John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:17
The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers ,.... Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their seed after them, to be a peculiar people to himself; wherefore he is often, as here, styled their God, and whom he distinguished and blessed with many blessings, civil and religious, above all people upon the face of the earth. The apostle seems particularly to address himself to the Gentiles, the inhabitants of Antioch, and the proselytes of righteousness, now in the synagogue, Acts 13:42 and, as... read more
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 13:16
Then Paul stood up ,.... Not so much that he might be heard; or merely out of reverence and respect to the rulers, and the people; but to show that he accepted the invitation; as also in order to take his proper place in the synagogue, and sit down and teach, as was their custom: and beckoning with his hand ; to the people to be silent, and attend to what he had to say: said, men of Israel ; by whom are meant the proper Jews, the natural descendants of Jacob, whose name was Israel;... read more