneva Study Bible

On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Acts 23:32. τῇ δὲ ἐπ.: not necessarily the morrow after they left Jerusalem, but the morrow after they arrived at Antipatris. In this interpretation διὰ νυκτὸς might be taken to mean by night in distinction to by day, so that they may have occupied two nights on the road, see Hackett’s note, in loco.—ἐάσαντες, Lucan, see Acts 27:32; Acts 27:40; Acts 28:4.—εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν, here “to the castle” A. and R.V., the barracks in Antonia.—ὑπέστρεψαν, Lucan (Friedrich, p. 8), cf. Acts 1:12.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

32. On the morrow] The original has a conjunction which the Rev. Ver. represents by “But.” These men would return to Jerusalem again on the day of the intended plot.

they left the horsemen to go with him] Now that they were far away from Jerusalem and in no fear of a surprise, seventy horsemen were guard enough for the remainder of the way. But it may give us some idea of the dangerous state of the country at the time when we consider that the chief captain thought it needful to send with this one prisoner a guard of 470 soldiers. We may also form some idea of what the garrison in Jerusalem must have been when so many men could be detached at a moment’s notice.

and returned to the castle] Apparently coming back as quickly as it was possible for them to do so. As the road was one much travelled they were probably able to obtain a change of horses here and there.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 32. - But on for on, A.V. On the morrow, after their departure from Jerusalem, not, as Alford suggests, after their departure from Antipatris. It was a forced march, and therefore would not occupy two days and a night. Acts 23:32

Vincent's Word Studies

On the morrow

After arriving at Antipatris.