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Acts

23

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23

And having summoned certain two of the centurions, he said, “Prepare for the third hour of the night two hundred soldiers and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, so that they might go as far as Caesarea,

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Greek: Transliteration:
having summoned To call to oneself, summon. V-APM-NMS H4341 προσκαλεσάμενος proskalesamenos
certain Any one, someone, a certain one or thing. Adj-AMP H1417 τινὰς tinas
centurions, A centurion of the Roman army. N-GMP H1543 ἑκατονταρχῶν ekatontarchōn
“Prepare To make ready, prepare. V-AMA-2P H2090 ἑτοιμάσατε etoimasate
two hundred Two hundred. Adj-AMP H1250 διακοσίους diakosious
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

two hundred Two hundred. Adj-AMP H1250 διακοσίους diakosious
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

soldiers A soldier. N-AMP H4757 στρατιώτας stratiōtas
the third Third. Adj-GFS H5154 τρίτης tritēs
hour (a) a definite space of time, a season, (b) an hour, (c) the particular time for anything. N-GFS H5610 ὥρας ōras
night The night, night-time. N-GFS H3571 νυκτός nuktos
they might go To travel, journey, go, die. V-ASP-3P H4198 πορευθῶσιν poreuthōsin
And And, even, also, namely. N-GFS H2542 Καισαρείας kaisareias
Analysis:
Read more about: Caesarea
seventy Seventy. Adj-AMP H1440 ἑβδομήκοντα ebdomēkonta
horsemen A horse-soldier, a mounted soldier, a cavalryman. N-AMP H2460 ἱππεῖς ippeis
spearmen, One posted on the right hand, a spear-man. N-AMP H1187 δεξιολάβους dexiolabous

Locations

Caesarea

CAESAREAses-a-re'-a, se-za-re'-a (Kaisareia):(1) Caesarea Palestina (pal-es-ti'na).The ancient name in the Arabic form Qaisariyeh still clings to the ruins on the sea shore, about 30 miles North of Jaffa. It was built by Herod the Great on the site of Strato's Tower (Ant., XIII, xi, 2; XV, ix, 6), and the name Caesarea Sebaste was given it in honor of August... View Details

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
Berean Bible And having summoned certain two of the centurions, he said, “Prepare for the third hour of the night two hundred soldiers and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, so that they might go as far as Caesarea,
King James Bible And having summoned certain he called unto him two of the centurions, he said, “Prepare for saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night two hundred soldiers and seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, so that they might go as far as Caesarea,night;
Hebrew Greek English And having summoned certain he called to him two of the centurions, he centurions and said, “Prepare for "Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night two hundred soldiers and to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, so that they might go as far as Caesarea,spearmen."
New American Standard Bible 1995 And having summoned certain he called to him two of the centurions, he centurions and said, “Prepare for "Get two hundred soldiers ready by the third hour of the night two hundred soldiers and to proceed to Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, so that they might go as far as Caesarea,spearmen."