Acts 13:4

“So they being sent forth of the Holy Ghost, etc.] This is said, lest it should be thought they were sent by men; it was the Holy Ghost that moved the prophets at Antioch to separate them from them, and to send them away; and who inclined their minds to go, and directed them what course to steer: and accordingly they departed to Seleucia; which was a city of Syria, called by Pliny, Seleucia Pieria f604; it had its name from Seleucus Nicanor, king of Egypt, who was the builder of it: it was not far from Antioch, it is said to be twenty four miles from it; it is the first city of Syria from Cilicia, and was situated at the mouth of the river Orontes; wherefore Saul and Barnabas made no stay…”

“ARRIVING IN CYPRUS THEY PREACH IN THE SYNAGOGUES OF SALAMIS--AT PAPHOS, ELYMAS IS STRUCK BLIND, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE ISLAND IS CONVERTED. (Act 13:4-12) departed unto Seleucia--the seaport of Antioch, from which it lay nearly due west fifteen miles, and five from the Mediterranean shore, on the river Orontes. thence sailed to Cyprus--whose high mountain summits are easily seen in clear weather from the coast [COLONEL CHESNEY in HOWSON]. "Four reasons may have induced them to turn in first to this island: (1) Its nearness to the mainland; (2) It was the native place of Barnabas, and since the time when Andrew found his brother Simon, and brought him to Jesus, and "Jesus loved Martha, and…”

“Being sent forth by the Holy Ghost - Having been called to this world by the Holy Spirit, and being under his direction. Departed unto Seleucia - This city was situated at the mouth of the river Orontes, where it fails into the Mediterranean. Antioch was connected with the sea by the Orontes River. Strabo says that in his time they sailed up the river in one day. The distance from Antioch to Seleucia by water is about 41 miles, while the journey by land is only 16 12 miles (Life and Epistles of Paul, vol. 1, p. 185. “Seleucia united the two characters of a fortress and a seaport. It was situated on a rocky eminence, which is the southern extremity of an elevated range of hills projecting…”

“13:4 Barnabas and Saul’s first missionary journey was undertaken with a strong consciousness of the Holy Spirit as their guide. • Seleucia was Antioch’s ancient seaport, located about twelve miles (20 km) west of the city at the mouth of the Orontes River. • Their journey took them westward by sea to the island of Cyprus, which was Barnabas’s homeland (4:36).”

“being: Act 20:23 Cyprus: Act 4:36, Act 11:19, Act 27:4 Acts 13:5”