Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Acts 12:4
Four quaternions of soldiers: there were sixteen soldiers appointed to keep Peter; the Romans using four soldiers at a time to keep sentry, and the Jews dividing their nights into four watches, there were enough to relieve the other, and to set a new watch as often as was required for every night; of which four at a time, two were with the prisoner, and perhaps, for the greater security, bound with the same chain, and two did always stand at the door or gate; and this they might the rather do,... read more
Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 12:1-17
Acts 12:1-Esther : . Persecution of the Church by Herod Agrippa. Peter’ s Escape from Prison.— On Agrippa, see p. 610 . His persecution of the Christians was according to his general policy. The persecutions of the faithful have been hitherto from the Jews acting through their local courts or the Sanhedrin. Now there is a civil ruler, also a Jew, minded to injure them, and persecution becomes more deadly. Acts 12:1 . about that time: this must be before the death of Herod in A.D. 44 ; it... read more