Acts 7:22-28

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Acts 7:17-29

Stephen here goes on to relate, I. The wonderful increase of the people of Israel in Egypt; it was by a wonder of providence that in a little time they advanced from a family into a nation. 1. It was when the time of the promise drew nigh?the time when they were to be formed into a people. During the first two hundred and fifteen years after the promise made to Abraham, the children of the covenant were increased but to seventy; but in the latter two hundred and fifteen years they increased to... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Acts 7:17-36

7:17-36 "When the time for the fulfillment of the promise which God had told to Abraham drew near, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt, until there arose another king in Egypt who had no knowledge of Joseph. He schemed against our race and treated our fathers badly by making them cast out their children so that they would not survive. At this point Moses was born and he was very comely in God's sight. For three months he was nurtured in his father's house. When he was put out... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:22

And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians , Which was reckoned very considerable: 1 Kings 4:30 Philo the Jew says F5 De Vita Mosis, l. 1. p. 859. Clement. Alex. Strom. l. 1. p. 343. that he learned arithmetic, geometry, and every branch of music, the hieroglyphics, the Assyrian language, and the Chaldean knowledge of the heavens, and the mathematics; yet was not a magician, or skilled in unlawful arts, as Justin suggests F6 L. 36. c. 2. : and was mighty in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:23

And when he was full forty years old ,.... This Stephen had from tradition, and not from Scripture, which is silent about the age of Moses at this time, and only says, "it came to pass in those days when Moses was grown", Exodus 2:11 but that he was at this time at such an age, is the general sense of the Jews. Upon the above mentioned passage they have this note F8 Shemot Rabba, sect. 1. fol. 91. 3. . "twenty years old was Moses at that time; and there are that say, that he was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:24

And seeing one of them suffer wrong ,.... Beza's Cambridge copy, and one of Stephens's, and one in the Bodleian library add, "of his own kindred": and so Exodus 2:11 he is said to be "one of his brethren"; which Aben Ezra explains, ממשפחתו , "of his family", one of the tribe of Levi; and so another Jewish writer F13 Pirke Eliezer, c. 48. is very particular, and says, "Moses went out to the camp of the Israelites, and saw an Egyptian smite one of the sons of Kohath, who was of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:25

For he supposed his brethren would have understood him ,.... From his being an Hebrew in such high life; from his wonderful birth, and miraculous preservation in his infancy, and education in Pharaoh's court; and from the promise of God that he would visit them and save them: how that God by his hand would deliver them : wherefore he was the more emboldened to kill the Egyptian, believing that his brethren would make no advantage of it against him; but look upon it as a beginning and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:26

And the next day he showed himself to them, as they strove ,.... To two men of the Hebrews, who were quarrelling and contending with one another: these are said by the Jews F23 Shalshalet, ib. to be Dathan and Abiram; who were disputing and litigating the point, and were very warm, and at high words. The occasion of their contention is F24 Targum Jon. Jarchi, & Baal Hattuim in Exod. ii. 13. Shemot Rabba, Shalshalet & Pirke Eliezer, ut supra. said to be this, "the Hebrew... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:27

But he that did his neighbour wrong ,.... Who seems to be the same person whom Moses had defended the day before; and, according to the Jews, must be Dathan F1 Targum Jon. in Exod. ii. 14. Debarim Rabba, sect. 2. fol. 237. 1. : the same thrust him away ; from them, when he went to part them, and persuade them to be good friends: saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge over us ? which was very ungrateful, if he was the man he had delivered the day before; and very impertinent,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Acts 7:28

Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday? That is, is it thy will? dost thou design to kill me? or, as in Exodus 2:14 "intendest" thou to kill me? In the Hebrew text it is, "wilt thou kill me, dost thou say?" that is, as Aben Ezra rightly interprets it, dost thou say so "in thine heart?" which is a much better observation than that of Jarchi's; "from hence we learn, says he, that he slew him by the ineffable name:' though this is the sense of some of their ancient doctors... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Acts 7:22

In all the wisdom of the Egyptians - Who were, at that time, the most intelligent and best instructed people in the universe. Philo says, Moses was taught arithmetic, geometry, poetry, music, medicine, and the knowledge of hieroglyphics. In Sohar Cadash, fol. 46, it is said, "that, of the ten portions of wisdom which came into the world, the Egyptians had nine, and that all the inhabitants of the earth had only the remaining portion." Much of the same nature may be seen in the rabbins,... read more

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