Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Signified (eshmainen). Imperfect active in Westcott and Hort, but aorist active eshmanen in the margin. The verb is an old one from shma (shmeion) a sign (cf. the symbolic sign in Acts 21:11). Here Agabus (also in Acts 21:10) does predict a famine through the Holy Spirit.
Should be (mellein esesqai). Mellw occurs either with the present infinitive (Acts 16:27), the aorist infinitive (Acts 12:6), or the future as here and Acts 24:15; Acts 27:10.
Over all the world (ef olhn thn oikoumenhn). Over all the inhabited earth (ghn, understood). Probably a common hyperbole for the Roman empire as in Luke 2:1. Josephus (Ant. VIII. 13, 4) appears to restrict it to Palestine.
In the days of Claudius (epi Klaudiou). He was Roman Emperor A.D. 41-44. The Roman writers (Suetonius, Dio Cassius, Tacitus) all tell of dearths (assiduae sterilitates) during the brief reign of Claudius who was preceded by Caligula and followed by Nero.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Mark 13:7
Luke 2:1
Luke 7:2
John 4:47
Acts 13:1
Acts 15:32
Acts 19:27
Acts 21:10
Revelation 1:1
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