Acts 23:31 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Antipatris.— Very different accounts are given of the situation of Antipatris, which must however have been north-west of Jerusalem, as it was in the way from thence to Caesarea. Its ancient name was Caphar Salama, Genesis 7:31. But Herod the Great rebuilt it, and gave it the name of Antipatris, in honour of his father Antipater. It was something more than thirty-eight of our miles from Jerusalem. Probably the soldiers thus hastened, lest the Jews, in their rage against St. Paul, should pursue them. However, it is not necessary to conclude that St. Paul was carried thither in one night, or that the soldiers returned in one day: it is only said that they travelled by night, which they might do, and rest by the way, nor is it probable that they took St. Paul with them by night from Jerusalem, and reached Caesarea the next day, when it appears from Josephus, that from Jerusalem to Caesarea was near seventy miles.