He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.
Parallel translations
- WEB The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.
- KJV The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
- NKJV This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live.
- NASB It was he who shrewdly took advantage of our nation and mistreated our fathers in order that they would abandon their infants in the Nile, so that they would not survive.
- NLT This king exploited our people and oppressed them, forcing parents to abandon their newborn babies so they would die.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The new king cunningly oppressed Israel and ordered their infants killed to curb their growth. It depicts the cruelty of Egypt's bondage and Israel's helplessness apart from God.
Overview
Stephen recalls Pharaoh's shrewd policy of enslaving Israel and his murderous command to expose their newborns (Exodus 1:9-22). This deepest point of Israel's suffering becomes the dark backdrop against which God raises a deliverer. The pattern of a tyrant killing infants foreshadows Herod's slaughter at Jesus' birth, yet God preserves his chosen deliverer in each case.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Ps 105:25whose hearts He turned to hate His people, to conspire against His servants.
- Exod 1:9–22“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.
- Ps 83:4–5saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation; may the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
- Rev 12:4–5His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky, tossing them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as soon as she gave birth.
- Ps 129:1–3A song of ascents. Many a time they have persecuted me from my youth—let Israel now declare—
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Acts is the risen Christ continuing his work by the Spirit through the church, as the apostles preach that there is salvation in no other name under heaven.
How Acts 7:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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