Acts 7:13
in Acts 7On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s race became manifest unto Pharaoh.
KJV
And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.
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This verse in Acts 7
Commentary
14 notes on this verseAnd at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren,.... That is, when the brethren of Joseph went a second time down to Egypt for corn, Joseph made himself known unto them, Gen 45:1. And Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh; for though it was known before that he was an Hebrew, see Gen 39:17 yet it was not known of what family he was, who was his father, or his brethren, but now it was known, Gen 45:16.
This site's exposition
Then famine and great suffering
on Acts 7:11-14
Stephen counts Jacob's relatives as seventy-five in all, where the Hebrew of Genesis 46:27 counts seventy. The Greek Septuagint, which Stephen and his hearers knew, counts seventy-five, so the number shows which text Stephen is using.
This site's exposition
Joseph revealed his identity
On the first visit his brothers did not recognize Joseph. Gill notes that Pharaoh already knew Joseph was a Hebrew and learned only now who his father and brothers were. Spurgeon sees the same with Jesus, who is often unknown to sinners at first and makes Himself known later.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
All these things, however, are small, if measured to the ultimate heroism directed toward Christ. Therefore they are hard-hearted and uncircumcised in heart, and their ears are clogged. For which reason they were murderers of the prophets, bringing destruction upon themselves, and even of Christ, …
The first example is taken from Abraham, showing that one ought not to hasten what is delayed by divine promises, for Abraham indeed sought to hasten the departure of his descendants from Egypt: although it was revealed to him that their imprisonment was to be …
"Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren." They came down to buy, and had to depend upon him for everything. What then did he? "He made himself known to his brethren:" not to this point only did he carry his friendliness; he also made them known to Pharaoh, and brought them down into the land. "And Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh. Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, 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." "Now there came a dearth," etc. On account of famine--such preparations is he making--"with threescore and fifteen souls," he says, "Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he and our fathers, and were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem." It shows, that they were not masters even to the extent of a burying-place.
In many ways, through the present discourse the blessed Stephen refutes both his own gentleness toward the Jews and their ferocity toward him. For when he addresses them as brothers and fathers, what else is shown by these names than the proper relation of kinship? …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
They shall serve me - Not the Egyptians. And so he begat Isaac - After the covenant was given, of which circumcision was the seal. But God was with him - Though he was not in this land.
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
In Genesis they are said to be seventy souls, Gen. xlvi. But the Septuagint there makes them seventy-five, and Stephen or Luke follows that version, as Luke iii. 36 , where Cainan is inserted, which is not in the Hebrew text, but in the Septuagint.
He applies this to those that prosecuted him, and sat in judgment upon him, sharply reproving them for their wickedness, by which they had brought upon themselves the ruin of their place and nation, and then could not bear to hear of it,
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him--Here Stephen gives his first example of Israel's opposition to God's purposes, in spite of which and by means of which those purposes were accomplished.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3096: “The Second Time” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
[Two other Sermons by Mr. Spurgeon upon this incident, based upon Genesis. 45:1-5, are as follows—#449, Volume 8—JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHERS and #2516, Volume 43—JESUS AND HIS BRETHREN] THIS did not happen on the first occasion when they went down into Egypt. Joseph knew them, then, but they did not recognize him. He filled their sacks with corn, put the purchase money into their sacks, gave them provision for the way and sent them home, but he gave them no token by which they were able to recognize him as their long-lost brother.
A commentator
Charles Spurgeon1834–1892
The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3096: “The Second Time” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) · Written before 1892.
proposed
[Two other Sermons by Mr. Spurgeon upon this incident, based upon Genesis. 45:1-5, are as follows—#449, Volume 8—JOSEPH AND HIS BROTHERS and #2516, Volume 43—JESUS AND HIS BRETHREN] THIS did not happen on the first occasion when they went down into Egypt. Joseph knew them, then, but they did not recognize him. He filled their sacks with corn, put the purchase money into their sacks, gave them provision for the way and sent them home, but he gave them no token by which they were able to recognize him as their long-lost brother. And I want to show you that as it was with Joseph, so it is with Jesus. There are times when sinners do not know Him even when they are speaking to Him. And on the first occasion He does not manifest Himself to them, but it is a very delightful thought that, full often, at the second time, Jesus is made known unto His brethren even as Joseph was. I will tell you the gist of my discourse at once. It is this—if you have sought the Savior and have not yet found Him, seek Him again! If your first seeking has been a failure, let my text be a message of encouragement to you—"At the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers"—let it encourage you to seek the Savior again in the hope that, at the second time, Jesus may make Himself known to you! We are constantly preaching the same Gospel, in the simplest terms we can find—and the Gospel that we preach is this, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved." Believing on Christ is simply trusting Him, trusting in His great atoning Sacrifice in which He stood in the place of sinners and suffered as their Substitute, so bearing, that they might never have to bear, the righteous wrath of God on account of their sin. We might have supposed that every person who attended our ministry did at least fully understand the plan of salvation, but it is not so.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Joseph was made known - Gen 45:4. Joseph’s kindred ... - His relatives; his family, Gen 45:16.
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐν | en | on | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῷ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δευτέρῳ | deutero | second time | G1208 → | 43 times |
| ἀνεγνωρίσθη | anegnoristhe | was recognised by | G319 → | |
| Ἰωσὴφ | ioseph | Joseph | G2501 → | 35 times |
| τοῖς | tois | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφοῖς | adelphois | to brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| αὐτοῦ, | autou | of him, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| φανερὸν | phaneron | known | G5318 → | |
| ἐγένετο | egeneto | became | G1096 → | 667 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Φαραὼ | pharao | to Pharaoh | G5328 → | 5 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γένος | genos | family | G1085 → | 20 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰωσήφ. | ioseph | of Joseph. | G2501 → | 35 times |
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐνon
enG1722 →2738 times
τῷthe
toG3588 →19766 times
δευτέρῳsecond time
deuteroG1208 →43 times
ἀνεγνωρίσθηwas recognised by
anegnoristheG319 →
ἸωσὴφJoseph
iosephG2501 →35 times
τοῖςthe
toisG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφοῖςto brothers
adelphoisG80 →343 times
αὐτοῦ,of him,
autouG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
φανερὸνknown
phaneronG5318 →
ἐγένετοbecame
egenetoG1096 →667 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
Φαραὼto Pharaoh
pharaoG5328 →5 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
γένοςfamily
genosG1085 →20 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
Ἰωσήφ.of Joseph.
iosephG2501 →35 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
4 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 46:31Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, “I will go up and inform Pharaoh: ‘My brothers and my father’s household from the land of Canaan have come to me.
it leads to
- Genesis 47:1–3
So Joseph went and told Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in Goshen.”
- Genesis 45:16–20
When the news reached Pharaoh’s house that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and his servants were pleased.
- Hebrews 2:11
For both the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.
- Acts 18:3
and he stayed and worked with them because they were tentmakers by trade, just as he was.
- Genesis 47:1–3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies38
On this verse
On this chapter
- Abraham
- Brit milah: circumcision on the eighth day
- Chaldea
- Circumcision of the Heart
- Egypt's Famine Years and the Land of Pharaoh
- Father, Forgive Them
Show the next 6 titles
Show the next 6 titles
- Types of Christ: Joseph and Joshua
- Joseph and the Tale of Two Brothers
- Joshua son of Nun
- Amos and the Courts at the Gate
- Love Your Enemies
- Mesopotamia
Show the next 6 titles
- Moses in the Bulrushes
- Mourning and Burial in Israel
- Outside the Camp
- Paul
- Prophet, Priest and King: The Threefold Office of Christ
- Scribes and the Sanhedrin
Show the next 6 titles
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on Acts; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3096: “The Second Time” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 16; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts.