Acts 7:23
in Acts 7When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But when he was well-nigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
KJV
And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
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This verse in Acts 7
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Full forty years old - This is not recorded in the Old Testament; but it is a constant tradition of the Jews that Moses was 40 years of age when he undertook to deliver them. Thus, it is said, “Moses lived in the palace of Pharaoh forty years; he was forty years in Midian; and he ministered to Israel forty years” (Kuinoel). To visit ... - Probably with a view of delivering them from their oppressive bondage. Compare Act 7:25.
This site's exposition
When Moses was forty years old
on Acts 7:23-25
At forty Moses killed an Egyptian oppressor, an attempt at deliverance forty years before God's time. Stephen adds that Moses expected his brothers to understand that God was using him, but they did not, a failure to know a deliverer.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"And when he was full forty years old." Forty years he was there, and was not found out from his being circumcised. Observe, how, being in safety, they overlook their own interests, both he and Joseph, in order that they may save others: "And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel."
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
): When he was full forty years old, in the prime of his time for preferment in the court of Egypt, it came into his heart (for God put it there) to visit his brethren the children of Israel, and to see which way he might do them any service; and he showed himself as a public person, with a public character.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And when he was full forty years old,.... This Stephen had from tradition, and not from Scripture, which is silent about the age of Moses at this time, and only says, "it came to pass in those days when Moses was grown", Exo 2:11 but that he was at this time at such an age, is the general sense of the Jews. Upon the above mentioned passage they have this note (h). "twenty years old was Moses at that time; and there are that say, that he was forty years old.
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
When he was full forty years old - This was a general tradition among the Jews: “Moses was forty years in Pharaoh’s court, forty years in Midian, and forty years he served Israel.” To visit his brethren - Probably on the ground of trying to deliver them from their oppressive bondage. This desire seems to have been early infused into his mind by the Spirit of God; and the effect of this desire to deliver his oppressed countrymen was his refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter - see Heb 11:24, and thus renouncing all right to the Egyptian crown, choosing rather to endure addiction with the people of God than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὡς | hos | When | G5613 → | 500 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἐπληροῦτο | eplerouto | was fulfilled | G4137 → | 86 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | to him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τεσσερακονταετὴς | tesserakontaetes | of forty years | G5063 → | |
| χρόνος, | chronos | a period, | G5550 → | 53 times |
| ἀνέβη | anebe | it came | G305 → | 82 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | into | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καρδίαν | kardian | mind | G2588 → | 156 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐπισκέψασθαι | episkepsasthai | to visit | G1980 → | 11 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀδελφοὺς | adelphous | brothers | G80 → | 343 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| υἱοὺς | huious | sons | G5207 → | 377 times |
| Ἰσραήλ. | israel | of Israel. | G2474 → | 68 times |
ὡςWhen
hosG5613 →500 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
ἐπληροῦτοwas fulfilled
epleroutoG4137 →86 times
αὐτῷto him
autoG846 →5565 times
τεσσερακονταετὴςof forty years
tesserakontaetesG5063 →
χρόνος,a period,
chronosG5550 →53 times
ἀνέβηit came
anebeG305 →82 times
ἐπὶinto
epiG1909 →883 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
καρδίανmind
kardianG2588 →156 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
ἐπισκέψασθαιto visit
episkepsasthaiG1980 →11 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
ἀδελφοὺςbrothers
adelphousG80 →343 times
αὐτοῦof him
autouG846 →5565 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
υἱοὺςsons
huiousG5207 →377 times
Ἰσραήλ.of Israel.
israelG2474 →68 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
Proverbs 21:1The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases.
it leads to
- Ezra 6:22
For seven days they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread with joy, because the LORD had made them joyful and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to strengthen their hands…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Proverbs 16:9
A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
- Proverbs 20:24
A man’s steps are from the LORD, so how can anyone understand his own way?
- Acts 7:10
and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.
- Proverbs 16:1
The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.
- Ezra 6:22
Through
Ezra 7:27Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who has put into the heart of the king to so honor the house of the LORD in Jerusalem,
it leads to
- Revelation 17:17
For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.
- Isaiah 60:13
The glory of Lebanon will come to you—its cypress, elm, and boxwood together—to adorn the place of My sanctuary, and I will glorify the place of My feet.
- Nehemiah 2:8
And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel to the temple, for the…
- Revelation 17:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies14
On this verse
On this chapter
About Acts
Who and where
1 name 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 Calvin, Commentary upon the Acts of the Apostles; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 16; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.