Acts 13:19 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance.

NIV: and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to his people as their inheritance.

NASB: When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance— all of which took about 450 years.

CSB: and after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance.

NLT: Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to Israel as an inheritance.

KJV: And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.

NKJV: And when He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land to them by allotment.

The first part of Paul's message to the Jews in Pisidian Antioch focuses on how God has saved the Israelites throughout their history (Acts 13:16–25). He saved them from slavery in Egypt and from judgment when they grumbled and rebelled against Him. When they reached the Promised Land, He saved them from the armies of seven inhabiting nations: the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites (Deuteronomy 7:1).

Something Paul doesn't mention, but which the Jews in his audience know, is that God only saved the Israelites when they trusted Him. When the Israelites had faith in and obeyed God, their armies won (Joshua 6). When they disobeyed God and lost faith in Him, their enemies won (Joshua 7). The list of land and people unconquered by the Israelites includes the Jebusites (Joshua 15:63), who remained in Jerusalem until David's time (2 Samuel 5:6–7), and several tribes of the Canaanites (Joshua 16:10; 17:12–13). In addition, the Gibeonites tricked the Israelites into letting them stay (Joshua 9).

Overall, the Israelites did receive their inheritance—just not all of it (see Genesis 15:18–21). Presumably, the Jews will inhabit the borders God promised during the millennial kingdom. At that time, God will soften the hearts of His people, and they will gladly accept His rule and His blessings. In the present, Paul calls the people to trust in God's Savior for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 13:23–25, 38–41).

Acts 13:16–41 gives the transcript of Paul's message in Pisidian Antioch. It is the only recording of Paul's many synagogue sermons. Paul's message can be broken into five parts, each identified with a call to heed Paul's words: 1. God's saving work in Israel's history and promise of a future Savior (Acts 13:16–25); 2. The Savior's story (Acts 13:26–31); 3. The prophecies of the Savior (Acts 13:32–37); 4. The nature of ''salvation'' (Acts 13:38–39); 5. A warning to accept the Savior (Acts 13:40–41). Some Jews and many Gentiles do accept the message, but the synagogue leaders drive Paul and Barnabas out of town (Acts 13:42–51).

Acts 13 transitions Luke's account (Acts 1:1) fully into a record of Paul's ministry to spread the news about Jesus. The Holy Spirit calls Paul and Barnabas for their first missionary journey. They teach about Jesus' offer of forgiveness of sins on the island of Cyprus and in the district of Pisidia in modern-day south-central Asia Minor. Along the way, they face opposition, desertion, and persecution: themes that will follow Paul throughout his life. But they also experience the joy of watching the people they'd least expect come to a saving faith in Jesus.

The first chapters of Acts, save for a quick account of Paul's conversion (Acts 9:1–31), cover the ministry of the apostles, particularly Peter. Those passages also detail the spread of the news about Jesus from His followers. That message goes to the Jews of Jerusalem (Acts 2—7) and Judea (Acts 8:26–40; 9:32–43), the Samaritans (Acts 8:4–25), and God-fearing Gentiles (Acts 10—11). Now, Paul's contribution to the ''end of the earth'' portion of Jesus' commission in Acts 1:8 begins, as he and Barnabas start their first missionary journey. Luke will record two more of Paul's journeys (Acts 15:36—18:22 and 18:23—20:38) before settling in on his return to Jerusalem, arrest, and sea voyage to Rome (Acts 21—28).

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.