Another sacred bull was maintained at Heliopolis, in the great Temple of the Sun, under the name of Dnevis, and was hon-
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482 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Ca. VIL
ored with a reverence next to Apis. Wilkinson thinks that it was from this, and not from Apis, that the Israelites borrowed their notions of the golden calf. “ The offerings, dancing, and rejoicings practised on the occasion, were doubtless in imitation of a ceremony they had witnessed in honor of Mnevis during their sojourn in Egypt” (‘ Ancient Egyptians,” 2 ser., vol. ii, p. 197). A third sacred bull, called Bacis, was maintained at Hermonthis, near Thebes. It was a huge, black animal, and its hairs were said to grow the wrong way. Other bulls and cows did not hold the rank of gods, but were only sacred.
Offered (dvijryayov). Lit. ed wp. See on Jas. ii. 21.
42. To worship (Aatpevew). Rev., more correctly, serve. See on Luke i. 74.
The host of heaven. Star-worship, or Sabaeanism, the rem- nant of the ancient heathenism of Western Asia, which con- sisted in the worship of the stars, and spread into Syria, though the Chaldaean religion was far from being the simple worship of the host of heaven; the heavenly bodies being regarded as real persons, and not mere metaphorical representations of as- tronomical phenomena. It is to the Sabaean worship that Job alludes when, in asserting the purity of his life (xxxi. 26, 27), he says: “If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walk- ing in brightness, and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hands: this also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.” Though not a part of the religion of the Egyp- tians, Rawlinson thinks it may have been connected with their earlier belief, since prayer is represented in hieroglyphics by a man holding up his hands, accompanied by a star (Herodo- tus, vol. ii., p. 291).
43. Tabernacle of Moloch. ‘The portable tent-temple of the god, to be carried in procession. Moloch was an Ammonite idol to whom children were sacrificed. According to Rabbini- eal tradition, his image was hollow, heated from below, with the
Cu. VIL] THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 483
head of an ox and outstretched arms, into which children were laid, their cries being stifled by the beating of drums.
Remphan. The texts vary between Remphan, Rephan, and Ltomphan. Tt is supposed to be the Coptic name for Saturn, to which the Arabs, Egyptians, and Phoenicians paid divine honors.
45. That came after (SuadeEduevor). Only here in New Tes- tament. The verb originally means to receive from one another, in succession ; and that appears to be the more simple and natural rendering here: having received it (from Moses). Rev., very neatly, in their turn.
Jesus. Joshua. The names are the same, both signifying Saviour. See on Matt. i. 21.
Into the possession (év 7 xatacyéce). Rev., when they entered on the possession.*
Before the face (47d mpocwmov). More strictly, “away JSrom the face.” The same expression occurs in the Septuagint, Deut. xi. 23.
46. Desired (irjca70). More correctly, asked: through Nathan. See 2 Sam. vii. 2.
Tabernacle (cxjvepya). It was not a tabernacle or tent which David proposed to build, but a house. See 2 Sam. vii.
* The A. V. apparently assumes that év, in, stands for eis, into, which is in- admissible. The preposition may be explained as combining the ideas of en- trance into and subsequent rest ; and this seems to be the explanation adopted by the Rev. Alford’s rendering, at their taking possession of the Gentiles, is condemned by the fact that nardoxeois does not mean taking possession, but holding possession, which is clearly the meaning in ver. 5, the only other New Testament passage where it occurs. Meyer, in his anxiety to preserve the strict force of év, renders during the possession of the Gentiles, or while the Gen- tiles were in the state of possession, which, though grammatically defensible, I cannot help thinking forced and unnatural. On the whole, it seems best to hold by the rendering of the Rev,