Albert Barnes Commentary Acts 2:9

"Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia," — Acts 2:9 (ASV)

Parthians, etc. To show the surprising extent and power of this miracle, Luke enumerates the different nations that were represented then at Jerusalem. In this way, the number of languages that the apostles spoke, and the extent of the miracle, can be determined. The enumeration of these nations begins at the east and proceeds to the west.

Parthians refers to those Jews, or proselytes, who lived in Parthi. This country was a part of Persia and was situated between the Persian Gulf and the Tigris on the west, and the river Indus on the east. To the south, it was bounded by the desert of Caramania, and it had Media on the north.

Their empire lasted about four hundred years, and they were greatly distinguished for their manner of fighting. They usually fought on horseback; and when appearing to retreat, they discharged their arrows behind them with great effect. They were a part of the vast Scythian horde of Asia and disputed the empire of the East with the Romans. The language spoken there was that of Persia; and, in ancient writers, Parthi and Persia often mean the same country.

Medes. These were inhabitants of Media. This country was situated north of Parthi and south of the Caspian Sea. It was about the size of Spain and was one of the richest parts of Asia. In the Scriptures, it is called Madai (Genesis 10:2). The Medes are often mentioned, frequently in connection with the Persians, with whom they were often connected under the same government (2 Kings 17:6; 2 Kings 18:11; Esther 1:3, 14, 18, 19; Jeremiah 25:25; Daniel 5:28; Daniel 6:8; Daniel 8:20; Daniel 9:1).

The language spoken here was also Persian. In this whole region, many Jews remained after the Babylonian captivity, who chose not to return with their brethren to the land of their fathers. From their descendants, probably, came those who were now assembled from those places in Jerusalem.

Elamites. Elam is often mentioned in the Old Testament. The nation was descended from Elam, the son of Shem (Genesis 10:22). It is mentioned as being in alliance with Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, and Tidal, king of nations (Genesis 14:1). Of these allied nations, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, was the chief (Genesis 14:4).

See also Ezra 2:7; 8:7; Nehemiah 7:12, 34; Isaiah 11:11; 21:2; 22:6, and so on. They are mentioned as a part of the Persian empire, and Daniel is said to have resided at Shushan, which is in the province of Elam (Daniel 8:2). The Greeks and Romans gave this country the name of Elymais.

It is now called Khuzistan. It was bounded by Persia on the east, by Media on the north, by Babylonia on the west, and by the Persian Gulf on the south. The Elamites were a warlike people, celebrated for their use of the bow (Isaiah 22:6; Jeremiah 49:35). The language of this people was, of course, Persian. Its capital, Shushan (called Susa by the Greeks), was greatly celebrated. It is said to have been fifteen miles in circumference and was adorned with the celebrated palace of Ahasuerus. The inhabitants still claim to show the tomb of the prophet Daniel there.

Mesopotamia. This name, which is Greek, signifies between the rivers; that is, the region lying between the rivers Euphrates and Tigris. In Hebrew, it was called Aram-Naharaim, meaning Aram, or Syria, of the two rivers. It was also called Paddan-aram, the plain of Syria. In this region were situated some important places mentioned in the Bible: Ur of the Chaldees, the birthplace of Abraham (Genesis 11:27–28); Haran, where Terah stopped on his journey and died (Genesis 11:31–32); Charchemish (2 Chronicles 35:20); Hena (2 Kings 19:13); Sepharvaim (2 Kings 17:24). This region, known as Mesopotamia, extended between the two rivers from their sources to Babylon on the south. It had Armenia on the north, Syria on the west, Persia on the east, and Babylonia on the south. It was an extensive, level, and fertile country. The language spoken here was probably the Syriac, with perhaps a mixture of the Chaldee.

In Judea. This expression has greatly perplexed commentators. It has been thought difficult to see why Judea should be mentioned, as if it were a matter of surprise that they could speak this language. Some have supposed an error in the manuscripts and have proposed reading Armenia, or India, or Lydia, or Idumea, and so on.

But all this has been without any authority. Others have supposed that the language of Galilee was so different from that of the other parts of Judea as to make it remarkable that they could speak that dialect. But this is an idle supposition. This is one of the many instances in which commentators have perplexed themselves to very little purpose.

Luke recorded this as any other historian would have done. In reviewing the languages they spoke, he listed this as a matter of course; not that it was remarkable simply that they should speak the language of Judea, but that they should speak so many—meaning about the same by it as if he had said they spoke every language in the world.

Just as if a similar miracle were to occur at this time among an assembly of native Englishmen and foreigners, in describing it, nothing would be more natural than to say they spoke French, German, Spanish, English, Italian, and so on. In this, there would be nothing remarkable, except that they spoke so many languages.

Cappadocia. This was a region of Asia Minor, bounded on the east by Armenia, on the north by Pontus and the Euxine Sea, on the west by Lycaonia, and on the south by Cilicia. The language spoken here is not certainly known. It was probably, however, a mixed dialect made up of Greek and Syriac, perhaps the same as their neighbors, the Lycaonians (Acts 14:11). This place was formerly notorious for iniquity and is mentioned in Greek writers as one of three exceptionally wicked places whose names began with "C." The others were Crete and Cilicia. After its conversion to the Christian religion, however, it produced many eminent men, among whom were Gregory of Nyssa and Basil the Great. It was one of the places to which Peter directed an epistle (1 Peter 1:1).

In Pontus. This was another province of Asia Minor, situated north of Cappadocia and bounded on the west by Paphlagonia. Under the Romans, Pontus and Cappadocia constituted one province. This was one of the places to which the apostle Peter directed his epistle (1 Peter 1:1). This was the birthplace of Aquila, one of Paul’s companions (Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19).

And Asia. Pontus, Cappadocia, and so on, were parts of Asia. But the word Asia is doubtless used here to denote the regions or provinces west of these, which are not particularly enumerated (Acts 6:9; Acts 16:6; Acts 20:16).

The capital of this region was Ephesus. See also 1 Peter 1:1. This region was frequently called Ionia and was afterwards the seat of the seven churches in Asia (Revelation 1:4).