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:14; 7:19; 22:5; 26:12 Es 3:8-13 Ps 82:2-4

Verse 2. Letters to Damascus to the synagogues] Damascus, anciently called qsmd Damask, and qsmrd Darmask, was once the metropolis of all Syria. It was situated at fifty miles' distance from the sea; from which it is separated by lofty mountains. It is washed by two rivers, Amara or Abara, which ran through it, and Pharpar, called by the Greeks Chrysorrhoas, the golden stream, which ran on the outside of its walls. It is one of the most ancient cities in the world, for it existed in the time of Abraham, Genesis xiv. 15; and how long before is not known. The city of Damascus is at present a place of considerable trade, owing to its being the rendezvous for all the pilgrims from the north of Asia, on their road to and from the temple of Mecca. It is surrounded with pretty strong walls, which have nine gates, and is between four and five miles in circumference.

It contains about 100,000 inhabitants, some say more, the principal part of whom are Arabs and Turks, with whom live, in a state of considerable degradation, about 15,000 Christians. Damascus, like other places of importance, has passed through the hands of many masters. It was captured and ruined by Tiglath Pileser, who carried away its inhabitants to Kin, beyond the Euphrates, about 740 years before the Christian aera; and thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, Isa. xvii. 1-3, and that of Amos, Amos i. 4, 5. It was also taken by Sennacherib, and by the generals of Alexander the Great. Metellus and Laelius seized it, during the war of Pompey with Tigranes; before Christ 65. It continued under the dominion of the Romans till the Saracens took possession of it, in A.D. 634. It was besieged and taken by Teemour lenk, A.D. 1400, who put all the inhabitants to the sword. The Egyptian Mamelukes repaired Damascus when they took possession of Syria; but the Turkish Emperor Selim having defeated them at the battle of Aleppo in 1516, Damascus was brought under the government of the Turks, and in their hands it still remains. In the time of St. Paul it was governed by Aretas, whose father, Obodas, had been governor of it under Augustus. Damascus is 112 miles south of Antioch; 130 N.N.E. of Jerusalem; and 270 S.S.W; of Diarbek.

Longitude 37� east: latitude 33� 45' north. The fruit tree called the Damascene, vulgarly Damazon, and the flower called the Damask rose, were transplanted from Damascus to the gardens of Europe; and the silks and linens, known by the name of Damasks, were probably first manufactured by the inhabitants of this ancient city.

Any of this way] That is, this religion, for so �rd derec in Hebrew, and odov, hodos, in Hellenistic Greek, are often to be understood. hwhy �rd derec Yehovah, the way of the Lord, implies the whole of the worship due to him, and prescribed by himself: the way or path in which he wills men to walk, that they may get safely through life, and finally attain everlasting felicity. The Jewish writers designate the whole doctrine and practice of Christianity by a similar expression, �yrxwnh �rd derec hanotsarim, the way, doctrine, or sect of the Christians.

Whether they were men or women] Provided they were Jews; for no converts had as yet been made among the Gentiles; nor did the power of the high priest and Sanhedrin extend to any but those who belonged to the synagogues. Pearce.

In every country where there were Jews and synagogues, the power and authority of the Sanhedrin and high priest were acknowledged: just as papists in all countries acknowledge the authority of the pope. And as there can be but one pope, and one conclave, so there could be but one high priest, and one Sanhedrin; and this is the reason why the high priest and sanhedrin at Jerusalem had authority over all Jews, even in the most distant countries.

Ver. 2. And desired of him letters to Damascus , etc.] Damascus was the head or metropolis of Syria, ( Isaiah 7:8) And so Pliny calls it Damascus of Syria: it was a very ancient city; it was in the times of Abraham; his servant Eliezer is said to be of it, ( Genesis 15:2) and some say it was built by him the said Eliezer; though Josephus makes Uz, a grandson of Shem, to be the founder of it; whose surname is conjectured, by some, to be Dimshak, seeing that and Uz differ not in sense: and Justin says f458 , it had its name from Damascus, the king of it, in honour of whom the Syrians made a temple of the sepulchre of his wife Arathis, and her a goddess; after Damascus, he says, Azelus, then Azores, Abraham, and Israel were kings of it. Some think it has its name from blood, and that it signifies a �sack� or bag, or, as Jerom explains, a cup of blood f459 , or one that drinks blood; who says, it is a true tradition, that the field in which Abel was killed by Cain, was in Damascus f460 : but it seems rather to be so called from the redness of the earth about it; for some very good writers affirm, that the earth in the fields of Damascus is like wax tinged with red lead; so if it be read Dammesek, as it commonly is, in the Arabic language, �Damma� signifies to tinge, and �Meshko� is used for �red earth�; or if �Dummesek�, as it is in ( 2 Kings 16:10 *marg), �Daumo�, in the same language, is �permanent�, what always abides, and �Meshko�, as before, �red earth�, and so �Dummesek� is never failing red earth; or if it be Darmesek�, as in ( 1 Chronicles 18:5 *marg) the same with Darmsuk�, it may be observed, that the Syrians call red earth �Doro sumoko�: so that, upon the whole, this seems to be the best etymology of the word f461 , and the rise of the name of this famous city, which Justin calls the most noble city of Syria. It is said to be an hundred and sixty miles from Jerusalem.

Here might be many Christians before, and others might flee hither upon this persecution; and Saul, not content with driving them from their native place, persecuted them, as he himself says, to strange cities: and that he might do this with safety to himself, and with the greater force and cruelty to them, he got letters from the high priest, and sanhedrim, at Jerusalem; either recommending him to the Jews at Damascus, and exhorting them to assist him in what he came about; or empowering him to act under his authority, or both: and these were directed to be delivered to the synagogues ; to the rulers of them; for the Jews being numerous in this place, they had more synagogues than one. Josephus says f463 , that under Nero the inhabitants of Damascus killed ten thousand Jews in their own city: and Benjamin Tudelensis in his time says, there were about three thousand Jews (Pharisees), besides two hundred Karaites (or Scripturarians), and four hundred Samaritans, who lived in peace together.

Now to these synagogues, and the chief men of them, was Saul recommended for assistance and direction, that if he found any of this way ; of thinking; that were of this sect of religion, and either professed to believe, or preach, that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah: whether they were men or women ; without any fear of one, or mercy to the other: he might bring them bound to Jerusalem ; to be examined and punished by the sanhedrim there, as they should think fit; and for this purpose he must take with him a considerable number of men; and that he had men with him is certain from ( Acts 9:7).