Acts 7:18
in Acts 7Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
till there arose another king over Egypt, who knew not Joseph.
KJV
Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.
⋯
This verse in Acts 7
Commentary
12 notes on this verseWhich knew not Joseph - That is, did not approve of him, of his mode of governing the kingdom, nor of his people, nor of his God. See the note on Exo 1:8.
This site's exposition
As the time drew near
on Acts 7:17-19
As God's promise drew near, Israel increased in Egypt, until a king who knew nothing of Joseph turned favor to fear. The growth that was blessing under Joseph's honor is now read as a threat.
This site's exposition
another king, who knew nothing
Clarke and Henry read "knew nothing of Joseph" as a refusal to honor him, and Henry calls it ingratitude for Joseph's service to Egypt. Albert Barnes notes that this king's name is not certainly known. Pharaoh was a title, as Caesar later was.
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 …
"But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, till another king arose, which knew not Joseph." Then again, fresh disappointment: first, famine, but they came through that: secondly, the falling into the hands of their enemy: thirdly, the being destroyed by the king. Then to show God's fullness of ways and means... "But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, till another king arose, which knew not Joseph." Observe, that it is not during the four hundred years that He multiplies them, but only when the end was about to draw nigh. And yet already four hundred years were passed, nay more, in Egypt. But this is the wonder of it.
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 Medieval Church1 voice
"The people grew and multiplied in Egypt." If regarding Joseph it is worthy of admiration that he was sold by his brothers and, having been sold, delivered them from famine, then even more admirable is the fact that the king raised the one who was …
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Their base ingratitude: They were oppressed by another king that knew not Joseph, that is, did not consider the good service that Joseph had done to that nation; for, if he had, he would not have made so ill a requital to his relations and family. Those that injure good people are very ungrateful, for they are the blessings of the age and place they live in.
Till another king arose,....
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 Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Till another king arose - This is quoted from Exo 1:8. What was the “name” of this king is not certainly known. The “common” name of all the kings of Egypt was “Pharaoh,” as “Caesar” became the common name of the emperors of Rome after the time of Julius Caesar: thus we say, Augustus Caesar, Tiberius Caesar, etc. It has commonly been supposed to have been the celebrated Rameses, the sixth king of the eighteenth dynasty, and the event is supposed to have occurred about 1559 years before the Christian era. M. Champollion supposes that his name was Mandonei, whose reign commenced in 1585 b.c., and ended 1565 years before Christ (Essay on the Hieroglyphic System, p. 94, 95). Sir Jas. G. Wilkinson supposes that it was Amosis, or Ames, the “first” king of the eighteenth dynasty (Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians, vol. 1, pp. 42, 2nd ed.). “The present knowledge of Egyptian history is too imperfect to enable us to determine this point” (Prof. Hackett). Which knew not Joseph - It can hardly be supposed that he would be ignorant of the name and deeds of Joseph; and this expression, therefore, probably means that he did not favour the designs of Joseph; he did not remember the benefits which he had conferred on the nation; or furnish the patronage for the kindred of Joseph which had been secured for them by Joseph under a former reign. National ingratitude has not been uncommon in the world, and a change of dynasty has often obliterated all memory of former obligations and compacts.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἄχρι | achri | until | G891 → | 48 times |
| οὗ | hou | that | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἀνέστη | aneste | there arose | G450 → | 107 times |
| βασιλεὺς | basileus | king | G935 → | 114 times |
| ἕτερος | heteros | another | G2087 → | 97 times |
| ἐπ᾽ | ep᾽ | over | G1909 → | 883 times |
| Αἴγυπτον | aigupton | Egypt | G125 → | 25 times |
| ὃς | hos | who | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ᾔδει | edei | knew | G1492 → | 374 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰωσήφ. | ioseph | Joseph. | G2501 → | 35 times |
ἄχριuntil
achriG891 →48 times
οὗthat
houG3739 →1405 times
ἀνέστηthere arose
anesteG450 →107 times
βασιλεὺςking
basileusG935 →114 times
ἕτεροςanother
heterosG2087 →97 times
ἐπ᾽over
ep᾽G1909 →883 times
ΑἴγυπτονEgypt
aiguptonG125 →25 times
ὃςwho
hosG3739 →1405 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ᾔδειknew
edeiG1492 →374 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
Ἰωσήφ.Joseph.
iosephG2501 →35 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
2 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
Exodus 1:8Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
it leads to
- Ecclesiastes 2:18–19
I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
- Ecclesiastes 9:15
Now a poor wise man was found in the city, and he saved the city by his wisdom. Yet no one remembered that poor man.
- Ecclesiastes 2:18–19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies24
On this verse
On this chapter
- Abraham
- Brit milah: circumcision on the eighth day
- Circumcision of the Heart
- Egypt's Famine Years and the Land of Pharaoh
- Grieving & Quenching the Spirit
- The Intermediate State
Show the next 6 titles
About Acts
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 16; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.