Acts 12:22

22 Then they shouted, "This is the voice of a god. It's not the voice of a man."

Acts 12:22 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 12:22

And the people gave a shout
At the end of the oration; these were flatterers, as Josephus says in the place before referred to, who cried out one from another, saluting him as God; saying, be merciful to us, hitherto we have revered thee as a man, henceforward we confess thee somewhat more excellent than mortal nature: and so it follows here,

saying it is the voice of a God, and not of a man;
the Vulgate Latin version reads, "the voices of God and not men"; and the Ethiopic version, "the city shouted in, or with the voice of God", with the voice of man; as if this referred to the acclamation of the people, and not the speech of the king; very wrongly.

Acts 12:22 In-Context

20 He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they got together and asked for a meeting with him. This was because they depended on the king's country to supply them with food. They gained the support of Blastus and asked for peace. Blastus was a trusted personal servant of the king.

21 The appointed day came. Herod was seated on his throne. He was wearing his royal robes. He made a speech to the people.

22 Then they shouted, "This is the voice of a god. It's not the voice of a man."

23 Right away an angel of the Lord struck Herod down. Herod had not given praise to God. So he was eaten by worms and died.

24 But God's word continued to increase and spread.