Acts 7:58

“And cast him out of the city, etc.] Of Jerusalem; for the place of stoning was without the city. The process, when regular, according to the sentence of the court, was after this manner f376; “judgment being finished, (or the trial over,) they brought him out (the person condemned) to stone him; the place of stoning was without the sanhedrim, as it is said, (<032414>Leviticus 24:14) “bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp”, when he was ten cubits distant from the place of stoning, they order him to confess and when four cubits from it, they take off his garments — the place of stoning was twice a man’s height.” And elsewhere f377 it is said, that the place of stoning was without…”

“cast him out of the city--according to Lev 24:14; Num 15:35; Kg1 21:13; and see Heb 13:12. and stoned--"proceeded to stone" him. The actual stoning is recorded in Act 7:59. and the witnesses--whose hands were to be first upon the criminal (Deu 17:7). laid down their clothes--their loose outer garments, to have them taken charge of. at a young man's feet whose name was Saul--How thrilling is this our first introduction to one to whom Christianity--whether as developed in the New Testament or as established in the world--owes more perhaps than to all the other apostles together! Here he is, having perhaps already a seat in the Sanhedrim, some thirty years of age, in the thick of this…”

“And cast him out of the city - This was in accordance with the usual custom. In Leviticus 24:14, it was directed to bring forth him that had cursed without the camp; and it was not usual, the Jewish writers inform us, to stone in the presence of the Sanhedrin. Though this was a popular tumult, and Stephen was condemned without the regular process of trial, yet some of the “forms” of law were observed, and he was stoned in the manner directed in the case of blasphemers. And stoned him - This was the punishment appointed in the case of blasphemy, Leviticus 24:16. See the notes on John 10:31. And the witnesses - That is, the false witnesses who bore testimony against him, Acts 6:13. It was…”

“The witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul - O Saul, couldst thou have believed, if one had told thee, that thou thyself shouldst be stoned in the same cause? and shouldst triumph in committing thy soul likewise to that Jesus whom thou art now blaspheming? His dying prayer reached thee, as well as many others. And the martyr Stephen, and Saul the persecutor, (afterward his brother both in faith and martyrdom,) are now joined in everlasting friendship, and dwell together in the happy company of those who have made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. Acts 7:59”

“7:58 Saul was the Hebrew form, Paul the Greek form of his name (see 13:9).”

“cast: Num 15:35; Kg1 21:13; Luk 4:29; Heb 13:12, Heb 13:13 stoned: Act 6:11; Lev 24:14-16; Joh 10:23-26 the witnesses: Act 6:13; Deu 13:9, Deu 13:10, Deu 17:7 their: Act 8:1, 9:1-19, Act 22:4, Act 22:20 Acts 7:59”