Acts 7:14
in Acts 7Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
KJV
Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
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This verse in Acts 7
Commentary
12 notes on this verseJoseph called his father Jacob and all his kin, seventy-five souls. He follows the Septuagint in saying this, but in the Hebrew truth, only seventy souls are found. And if you wish to count the series of souls in Genesis, adding Jacob himself and Joseph …
This site's exposition
a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan
on Acts 7:11-14
A dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan sends Jacob's sons down for corn, and at the second visit Joseph is made known to his brethren and sends for his father Jacob and all his kindred, numbered here as threescore and fifteen souls. Genesis counts seventy in the Hebrew text while the Greek Septuagint Stephen and his hearers both knew counts seventy five, the extra five drawn from Joseph's grandsons through Ephraim and Manasseh named in that version's fuller genealogy. The bench treats the number as evidence of which text Stephen is using rather than any error, a detail that fits a speech otherwise saturated in Old Testament language.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
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.
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, …
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
Then sent Joseph,.... Gifts and presents to his father, and wagons, to fetch down him and his family into Egypt, Gen 45:21. and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls; which seems to disagree with the account of Moses, who says, that "all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten", Gen 46:
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
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
Threescore and fifteen souls - There are several difficulties here, which it is hoped the reader will find satisfactorily removed in the note on Gen 46:20 (note). It is well known that in Gen 46:27, and in Deu 10:22, their number is said to be threescore and ten; but Stephen quotes from the Septuagint, which adds five persons to the account which are not in the Hebrew text, Machir, Gilead, Sutelaam, Taham, and Edem; but see the note referred to above.
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
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
threescore and fifteen souls--according to the Septuagint version of Ge 46:27, which Stephen follows, including the five children and grandchildren of Joseph's two sons.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
All his kindred - His father and family, Gen 45:17-28; 46:1-26. Threescore and fifteen souls - Seventy-five persons. There has been much perplexity felt in the explanation of this passage. In Gen 46:26, Exo 1:5, and Deu 10:22, it is expressly said that the number which went down to Egypt consisted of 70 persons. The question is, in what way these accounts can be reconciled? It is evident that Stephen has followed the account which is given by the Septuagint. In Gen 46:27, that version reads, “But the sons of Joseph who were with him in Egypt were nine souls; all the souls of the house of Jacob which came with Jacob into Egypt were seventy-five souls.” This number is made out by adding these nine souls to the 66 mentioned in Gen 46:26. The difference between the Septuagint and Moses is, that the former mentions five descendants of Joseph who are not recorded by the latter. The “names” of the sons of Ephraim and Manasseh are recorded in 1Ch 7:14-21. Their names were Ashriel, Machir, Zelophehad, Peresh, sons of Manasseh; and Shuthelah, son of Ephraim. Why the Septuagint inserted these, it may not be easy to see. But such was evidently the fact; and the fact accords accurately with the historic record, though Moses did not insert their names. The solution of difficulties in regard to chronology is always difficult; and what might be entirely apparent to a Jew in the time of Stephen, may be wholly inexplicable to us.
The words behind it
16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀποστείλας | aposteilas | Having sent | G649 → | 132 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| Ἰωσὴφ | ioseph | Joseph | G2501 → | 35 times |
| μετεκαλέσατο | metekalesato | he called for | G3333 → | 4 times |
| Ἰακὼβ | iakob | Jacob | G2384 → | 27 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πατέρα | patera | father | G3962 → | 410 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πᾶσαν | pasan | all | G3956 → | 1235 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συγγένειαν | sungeneian | kindred | G4772 → | |
| ἐν | en | in all | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ψυχαῖς | psuchais | souls | G5590 → | 103 times |
| ἑβδομήκοντα | hebdomekonta | seventy | G1440 → | 5 times |
| πέντε. | pente | five. | G4002 → | 38 times |
ἀποστείλαςHaving sent
aposteilasG649 →132 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἸωσὴφJoseph
iosephG2501 →35 times
μετεκαλέσατοhe called for
metekalesatoG3333 →4 times
ἸακὼβJacob
iakobG2384 →27 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
πατέραfather
pateraG3962 →410 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πᾶσανall
pasanG3956 →1235 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
συγγένειανkindred
sungeneianG4772 →
ἐνin all
enG1722 →2738 times
ψυχαῖςsouls
psuchaisG5590 →103 times
ἑβδομήκονταseventy
hebdomekontaG1440 →5 times
πέντε.five.
penteG4002 →38 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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
Deuteronomy 10:22Your fathers went down to Egypt, seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.
it leads to
- Genesis 46:27
And with the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt were seventy in all.
- Exodus 1:5
The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.
- Genesis 15:5
And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”
- Deuteronomy 1:10
The LORD your God has multiplied you, so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky.
- Genesis 46:27
Through
Exodus 1:5The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 10:22
Your fathers went down to Egypt, seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.
- Genesis 46:26–27
All those belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt—his direct descendants, besides the wives of Jacob’s sons—numbered sixty-six persons.
- Deuteronomy 10:22
Through
Psalms 105:23Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.
it leads to
- Acts 13:17
The God of the people of Israel chose our fathers. He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land.
- Acts 7:11–15
Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.
- Acts 13:17
Where this verse is studied
About Acts
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 9 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); Bede, Commentary on Acts; 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); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts.