Acts 7:39 | Bible Study

Acts 7:39

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust [him] from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,

Complete Jewish Bible:

“But our fathers did not want to obey him. On the contrary, they rejected him and in their hearts turned to Egypt,

Berean Standard Bible:

But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

American Standard Version:

to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt,

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

To whom^{G3739} our^{G2257} fathers^{G3962} would^{G2309} not^{G3756} obey^{G1096}^{G5255}, but^{G235} thrust him from them^{G683}, and^{G2532} in their^{G846} hearts^{G2588} turned back again^{G4762} into^{G1519} Egypt^{G125},

Cross-References (KJV):

Numbers 14:3

And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?

Numbers 14:4

And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.

Numbers 11:5

We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:

Exodus 16:3

And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, [and] when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

Nehemiah 9:16

But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

Nehemiah 9:17

And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou [art] a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

Acts 7:51

¶ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers [did], so [do] ye.

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Commentary for Acts 7:39

Acts 7:39 is part of the longer speech given by Stephen, one of the seven deacons chosen by the early Christian church in Jerusalem to serve the community. Stephen's speech is a defense against accusations of blasphemy and is recorded in Acts 7. In this verse, Stephen is referring to an event in Israel's history, specifically the story of the Exodus, where Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt.

The verse speaks to the theme of disobedience and rebellion against God. Despite witnessing the miraculous signs and wonders performed by God through Moses, the Israelites, referred to here as "our fathers," refused to obey God's commandments. Instead of trusting in God's promise and moving forward into the land He had promised them, they rejected Moses' leadership and longed to return to Egypt, a place of slavery and oppression, because of their lack of faith and comfort with the familiar, even though it was detrimental to them.

This verse highlights a pattern of unbelief and resistance to God's will that is a recurring motif throughout the Old Testament. It serves as a cautionary tale for the listeners of Stephen's time, as well as for readers today, about the dangers of hardening one's heart against God and the consequences of turning away from His guidance and provision. Stephen uses this historical example to illustrate the ongoing struggle of the Jewish people with faithfulness to God, setting the stage for his ultimate point that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, and that rejection of Jesus is a continuation of this pattern of disobedience.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

Strong's Number: G3739
There are 1215 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: ὅς
Transliteration: hós
Pronunciation: ho
Description: probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article ὁ); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc. See also οὗ.
Strong's Number: G2257
There are 365 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: ἡμῶν
Transliteration: hēmōn
Pronunciation: hay-mone'
Description: genitive case plural of ἐγώ; of (or from) us:--our (company), us, we.
Strong's Number: G3962
There are 372 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: πατήρ
Transliteration: patḗr
Pronunciation: pat-ayr'
Description: apparently a primary word; a "father" (literally or figuratively, near or more remote):--father, parent.
Strong's Number: G2309
There are 201 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: θέλω
Transliteration: thélō
Pronunciation: eth-el-eh'-o
Description: apparently strengthened from the alternate form of αἱρέομαι; to determine (as an active option from subjective impulse; whereas βούλομαι properly denotes rather a passive acquiescence in objective considerations), i.e. choose or prefer (literally or figuratively); by implication, to wish, i.e. be inclined to (sometimes adverbially, gladly); impersonally for the future tense, to be about to; by Hebraism, to delight in:--desire, be disposed (forward), intend, list, love, mean, please, have rather, (be) will (have, -ling, - ling(-ly)).
Strong's Number: G3756
There are 1328 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: οὐ
Transliteration: ou
Pronunciation: ookh
Description: a primary word; the absolute negative (compare μή) adverb; no or not:--+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but. See also οὐ μή, μῆκος.
Strong's Number: G1096
There are 636 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: γίνομαι
Transliteration: gínomai
Pronunciation: ghin'-om-ahee
Description: a prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"-erate), i.e. (reflexively) to become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative, intensive, etc.):--arise, be assembled, be(-come, -fall, -have self), be brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended, fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, + God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published, require, seem, be showed, X soon as it was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought.
Strong's Number: G5255
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: ὑπήκοος
Transliteration: hypḗkoos
Pronunciation: hoop-ay'-ko-os
Description: from ὑπακούω; attentively listening, i.e. (by implication) submissive:--obedient.
Strong's Number: G235
There are 635 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: ἀλλά
Transliteration: allá
Pronunciation: al-lah'
Description: neuter plural of ἄλλος; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations):--and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.
Strong's Number: G683
There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: ἀπωθέομαι
Transliteration: apōthéomai
Pronunciation: ap-o'-thom-ahee
Description: from ἀπό and the middle voice of or (to shove); to push off, figuratively, to reject:--cast away, put away (from), thrust away (from).
Strong's Number: G2532
There are 5212 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: καί
Transliteration: kaí
Pronunciation: kahee
Description: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.
Strong's Number: G846
There are 3776 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: αὐτός
Transliteration: autós
Pronunciation: ow-tos'
Description: from the particle (perhaps akin to the base of ἀήρ through the idea of a baffling wind) (backward); the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative ἑαυτοῦ) of the third person , and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons:--her, it(-self), one, the other, (mine) own, said, (self-), the) same, ((him-, my-, thy- )self, (your-)selves, she, that, their(-s), them(-selves), there(-at, - by, -in, -into, -of, -on, -with), they, (these) things, this (man), those, together, very, which. Compare αὑτοῦ.
Strong's Number: G2588
There are 152 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: καρδία
Transliteration: kardía
Pronunciation: kar-dee'-ah
Description: prolonged from a primary (Latin cor, "heart"); the heart, i.e. (figuratively) the thoughts or feelings (mind); also (by analogy) the middle:--(+ broken-)heart(-ed).
Strong's Number: G4762
There are 18 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: στρέφω
Transliteration: stréphō
Pronunciation: stref'-o
Description: strengthened from the base of τροπή; to twist, i.e. turn quite around or reverse (literally or figuratively):--convert, turn (again, back again, self, self about).
Strong's Number: G1519
There are 1513 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: εἰς
Transliteration: eis
Pronunciation: ice
Description: a primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases:--(abundant-)ly, against, among, as, at, (back-)ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for (intent, purpose), fore, + forth, in (among, at, unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-)on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore(-unto), throughout, til, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-)until(-to), …ward, (where-)fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively).
Strong's Number: G125
There are 74 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: Αἴγυπτος
Transliteration: Aígyptos
Pronunciation: ah'-ee-goop-tos
Description: of uncertain derivation; Ægyptus, the land of the Nile:--Egypt.

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