Skip to content
mannafest.faith
Read

Acts 7:20

in Acts 7

At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God. For three months he was nurtured in his father’s house.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

At which season Moses was born, and was exceeding fair; and he was nourished three months in his father’s house:

KJV

In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months:

⋯

This verse in Acts 7

Commentary

10 notes on this verse
In which time ... - During this period of oppression. See Exo 2:2, etc. Was exceeding fair - Greek: “was fair to God”; properly rendered, “was very handsome.” The word “God” in the Greek here in accordance with the Hebrew usage, by which anything that is “very handsome, lofty, or grand” is thus designated. Thus, Psa 36:7, “mountains of God,” mean lofty mountains; Psa 80:11, “cedars of God,” mean lofty, beautiful cedars. Thus, Nineveh is called “a great city to God” (Jon 3:3, Greek), meaning a very great city.

This site's exposition

At that time Moses was born

on Acts 7:20-22

At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in the sight of God, and Pharaoh's daughter brought him up as her own son. Stephen adds that Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, beyond what Exodus states, a tradition Josephus and Philo record at greater length. He calls Moses powerful in speech and action, the same man who calls himself slow of speech in Exodus 4:10.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Acts 16 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"In which time," it says, "Moses was born, and was exceeding fair." If the former circumstance was wonderful, that Joseph was sold by his brethren, here again is another circumstance more wonderful still, that the king "nourished" the very person who was to overthrow his dominion, being himself the person that was to perish. Do you observe all along a figurative enacting, so to say, of the resurrection of the dead? But it is not the same thing for God himself to do a thing, and for a thing to come to pass in connection with man's purpose. For these things indeed were in connection with man's purpose, but the Resurrection by itself, independently. "In which time Moses was born and was exceeding fair." This is the wonder, that he who is to be their champion, is born, neither after nor before, these things, but in the very midst of the storm. "And was nourished up in his father's house three months." But when man's help was despaired of, and they cast him forth, then did God's benefit shine forth conspicuous.

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Acts · Written before 550.

proposed

At that time, then, Moses was born, it says, and he was pleasing to God, that is, well-pleasing or beloved of God. The word "pleasing" primarily signifies one sinless in body in childhood.

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

proposed

"Moses… was beautiful before God." The parents gave birth and saw that the child was beautiful, because grace was flourishing in him. Having seen that he was beautiful, they spared him, but, frightened by the decree, they hid him. Fear prevailed; and out of fear …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

), and was himself in danger, as soon as he came into the world (as our Saviour also was at Bethlehem) of falling a sacrifice to that bloody edict. God is preparing for his people's deliverance, when their way is darkest, and their distress deepest.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens

In which time Moses was born,.... The word Moses, is differently written in the New Testament; sometimes Moses, as here, sometimes Mo-yses, as in Act 7:35 sometimes Mo-yseus, as in Act 15:1 and sometimes Moseus, as in Rom 5:
3 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

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 Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

In which time--of deepest depression. Moses was born--the destined deliverer. exceeding fair--literally, "fair to God" (Margin), or, perhaps, divinely "fair" (see on Heb 11:23).

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

Moses - was exceeding fair - ΑϚειος τῳ Θεῳ, Was fair to God, i.e. was divinely beautiful. See the note on Exo 2:2.

The words behind it

19 Greek words

Every 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.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

7 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Exodus 2:2and she conceived and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him for three months.26 worksHebrews 11:23By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were unafraid of the king’s edict.7 worksEcclesiastes 3:2a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,4 worksJob 42:15No women as beautiful as Job’s daughters could be found in all the land, and their father granted them an inheritance among their brothers.4 works1 Samuel 16:12So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”3 worksGenesis 39:6So Potiphar left all that he owned in Joseph’s care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,3 works
The other 1 cross-references, with their words ▾
Daniel 1:4young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    Hebrews 11:23

    By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were unafraid of the king’s edict.

    it leads to

    • Exodus 1:22

      Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”

    • Exodus 1:16

      “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”

    • Matthew 10:28

      Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

    • Hebrews 13:6

      So we say with confidence: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

    • Exodus 2:2–10

      and she conceived and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him for three months.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 16:12

    So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”

    it leads to

    • Lamentations 4:7

      Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.

    • Song of Solomon 5:10

      My beloved is dazzling and ruddy, outstanding among ten thousand.

    • Psalms 89:19–20

      You once spoke in a vision; to Your godly ones You said, “I have bestowed help on a warrior; I have exalted one chosen from the people.

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Ascension, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Ascension, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Acts: the study guide →Read Acts 7 →
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 the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, 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); John Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.

Read on in Acts 7 →