Acts 7:1 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Abraham and the Patriarchs. The High Priest invites Stephen to plead to the charge. Addressing his audience in the style used by Paul (Acts 22:1), Stephen speaks of the theophany to Abraham, placing it, as Philo does, in Mesopotamia before the move to Haran (contrast Genesis 11:31; Genesis 12:1). The Divine injunction and promise (Acts 7:3) are those of Genesis 12:1 spoken in Haran. That not a foot-breadth was given Abraham in the land of promise, is taken from Deuteronomy 2:5, where another country is in question. The promise (Acts 7:5) is from a number of passages (Genesis 12, 13, 17), and that introduced in Acts 7:6 is a quotation from Genesis 15:13-19; Exodus 2:22; Exodus 12:40; a stranger in a strange land (Exodus 2:22) of Gershom. They shall serve me in this place (Exodus 3:12, this mountain). The phrase covenant of circumcision is composed of Genesis 17:10 and Genesis 17:13; Paul has it in Romans 4:11. For the circumcision of Isaac, see Genesis 21:4. The speaker passes quickly on to Joseph, his sale into Egypt and his rise there (cf. Genesis 37-41), with the migration of Jacob and the patriarchs.

Acts 7:14. LXX gives the number as 75; Heb. says 70 (Genesis 46:27; Deuteronomy 10:22).

Acts 7:16. In Genesis 49:30; Genesis 50:13, Jacob is buried at Machpelah, not in Shechem.

Related Commentaries of Acts 7:1

Acts 7:1-16

1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so?

2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.

8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.

13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.

14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,

16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.