Acts 7:39
in Acts 7But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt,
KJV
To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
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This verse in Acts 7
Commentary
12 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Would not obey ... - This refers to what they said of him when he was in the mount, Exo 32:1, Exo 32:23. In their hearts turned ... - They wished to return to Egypt. They regretted that they had come out of Egypt, and desired again the things which they had there, as preferable to what they had in the desert, Num 11:
This site's exposition
the assembly in the wilderness
on Acts 7:38-41
Stephen calls Israel at Sinai the assembly in the wilderness, using the Greek ekklesia, the word the New Testament uses for its own gathering. That assembly received living words, yet made a calf weeks after hearing God's voice.
This site's exposition
in their hearts turned back
Chrysostom notes that this refusal came after all the wonders just described. Barnes ties it to Exodus 32 and Numbers 11, where the people longed for what they had in Egypt. Clarke adds that they preferred Egypt's idols to the pure worship of God.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
How, therefore, can such a hydra of delinquencies fail to offend the Lord, the Disapprover of evils? Is it not manifest that it was through impatience that Israel himself also always failed in his duty toward God, from that time when, forgetful of the heavenly arm whereby he had been drawn out of his Egyptian affliction, he demands from Aaron "gods as his guides; "when he pours down for an idol the contributions of his gold: for the so necessary delays of Moses, while he met with God, he had borne with impatience.
But they did not hear him, keeping their disobedience, even after the miracles: "To whom," he says, "our fathers would not obey:" after the wonders done in those forty years. And not only so, but just the contrary: "but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt."
Then follows the charge, in the first instance, against the patriarchs [after], the "signs and wonders," after the receiving of the "lively oracles: To whom," he says, "our fathers would not obey." But concerning those, Ezekiel says that they are not "living;" as when he says, "And I gave you statutes that are not good." It is with reference to those that he says, "Living. But thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt"-the place where they groaned, where they cried, whence they called upon God.
Consider that at first they brought them offering sacrifices, and then that they offered them to idols. For previously the name "sacrifices" is nowhere found, but there were precepts concerning living and rational animals. The testimony, however, does not introduce this randomly, but so as …
For, withal, according to the memorial records of the divine Scriptures, the people of the Jews-that is, the more ancient-quite forsook God, and did degrading service to idols, and, abandoning the Divinity, was surrendered to images; while "the people" said to Aaron, "Make us gods to go before us."
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
To whom our fathers would not obey,....
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 & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge, &c.--Here, again, "the stone which the builders refused is made the head of the corner" (Ps 118:22).
In their hearts turned back again into Egypt - Became idolaters, and preferred their Egyptian bondage and their idolatry to the promised land and the pure worship of God. See the whole of these transactions explained at large in the notes on Exodus 32:1-35 (note).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ᾧ | ho | to whom | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| οὐκ | ouk | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| ἠθέλησαν | ethelesan | wanted | G2309 → | 208 times |
| ὑπήκοοι | hupekooi | obedient | G5255 → | |
| γενέσθαι | genesthai | to be | G1096 → | 667 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πατέρες | pateres | fathers | G3962 → | 410 times |
| ἡμῶν, | hemon | of us, | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἀλλ᾽ | all᾽ | but | G235 → | 635 times |
| ἀπώσαντο | aposanto | they thrust away | G683 → | 6 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐστράφησαν | estraphesan | they turned back | G4762 → | 21 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ταῖς | tais | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καρδίαις | kardiais | hearts | G2588 → | 156 times |
| αὐτῶν | auton | of them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Αἴγυπτον, | aigupton | Egypt, | G125 → | 25 times |
ᾧto whom
hoG3739 →1405 times
οὐκnot
oukG3756 →1664 times
ἠθέλησανwanted
ethelesanG2309 →208 times
ὑπήκοοιobedient
hupekooiG5255 →
γενέσθαιto be
genesthaiG1096 →667 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
πατέρεςfathers
pateresG3962 →410 times
ἡμῶν,of us,
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ἀλλ᾽but
all᾽G235 →635 times
ἀπώσαντοthey thrust away
aposantoG683 →6 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐστράφησανthey turned back
estraphesanG4762 →21 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ταῖςthe
taisG3588 →19766 times
καρδίαιςhearts
kardiaisG2588 →156 times
αὐτῶνof them
autonG846 →5565 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
Αἴγυπτον,Egypt,
aiguptonG125 →25 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
Exodus 16:3“If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us…
it leads to
- Numbers 11:4–5
Meanwhile, the rabble among them had a strong craving for other food, and again the Israelites wept and said, “Who will feed us meat?
- Exodus 17:3
But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
- Numbers 20:3–5
The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD!
- Lamentations 4:9
Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.
- Deuteronomy 28:67
In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning!’—because of the dread in your hearts of the terrifying sights you…
- Numbers 11:4–5
Through
Numbers 11:5We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic.
it leads to
- Exodus 16:3
“If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt!” they said. “There we sat by pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, but you have brought us…
- Psalms 17:14
from such men, O LORD, by Your hand— from men of the world whose portion is in this life. May You fill the bellies of Your treasured ones and satisfy their sons, so they…
- Philippians 3:19
Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things.
- Exodus 16:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies38
On this verse
On this chapter
- Abraham
- Brit milah: circumcision on the eighth day
- Chaldea
- Circumcision of the Heart
- Egypt's Famine Years and the Land of Pharaoh
- Father, Forgive Them
Show the next 6 titles
Show the next 6 titles
- Types of Christ: Joseph and Joshua
- Joseph and the Tale of Two Brothers
- Joshua son of Nun
- Amos and the Courts at the Gate
- Love Your Enemies
- Mesopotamia
Show the next 6 titles
- Moses in the Bulrushes
- Mourning and Burial in Israel
- Outside the Camp
- Paul
- Prophet, Priest and King: The Threefold Office of Christ
- Scribes and the Sanhedrin
Show the next 6 titles
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 17; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts; Tertullian, Of Patience and Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews.