Acts 15:16

After this Lit. after these things, (so R. V.) It will be seen on reference to the words of Amos that the quotation here given is not made from the Hebrew, which is correctly represented by the A.V. in the book of Amos. Whether St James himself spoke at the synod in Greek, or St Luke has represented in Greek what the speaker himself uttered in Aramaic we cannot know. But the words in the text correspond very nearly with the LXX. which here (either because they read the Hebrew consonants differently or because they merely gave the sense without attempting an exact rendering), varies from the Hebrew text. Yet St Luke does not give exactly the words of the LXX. He may have quoted from memory or have modified them somewhat to adapt them to the form of his sentence. The words of the LXX. run thus, "In that day I will set up the tabernacle of David which hath fallen down, and I will build up the fallen parts thereof, and the ruins thereof I will set up, and I will build it up as the days of eternity, that the residue of men may seek (unto it) and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called saith the Lord who doeth all these things."

I will return, and will build This is not the form of either the Hebrew text or the LXX., but it is a favourite Hebrew mode of expression to signify "I will do a thing again." Cp. Ecclesiastes 4:1, "I returned and considered" = I considered once again. Also Ecclesiastes 4:7; Ecclesiastes 9:11. This favours the opinion that St James, in this specially Jewish synod, may have spoken in Aramaic.

the tabernacle of David The word used by Amos signifies one of those booths used by the people at the Feast of Tabernacles, when they lived in frail dwellings in order to be reminded that God was their protector. This word may be applied to the estate of the Jews when the Deliverer should come, to indicate that they should be brought very low, but yet should find in him a Saviour.