Acts 26:7

7 a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship day and night. It is for this hope, your Excellency, that I am accused by Jews!

Acts 26:7 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 26:7

Unto which promise
Of the Messiah, and salvation by him; and of the resurrection of the dead and eternal glory, as following upon it:

our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night hope to
come;
and enjoy the Messiah, and all blessings along with him; and the happy state of the resurrection and eternal life: the people of Israel were distinguished into twelve tribes, according to the names of the twelve patriarchs, the sons of Jacob; and though ten of the tribes had been carried captive, and had not returned as tribes, yet there were many of the several tribes, who either were left in the land, or returned along with the two tribes, and were mixed with them: and this way of speaking here used by Paul, and also by James, ( James 1:1 ) is justified by Jewish writers: the Misnic doctors say {c},

``the twelve tribes bring twelve heifers, and for idolatry they bring twelve heifers and twelve goats:''

compare with this ( Ezra 6:17 ) ( 8:35 ) , yea, they say F4

``"twelve tribes" are called, (lhq) , "a congregation", eleven tribes are not called a congregation.''

This suggests a reason of the apostle's use of this phrase, for he here represents the Israelites as a worshipping assembly, serving God continually, night and day, as they were by their representatives, the priests and stationary men in the temple; and that with intenseness, ardour, and fervency, as the word rendered "instantly" signifies being in a longing and earnest expectation of the coming of the Messiah, and of his world to come, and of the resurrection of the dead, and a future state of happiness.

For which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews:
for preaching that the Messiah, the twelve tribes hope for, is already come and that there is salvation in him, and in no other, and that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both just and unjust; and that there is another world and state after this, in which men will be happy and miserable; and these were the charges and accusations, or the sum of what were exhibited against him.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 Misn. Horayot, c. 1. sect. 5.
F4 T. Bab. Horayot, fol. 5. 2.

Acts 26:7 In-Context

5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that I have belonged to the strictest sect of our religion and lived as a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand here on trial on account of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors,
7 a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship day and night. It is for this hope, your Excellency, that I am accused by Jews!
8 Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?
9 "Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

Footnotes 1

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.