Acts 15:17

ὅπως ἂν ἐκζητήσωσιν … τὸν κύριον, they might seek after the Lord. The Hebrew of Amos (see A.V.) differs widely here; and in the LXX. τὸν κύριον is not expressed. But the Spirit enabled St James to give the full interpretation of the prophetic words. The original paints the restored tabernacle, and of course the people of David restored along with it, as possessors of the remnant of Edom and all the heathen. The nations shall be joined unto the Lord’s people. The LXX., as an exposition, speaks of ‘the residue of men seeking unto the restored tabernacle.’ St James makes both clear by shewing that ‘to seek after the Lord’ is to be the true up-building both of the house of David and of all mankind besides.

The Hebrew word for ‘man’ is Adam, which differs very slightly from the word Edom. So that the variation between ‘remnant of Edom’ in the Hebrew and ‘residue of men’ in the LXX. may be due only to the various reading of that noun.

ὅπως with ἄν implies an end aimed at, but the attainment of it is still dependent on circumstances. Cf. Winer-Moulton, p. 389.

ἐφ' οὓς ἐπικέκληται τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπ' αὐτούς, upon whom My name is called. An Aramaic mode of saying ‘who are called by My name.’

The expression is so translated James 2:7 (A.V.). Cf. for the Greek Jeremiah 41:15 (LXX.) ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ ου ἐπεκλήθη τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐπ' αὐτῷ.