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Selected Verse: John 1:39 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Joh 1:39	Strong Concordance	He saith [3004] unto them [846], Come [2064] and [2532] see [1492]. They came [2064] and [2532] saw [1492] where [4226] he dwelt [3306], and [2532] abode [3306] with [3844] him [846] that [1565] day [2250]: for [1161] it was [2258] about [5613] the tenth [1182] hour [5610].
	King James	He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Come and see--His second utterance, more winning still. tenth hour--not ten A.M. (as some), according to Roman, but four P.M., according to Jewish reckoning, which John follows. The hour is mentioned to show why they stayed out the day with him--because little of it remained.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Come and see--His second utterance, more winning still.

tenth hour--not ten A.M. (as some), according to Roman, but four P.M., according to Jewish reckoning, which John follows. The hour is mentioned to show why they stayed out the day with him--because little of it remained.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Come and see - This was a kind and gracious answer. He did not put them off to some future period. Then, as now, he was willing that they should come at once and enjoy the full opportunity which they desired of his conversation. Jesus is ever ready to admit those who seek him to his presence and favor. Abode with him - Remained with him. This was probably the dwelling of some friend of Jesus. His usual home was at Nazareth. The tenth hour - The Jews divided their day into twelve equal parts, beginning at sunrise. If John used their mode of computation, this was about four o'clock p. m. The Romans divided time as we do, beginning at midnight. If John used their mode, it was about ten o'clock in the forenoon. It is not certain which he used.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
Come The call to discipleship, (compare (Mat 4:18-22), the call to service. tenth hour That was two hours before night.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
See (ἴδετε) But the correct reading is ὄψεσθε, ye shall see. They came The best texts add οὖν, therefore. So Rev. This connecting particle is found in John's Gospel as often as in the other three combined, and most commonly in narrative, marking the transition from one thing to another, and serving to connect the several parts of the narrative. See Joh 1:22; Joh 2:18; Joh 3:25; Joh 4:28, Joh 4:30, etc. Much more frequently thus than in the discourses, where it would be used to mark a sequence of thought. Still such instances occur, as Joh 4:21, Joh 4:25; Joh 3:29; Joh 8:5; Joh 4:11. He dwelt (μένει) The present tense. Literally, they saw where he dwelleth. For a similar construction see Joh 2:9; Joh 4:1; Act 10:18, etc. Tenth hour The question is whether this is to be reckoned according to the Jewish or the Roman method of computation. The Jewish method, employed by the other Evangelists, begins the day at sunrise; so that, according to this, the tenth hour would be four o'clock in the afternoon. The Roman method, like our own, reckons from midnight; according to which the tenth hour would be ten o'clock in the morning. The weight of the argument seems, on the whole, to be in favor of the Jewish method, which is undoubtedly assumed by John in Joh 11:9. The Greeks of Asia Minor, for whom John wrote, had the Jewish method, received from the Babylonians. Godet cites an incident from the "Sacred Discourses" of Aelius Aristides, a Greek sophist of the second century, and a contemporary of Polycarp. God having commanded him to take a bath, he chose the sixth hour as the most favorable to health. It being winter, and the bath a cold one, the hour was midday; for he said to his friend who kept him waiting, "Seest thou the shadow is already turning?" Even Canon Westcott, who advocates the Roman method, admits that "this mode of reckoning was unusual in ancient times," and that "the Romans and Greeks, no less than the Jews, reckoned their hours from sunrise," though the Romans reckoned their civil days from midnight, and the tenth hour is named as a late hour, when soldiers took their repast or were allowed to rest. Thus Livy, in his account of the Roman attack on Sutrium says, "About the tenth hour the consul ordered his men a repast, and gave directions that they should be ready in arms at whatever time of the day or night he should give the signal.... After refreshing themselves, they consigned themselves to rest" (9, 37). Aristophanes says, "When the shadow on the dial is ten feet long, then go to dinner" ("Ecclesiazusae," 648), and Horace, "You will dine with me today. Come after the ninth hour" ("Epistle," Bk. 1., vii., 69). It is objected that the time from four o'clock to the close of the day would not have been described as that day; but beyond the marking of the specific hour of accompanying Jesus as the first hour of his Christian life, John would not have been unlikely to use a looser and more popular form of speech in indicating the length of the stay with Jesus, meaning simply that they remained with him during the remainder of the day, and, no doubt, prolonged their conversation into the night.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

See (ἴδετε)

But the correct reading is ὄψεσθε, ye shall see.

They came

The best texts add οὖν, therefore. So Rev. This connecting particle is found in John's Gospel as often as in the other three combined, and most commonly in narrative, marking the transition from one thing to another, and serving to connect the several parts of the narrative. See Joh 1:22; Joh 2:18; Joh 3:25; Joh 4:28, Joh 4:30, etc. Much more frequently thus than in the discourses, where it would be used to mark a sequence of thought. Still such instances occur, as Joh 4:21, Joh 4:25; Joh 3:29; Joh 8:5; Joh 4:11.

He dwelt (μένει)

The present tense. Literally, they saw where he dwelleth. For a similar construction see Joh 2:9; Joh 4:1; Act 10:18, etc.

Tenth hour

The question is whether this is to be reckoned according to the Jewish or the Roman method of computation. The Jewish method, employed by the other Evangelists, begins the day at sunrise; so that, according to this, the tenth hour would be four o'clock in the afternoon. The Roman method, like our own, reckons from midnight; according to which the tenth hour would be ten o'clock in the morning. The weight of the argument seems, on the whole, to be in favor of the Jewish method, which is undoubtedly assumed by John in Joh 11:9. The Greeks of Asia Minor, for whom John wrote, had the Jewish method, received from the Babylonians. Godet cites an incident from the "Sacred Discourses" of Aelius Aristides, a Greek sophist of the second century, and a contemporary of Polycarp. God having commanded him to take a bath, he chose the sixth hour as the most favorable to health. It being winter, and the bath a cold one, the hour was midday; for he said to his friend who kept him waiting, "Seest thou the shadow is already turning?" Even Canon Westcott, who advocates the Roman method, admits that "this mode of reckoning was unusual in ancient times," and that "the Romans and Greeks, no less than the Jews, reckoned their hours from sunrise," though the Romans reckoned their civil days from midnight, and the tenth hour is named as a late hour, when soldiers took their repast or were allowed to rest. Thus Livy, in his account of the Roman attack on Sutrium says, "About the tenth hour the consul ordered his men a repast, and gave directions that they should be ready in arms at whatever time of the day or night he should give the signal.... After refreshing themselves, they consigned themselves to rest" (9, 37).

Aristophanes says, "When the shadow on the dial is ten feet long, then go to dinner" ("Ecclesiazusae," 648), and Horace, "You will dine with me today. Come after the ninth hour" ("Epistle," Bk. 1., vii., 69). It is objected that the time from four o'clock to the close of the day would not have been described as that day; but beyond the marking of the specific hour of accompanying Jesus as the first hour of his Christian life, John would not have been unlikely to use a looser and more popular form of speech in indicating the length of the stay with Jesus, meaning simply that they remained with him during the remainder of the day, and, no doubt, prolonged their conversation into the night.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Come and see - If those who know not the salvation of God would come at the command of Christ, they should soon see that with him is the fountain of life, and in his light they should see light. Reader, if thou art seriously inquiring where Christ dwelleth, take the following for answer: He dwells not in the tumult of worldly affairs, nor in profane assemblies, nor in worldly pleasures, nor in the place where drunkards proclaim their shame, nor in carelessness and indolence. But he is found in his temple, wherever two or three are gathered together in his name, in secret prayer, in self-denial, in fasting, in self-examination. He also dwells in the humble, contrite spirit, in the spirit of faith, of love, of forgiveness, of universal obedience; in a word, he dwells in the heaven of heavens, whither he graciously purposes to bring thee, if thou wilt come and learn of him, and receive the salvation which he has bought for thee by his own blood. The tenth hour - Generally supposed to be about what we call four o'clock in the afternoon. According to Joh 11:9, the Jews reckoned twelve hours in the day; and of course each hour of the day, thus reckoned, must have been something longer or shorter, according to the different times of the year in that climate. The sixth hour with them answered to our twelve o'clock, as appears from what Josephus says in his life, chap. liv. That on the Sabbath day it was the rule for the Jews to go to dinner at the sixth hour, (ἑκτῃ ὡρᾳ). The Romans had the same way of reckoning twelve hours in each of their days. Hence what we meet with in Hor. lib. ii. sat. vi. l. 34: ante secundam signifies, as we should express it, before eight o'clock. And when, in lib. i. sat. vi. l. 122, he says, ad quartam jaceo, he means that he lay in bed till ten o'clock. See Bishop Pearce on this place. Dr. Macknight, however, is of opinion that the evangelist is to be understood as speaking of the Roman hour, which was ten o'clock in the morning; and as the evangelist remarks, they abode with him that day, it implies that there was a considerable portion of time spent with our Lord, in which, by his conversation, he removed all their scruples, and convinced them that he was the Messiah. But, had it been the Jewish tenth hour, it would have been useless to remark their abiding with him that day, as there were only two hours of it still remaining. Harmony, vol. i. p. 52.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

Come and see - If those who know not the salvation of God would come at the command of Christ, they should soon see that with him is the fountain of life, and in his light they should see light. Reader, if thou art seriously inquiring where Christ dwelleth, take the following for answer: He dwells not in the tumult of worldly affairs, nor in profane assemblies, nor in worldly pleasures, nor in the place where drunkards proclaim their shame, nor in carelessness and indolence. But he is found in his temple, wherever two or three are gathered together in his name, in secret prayer, in self-denial, in fasting, in self-examination. He also dwells in the humble, contrite spirit, in the spirit of faith, of love, of forgiveness, of universal obedience; in a word, he dwells in the heaven of heavens, whither he graciously purposes to bring thee, if thou wilt come and learn of him, and receive the salvation which he has bought for thee by his own blood.

The tenth hour - Generally supposed to be about what we call four o'clock in the afternoon. According to Joh 11:9, the Jews reckoned twelve hours in the day; and of course each hour of the day, thus reckoned, must have been something longer or shorter, according to the different times of the year in that climate. The sixth hour with them answered to our twelve o'clock, as appears from what Josephus says in his life, chap. liv.

That on the Sabbath day it was the rule for the Jews to go to dinner at the sixth hour, (ἑκτῃ ὡρᾳ). The Romans had the same way of reckoning twelve hours in each of their days. Hence what we meet with in Hor. lib. ii. sat. vi. l. 34: ante secundam signifies, as we should express it, before eight o'clock. And when, in lib. i. sat. vi. l. 122, he says, ad quartam jaceo, he means that he lay in bed till ten o'clock. See Bishop Pearce on this place. Dr. Macknight, however, is of opinion that the evangelist is to be understood as speaking of the Roman hour, which was ten o'clock in the morning; and as the evangelist remarks, they abode with him that day, it implies that there was a considerable portion of time spent with our Lord, in which, by his conversation, he removed all their scruples, and convinced them that he was the Messiah. But, had it been the Jewish tenth hour, it would have been useless to remark their abiding with him that day, as there were only two hours of it still remaining. Harmony, vol. i. p. 52.

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¹⁸ And [1161] Jesus [2424], walking [4043] by [3844] the sea [2281] of Galilee [1056], saw [1492] two [1417] brethren [80], Simon [4613] called [3004] Peter [4074], and [2532] Andrew [406] his [846] brother [80], casting [906] a net [293] into [1519] the sea [2281]: for [1063] they were [2258] fishers [231].
¹⁹ And [2532] he saith [3004] unto them [846], Follow [1205] [3694] me [3450], and [2532] I will make [4160] you [5209] fishers [231] of men [444].
²⁰ And [1161] they straightway [2112] left [863] their nets [1350], and followed [190] him [846].
²¹ And [2532] going on [4260] from thence [1564], he saw [1492] other [243] two [1417] brethren [80], James [2385] the son of [3588] Zebedee [2199], and [2532] John [2491] his [846] brother [80], in [1722] a ship [4143] with [3326] Zebedee [2199] their [846] father [3962], mending [2675] their [846] nets [1350]; and [2532] he called [2564] them [846].
²² And [1161] they immediately [2112] left [863] the ship [4143] and [2532] their [846] father [3962], and followed [190] him [846].

⁹ Jesus [2424] answered [611], Are there [1526] not [3780] twelve [1427] hours [5610] in the day [2250]? If [1437] any man [5100] walk [4043] in [1722] the day [2250], he stumbleth [4350] not [3756], because [3754] he seeth [991] the light [5457] of this [5127] world [2889].

¹⁸ And [2532] called [5455], and asked [4441] whether [1487] Simon [4613], which [3588] was surnamed [1941] Peter [4074], were lodged [3579] there [1759].

¹ When [5613] therefore [3767] the Lord [2962] knew [1097] how [3754] the Pharisees [5330] had heard [191] that [3754] Jesus [2424] made [4160] and [2532] baptized [907] more [4119] disciples [3101] than [2228] John [2491],

⁹ [1161] When [5613] the ruler of the feast [755] had tasted [1089] the water [5204] that was made [1096] wine [3631], and [2532] knew [1492] not [3756] whence [4159] it was [2076]: (but [1161] the servants [1249] which [3588] drew [501] the water [5204] knew [1492] the governor of the feast [755] called [5455] the bridegroom [3566],

¹¹ The woman [1135] saith [3004] unto him [846], Sir [2962], thou hast [2192] nothing [3777] to draw with [502], and [2532] the well [5421] is [2076] deep [901]: from whence [4159] then [3767] hast thou [2192] that living [2198] water [5204]?

⁵ Now [1161] Moses [3475] in [1722] the law [3551] commanded [1781] us [2254], that such [5108] should be stoned [3036]: but [3767] what [5101] sayest [3004] thou [4771]?

²⁹ He that hath [2192] the bride [3565] is [2076] the bridegroom [3566]: but [1161] the friend [5384] of the bridegroom [3566], which [3588] standeth [2476] and [2532] heareth [191] him [846], rejoiceth [5463] greatly [5479] because [1223] of the bridegroom's [3566] voice [5456]: this [3778] my [1699] joy [5479] therefore [3767] is fulfilled [4137].

²⁵ The woman [1135] saith [3004] unto him [846], I know [1492] that [3754] Messias [3323] cometh [2064], which [3588] is called [3004] Christ [5547]: when [3752] he [1565] is come [2064], he will tell [312] us [2254] all things [3956].

²¹ Jesus [2424] saith [3004] unto her [846], Woman [1135], believe [4100] me [3427], the hour [5610] cometh [3754] [2064], when [3753] ye shall [4352] neither [3777] in [1722] this [5129] mountain [3735], nor yet [3777] at [1722] Jerusalem [2414], worship [4352] the Father [3962].

³⁰ Then [3767] they went [1831] out of [1537] the city [4172], and [2532] came [2064] unto [4314] him [846].

²⁸ The woman [1135] then [3767] left [863] her [846] waterpot [5201], and [2532] went her way [565] into [1519] the city [4172], and [2532] saith [3004] to the men [444],

²⁵ Then [3767] there arose [1096] a question [2214] between [3326] some of [1537] John's [2491] disciples [3101] and the Jews [2453] about [4012] purifying [2512].

¹⁸ Then [3767] answered [611] the Jews [2453] and [2532] said [2036] unto him [846], What [5101] sign [4592] shewest thou [1166] unto us [2254], seeing that [3754] thou doest [4160] these things [5023]?

²² Then [3767] said they [2036] unto him [846], Who [5101] art thou [1488]? that [2443] we may give [1325] an answer [612] to them that sent [3992] us [2248]. What [5101] sayest thou [3004] of [4012] thyself [4572]?