Acts 7:17

¶ But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

But {G1161} when {G2531} the time {G5550} of the promise {G1860} drew nigh {G1448}, which {G3739} God {G2316} had sworn {G3660} to Abraham {G11}, the people {G2992} grew {G837} and {G2532} multiplied {G4129} in {G1722} Egypt {G125},

“As the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise God had made to Avraham, the number of our people in Egypt increased greatly,

As the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number.

But as the time of the promise drew nigh which God vouchsafed unto Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

Context

Stephen, a man "full of faith and of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 6:5), is delivering a powerful defense before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court. He is accused of blasphemy against Moses and God, and of speaking against the Temple and the Law. In response, Stephen recounts a sweeping history of Israel, starting from Abraham, to demonstrate God's continuous work among His people, often despite their unfaithfulness. Acts 7:17 falls within this historical narrative, setting the stage for the Exodus by highlighting God's meticulous timing in fulfilling promises made centuries earlier to Abraham.

Key Themes and Messages

  • God's Unwavering Faithfulness to His Promises: The verse emphasizes that God never forgets His covenants. The "promise which God had sworn to Abraham" was a solemn oath, ensuring the prosperity and multiplication of his descendants. This highlights God's integrity and commitment to His word, even across generations.
  • Divine Timing: The phrase "when the time of the promise drew nigh" signifies that God's plans unfold according to His perfect schedule, not man's. This period of rapid growth in Egypt was a necessary preparatory phase before the grand deliverance, demonstrating God's sovereignty over historical events.
  • Providential Growth: The multiplication of the Israelites in Egypt was a direct fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham regarding his numerous descendants (Genesis 15:5) and to Jacob that he would become a great nation in Egypt (Genesis 46:3). Even in a foreign land, under increasingly difficult conditions, God ensured their exponential increase, laying the groundwork for nationhood.

Historical and Cultural Context

The period described is the final phase of Israel's 400-year sojourn in Egypt, as prophesied to Abraham (Genesis 15:13). Jacob's family, initially numbering about seventy souls, had moved to Egypt during a famine and were initially welcomed. Over centuries, they became a distinct and significantly large population. Their immense growth, as stated by Stephen, "grew and multiplied," became a strategic concern for the new Egyptian dynasty, leading to their subsequent enslavement and oppression (Exodus 1:7-12). Stephen uses this historical detail to illustrate God's active involvement in their history, even during periods of apparent quiet or severe oppression, always moving towards the fulfillment of His purposes.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "drew nigh" (Greek: ēngizen) conveys the idea of an approaching, appointed time, emphasizing the precision and inevitability of God's plan. The term "sworn" (Greek: omnynai) highlights the solemnity and unchangeable nature of God's oath to Abraham, making the promise utterly reliable and guaranteed.

Practical Application

This verse offers great encouragement for believers today. Just as God was faithful to His ancient promises to Abraham, He remains faithful to His word concerning us. We can trust that God's timing is perfect, even when circumstances seem to delay the fulfillment of His promises or our prayers. Our growth, both individually in faith and corporately as the church, is also part of His sovereign plan, preparing us for future works and His ultimate purposes. It reminds us to have patience and unwavering faith, knowing that God is always at work behind the scenes, orchestrating events for His glory and our good, bringing His promises to pass in His own perfect season.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Acts 7:6

    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.

  • Exodus 1:7

    And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

  • Exodus 1:12

    But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

  • Acts 13:17

    The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

  • 2 Peter 3:8

    ¶ But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

  • 2 Peter 3:9

    ¶ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

  • Psalms 105:24

    And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies.

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