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Acts 7:8

in Acts 7

Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.

KJV

And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

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This verse in Acts 7

Commentary

12 notes on this verse
And he gave him - That is, God appointed or commanded this, Gen 17:9-13. The covenant - The word “covenant” denotes properly “a compact or agreement between two or more persons,” usually attended with seals, pledges, or sanctions. In Gen 17:7, and elsewhere, it is said that God would establish his “covenant” with Abraham; that is, he made him certain definite promises, attended with pledges and seals, etc. The idea of a strict “compact” or “agreement” between God and man, as between “equal parties”; is not found in the Bible. The word is commonly used, as here, to denote “a promise on the part of God,” attended with pledges, and demanding, on the part of man, in order to avail himself of its benefits, a specified course of conduct. The “covenant” is therefore another name for denoting two things on the part of God: (1) A “command,” which man is not at liberty to reject, as he would be if it were a literal covenant; and, (2) A “promise,” which is to be fulfilled only on the condition of obedience. The covenant with Abraham was simply a “promise” to give him the land, and to make him a great nation, etc. It was never proposed to Abraham with the supposition that he was at liberty to reject it, or to refuse to comply with its conditions. Circumcision was appointed as the mark or indication that Abraham and those thus designated were the persons included in the gracious purpose and promise. It served to separate them as a special people; a people whose unique characteristic it was that they obeyed and served the God who had made the promise to Abraham. […]

This site's exposition

the covenant of circumcision

God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and the line runs through Isaac and Jacob to the twelve patriarchs in one verse. The covenant sign is the visible mark of the promise verse 5 calls still unseen.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers4 voices

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Acts · Written before 550.

proposed

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? …

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Acts · Written before 550.

proposed

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, …

A commentator

Oecumenius

Commentary on Acts · Written before 550.

proposed

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 …

A commentator

John Chrysostom

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

proposed

"And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so he begat Isaac." Here he lets himself down to lower matters. "And circumcised him on the eighth day: and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs." Here he seems to hint now at the type. And observe, how, while he seems to concede something to circumcision, he in fact allows it nothing; since the Promise was before it, and it followed after.

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Acts · Written before 1107.

proposed

The promises are given to the descendants, while the calamities are given to the ancestors. And the fathers were commanded by the law to circumcise the foreskin because Abraham came out of the land of the Chaldeans; for the Chaldeans, as well as the Medes …
5 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices

And he gave him the covenant of circumcision,.... Or the covenant, of which circumcision was a sign or token, Gen 17:

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

With this argument Paul proves that Abraham was justified by faith, because he was justified when he was in uncircumcision: and so here. They had a mighty jealousy for this holy place, which may be meant of the whole land of Canaan; for it was called the holy land, Immanuel's land; and the destruction of the holy house inferred that of the holy land.

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

the covenant of circumcision--that is, the covenant of which circumcision was the token. and so--that is, according to the terms of this covenant, on which Paul reasons (Ga 3:1-26). the twelve patriarchs--so called as the founders of the twelve tribes of Israel.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

He gave him the covenant of circumcision - That is, he instituted the rite of circumcision, as a sign of that covenant which he had made with him and his posterity.

The words behind it

26 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

18 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.

Matthew 1:2Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.8 worksGenesis 21:4When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him.7 worksGenesis 21:2So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised.7 worksGenesis 17:10This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised.6 worksGenesis 17:9–14God also said to Abraham, “You must keep My covenant—you and your descendants in the generations after you.4 worksGenesis 35:23–26The sons of Leah were Reuben the firstborn of Jacob, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.4 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Genesis 17:11You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.4 worksPsalms 105:9the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac.3 worksGenesis 17:12Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring.3 worksLuke 3:34the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,3 works1 Chronicles 1:34Abraham was the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel.3 worksGenesis 21:1–4Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised.2 worksGalatians 3:15Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.2 worksGenesis 25:21–26Later, Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD heard his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived.2 worksRomans 9:9–13For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”2 worksHebrews 7:4Consider how great Melchizedek was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder.2 worksGenesis 29:31When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.2 worksExodus 1:1–4These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:2 works

The walk

4 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

    Galatians 3:15

    Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.

    it leads to

    • Hebrews 9:17

      because a will does not take effect until the one who made it has died; it cannot be executed while he is still alive.

    • Romans 6:19

      I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so now…

    • Romans 3:5

      But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms.

    • 1 Corinthians 15:32

      If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for human motives, what did I gain? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Where this verse is studied

About Acts

The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
The Pentecost, El Greco, about 1600, Museo del Prado. Public domain.
Acts: the study guide →Read Acts 7 →
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 the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.

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