Act 8:26 | RWP | e4.org | Toward the South ( κατα μεσημβριαν ). Old word from μεσος and ημερα , midday or noon as in , the only other example in the N.T. That may be the idea here also, though "towards the South" gets support from the use of κατα λιβα in . The same is desert ( αυτη εστιν ερημος ). Probably a parenthetical remark by Luke to give an idea of the way. One of the ways actually goes through a desert. Gaza itself was a strong city that resisted Alexander the Great five months. It was destroyed by the Romans after war broke out with the Jews.

‏ Acts 8:26

Toward the South ( κατα μεσημβριαν ). Old word from μεσος and ημερα, midday or noon as in Ac 22:16, the only other example in the N.T. That may be the idea here also, though "towards the South" gets support from the use of κατα λιβα in Ac 27:12.

The same is desert ( αυτη εστιν ερημος ). Probably a parenthetical remark by Luke to give an idea of the way. One of the ways actually goes through a desert. Gaza itself was a strong city that resisted Alexander the Great five months. It was destroyed by the Romans after war broke out with the Jews.