Acts 13:20
And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.
Original Language Analysis
καὶ
And
G2532
καὶ
And
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
1 of 14
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
μετὰ
after
G3326
μετὰ
after
Strong's:
G3326
Word #:
2 of 14
properly, denoting accompaniment; "amid" (local or causal); modified variously according to the case (genitive association, or accusative succession)
ὡς
about
G5613
ὡς
about
Strong's:
G5613
Word #:
4 of 14
which how, i.e., in that manner (very variously used, as follows)
καὶ
And
G2532
καὶ
And
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
7 of 14
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
ἔδωκεν
he gave
G1325
ἔδωκεν
he gave
Strong's:
G1325
Word #:
9 of 14
to give (used in a very wide application, properly, or by implication, literally or figuratively; greatly modified by the connection)
ἕως
until
G2193
ἕως
until
Strong's:
G2193
Word #:
11 of 14
a conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until (of time and place)
Historical Context
Paul delivered this sermon around AD 47-48 during his first missionary journey. Speaking in a synagogue, he employed a historical survey familiar to Jewish audiences—a rhetorical pattern seen throughout Acts (7:2-53, 13:16-41). The judges period (c. 1375-1050 BC) represented Israel's theocratic government, where God raised up deliverers in cycles of apostasy and repentance. Samuel (c. 1100-1020 BC) anointed both Saul and David, bridging the era of judges to the Davidic monarchy from which Messiah would come.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Paul's historical survey demonstrate God's patient faithfulness through Israel's repeated cycles of rebellion and deliverance?
- Why is Samuel's role as the transition figure from judges to kings significant in understanding God's redemptive plan culminating in Christ the King?
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Analysis & Commentary
And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years—Paul's sermon in Pisidian Antioch recounts Israel's history from Egyptian bondage through the period of the judges. The 450-year timeframe has prompted scholarly discussion: some manuscripts place this duration before the judges (covering Egyptian bondage, wilderness wandering, and Canaan's conquest), while others include the judges themselves. The Greek phrase hōs etesin tetrakosiois kai pentēkonta (ὡς ἔτεσιν τετρακοσίοις καὶ πεντήκοντα) indicates an approximate period.
Until Samuel the prophet (ἕως Σαμουὴλ τοῦ προφήτου)—Samuel marks the crucial transition from the chaotic judge era to the monarchy. As both the last judge and first prophet of a new order, Samuel embodied God's faithful leadership before Israel's rebellious demand for a king. Paul's sermonic narrative builds toward Christ as God's ultimate appointed ruler, showing how even Israel's monarchy under David was preparatory.