Acts 8:27

“And he arose and went, etc.] As soon as he had his orders, he immediately obeyed them; he made no dispute about the matter, though he was directed only part of his way, and had no account of what he went about, or was to do; and behold, a man of Ethiopia; or “a man, an Ethiopian”; an Hebraism, such as “a man a Jew”, (<380823>Zechariah 8:23) wherefore his being called a man, is no contradiction to his being an eunuch; for the word “man” does not regard his sex, but with the other the country of which he was; and it is the same as if he had only been called an Ethiopian, which signifies one of a black countenance; for Ethiopia was not so called from Ethiops, the son of Vulcan, who is said to…”

“a man of Ethiopia--Upper Egypt, Meroe. an eunuch of great authority--Eunuchs were generally employed for confidential offices in the East, and to some extent are still. Candace--the family name of the queens of Upper Egypt, like Pharaoh, CÃ&brvbrsar, &c. (as appears from classic authors). had come to Jerusalem to worship--that is, to keep the recent feast of Pentecost, as a Gentile proselyte to the Jewish faith. (See Isa 56:3-8, and Joh 12:20).”

“A man of Ethiopia - Gaza was near the confines between Palestine and Egypt. It was in the direct road from Jerusalem to Egypt. “Ethiopia” was one of the great kingdoms of Africa, part of which is now called Abyssinia. It is frequently mentioned in Scripture under the name of “Cush.” But “Cush” comprehended a much larger region, including the southern part of Arabia, and even sometimes the countries adjacent to the Tigris and Euphrates. Ethiopia proper lay south of Egypt, on the Nile, and was bounded north by Egypt, that is, by the cataracts near Syene; east by the Red Sea, and perhaps part by the Indian Ocean; south by unknown regions in the interior of Africa; and west by Libya and the…”

“An eunuch - Chief officers were anciently called eunuchs, though not always literally such; because such used to be chief ministers in the eastern courts. Candace, queen of the Ethiopians - So all the queens of Ethiopia were called. Acts 8:28”

“8:27 In the ancient world, a eunuch was an official, typically castrated, who served in a royal court (see 2 Kgs 9:30-32; Esth 1:10; 2:3, 14-15, 21; 4:4-5). Eunuchs were often scorned by Jews because they could not perpetuate the covenant family, and the law of Moses excluded men who had damaged genitals from the assembly of Israel (Deut 23:1; cp. Lev 21:17-23), but Isaiah spoke of God’s acceptance of Gentiles and eunuchs (Isa 56:3-8; see also Matt 19:12). In the new covenant, all who have genuine faith have a place among the people of God. • The eunuch had traveled from Africa to Jerusalem to worship in the Temple, probably for one of the great Jewish festivals.”

“he arose: Mat 21:2-6; Mar 14:13-16; Joh 2:5-8; Heb 11:8 a man: Psa 68:31, Psa 87:4; Isa 43:6, Isa 45:14, Isa 60:3, Isa 60:6, Isa 66:19; Jer 13:23, Jer 38:7, Jer 39:16; Zep 3:10 queen: Kg1 10:1; Mat 12:42 and had: Kg1 8:41-43; Ch2 6:32, Ch2 6:33; Psa 68:29; Isa 56:3-8; Joh 12:20 Acts 8:28”