{There was} (egeneto). "There came to pass" (second
aorist middle indicative of ginomai). Earthquakes are often
given as a symbol of great upheavals in social and spiritual
order (Swete) as in Eze 37:7 38:19 Hag 2:6 Mr 13:8 Heb
12:26f. Re 6:12 16:18 . {Fell} (epesen). Second aorist active
indicative of pipt(935c), to fall. Only the tenth ( o dekaton) of
the city fell. Cf. o triton (the third) in 8:7-12 , perhaps a
conventional number. {Were killed} (apektanth(8873)an). First
aorist passive indicative of apoktein(935c) as in 9:18 . {Seven
thousand persons} (onomata anthr(9370)(936e) chiliades hepta). This use
of onomata (names of men here) is like that in 3:4 Ac 1:15
and occurs in the papyri (Deissmann, _Bible Studies_, p. 196f.).
{Were affrighted} (emphoboi egenonto). "Became terrified," old
adjective (en, phobos, fear) as in Lu 24:5 Ac 10:4 24:5 . "A
general movement toward Christianity, induced by fear or
despair--a prediction fulfilled more than once in ecclesiastical
history" (Swete). {Gave glory} (ed(936b)an doxan). First aorist
active indicative of did(936d)i, when they saw the effect of the
earthquake, recognition of God's power ( Joh 9:24 Ac 12:23 Ro
4:20 ).
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