THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES - Chapter 9 - Verse 7

Verse 7. And the men which journeyed with him. Why these men attended him is unknown. They might have been appointed to aid him, or they may have been travellers with whom Saul had accidentally fallen in.

Stood speechless. In Ac 26:14, it is said that they all fell to the earth at the appearance of the light. But there is no contradiction. The narrative in that place refers to the immediate effect of the appearance of the light. They were immediately smitten to the ground together. This was before the voice spake to Saul, Ac 26:14. In this place Ac 9:7 the historian is speaking of what occurred after the first alarm. There is no improbability that they rose fro the ground immediately, and surveyed the scene with silent amazement and alarm. The word speechless—enneoi— properly denotes those who are so astonished or so stupified as to be unable to speak. In the Greek writers it means those who are deaf and dumb.

Hearing a voice. Hearing a sound or noise. The word here rendered "voice" is thus frequently used, as in Ge 3:8; 1 Sa 12:18; Ps 29:3,4; Mt 24:31, (Greek;) 1 Th 4:16. In Ac 22:9, it is said, "They which were with me (Paul) saw indeed the light, and were afraid, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me." In this place the words "heard not the voice" must be understood in the sense of understanding the words, of hearing the address, the distinct articulation, which Paul heard. They heard a noise, they were amazed and alarmed, but they did not hear the distinct words addressed to Saul. A similar instance we have in Joh 12:28,29, when the voice of God came from heaven to Jesus: "The people who stood by and heard it, said that it thundered." They heard the sound, the noise; they did not distinguish the words addressed to him. See also Da 10:7, and 1 Ki 19:11-13.

{b} "but seeing no man" Da 10:7 {*} "speechless" "Da 10:7"