Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, October 5th, 2024
the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Acts 7:6

God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Court;   Government;   Israel;   Obedience;   Quotations and Allusions;   Readings, Select;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bondage, Physical;   Israel;   Israel-The Jews;   Providences, Strange;   Stephen;   Strange Providences;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Gospel;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Old Testament in the New Testament, the;   Paul the Apostle;   Persecution;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Future State;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Exodus;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Chronology;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Preaching in the Bible;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Mark, Gospel According to;   Stephen;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Inspiration and Revelation;   Quotations;   Stranger;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Israel in Egypt;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Stephen;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Bring;   Chronology of the Old Testament;   Egypt;   Persecution;   Stephen;   Stranger and Sojourner (in the Apocrypha and the New Testament);  

Parallel Translations

Simplified Cowboy Version
God also told Abe his descendants would be in a foreign country as slaves for four hundred years.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But God spoke to this effect, that his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE ALIENS IN A FOREIGN LAND, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ENSLAVED AND MISTREATED FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.
Legacy Standard Bible
But God spoke in this way, that his seed would be sojourners in a foreign land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.
Bible in Basic English
And God said that his seed would be living in a strange land, and that they would make them servants, and be cruel to them for four hundred years.
Darby Translation
And God spoke thus: His seed shall be a sojourner in a strange land, and they shall enslave them and evil entreat [them] four hundred years;
New King James Version
But God spoke in this way: that his descendants would dwell in a foreign land, and that they would bring them into bondage and oppress them four hundred years.
Christian Standard Bible®
God spoke in this way: His descendants would be strangers in a foreign country, and they would enslave and oppress them 400 years.
World English Bible
God spoke thus, that his seed would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And God spake thus: That his seed should sojourn in a strange land, (and they will inslave them and treat them evil) four hundred years.
Weymouth's New Testament
And God declared that Abraham's posterity should for four hundred years make their home in a country not their own, and be reduced to slavery and be oppressed.
King James Version (1611)
And God spake on this wise, that his seede should soiourne in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and intreate them euill foure hundreth yeeres.
Literal Translation
And God spoke thus, that his seed would be an alien in another land, and they would enslave it and oppress it four hundred years. See Gen. 15:13
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But thus sayde God vnto him: Thy sede shalbe a straunger in a straunge londe, and they shal make bonde men of them, and intreate the euell foure hundreth yeares:
Mace New Testament (1729)
God declar'd likewise, "that his posterity should sojourn in a strange land, where they should be enslaved and abused four hundred years.
Amplified Bible
"And this is, in effect, what God spoke [to him]: That his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE ALIENS (strangers) IN A FOREIGN LAND, AND THAT THEY WOULD BE ENSLAVED AND MISTREATED FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.
American Standard Version
And God spake on this wise, that his seed should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and treat them ill, four hundred years.
Revised Standard Version
And God spoke to this effect, that his posterity would be aliens in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and ill-treat them four hundred years.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
God verely spake on this wyse that his seade shulde be a dweller in a straunge londe and that they shulde kepe them in bondage and entreate them evyll .iiii.C. yeares.
Update Bible Version
And God spoke on this wise, that his seed should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should make them slaves, and treat them ill, four hundred years.
Webster's Bible Translation
And God spoke on this wise, That his offspring should sojourn in a foreign land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and treat [them] ill four hundred years.
Young's Literal Translation
`And God spake thus, That his seed shall be sojourning in a strange land, and they shall cause it to serve, and shall do it evil four hundred years,
New Century Version
This is what God said to him: ‘Your descendants will be strangers in a land they don't own. The people there will make them slaves and will mistreat them for four hundred years.
New English Translation
But God spoke as follows: ‘Your descendants will be foreigners in a foreign country, whose citizens will enslave them and mistreat them for four hundred years .
Contemporary English Version
God said that Abraham's descendants would live for a while in a foreign land. There they would be slaves and would be mistreated four hundred years.
Complete Jewish Bible
What God said to him was, ‘ Your descendants will be aliens in a foreign land, where they will be in slavery and oppressed for four hundred years .
English Standard Version
And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But God spake thus, that his seede should be a soiourner in a strange land: and that they should keepe it in bondage, and entreate it euill foure hundreth yeeres.
George Lamsa Translation
God spoke to him and said, Your descendants will be settlers in a foreign land where they will be enslaved and mistreated for a period of four hundred years.
Hebrew Names Version
God spoke in this way: that his seed would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.
International Standard Version
This is what God promised: His descendants would be strangers in a foreign country, and its peoplethey">[fn] would enslave them and oppress them for 400 years.Genesis 15:13,16; Exodus 12:40; Galatians 3:17;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And Aloha spake with him, telling him that his seed should be a sojourner in a strange land, and that they would enslave and ill-treat them four hundred years.
Murdock Translation
And God conversed with him, and said to him: Thy seed will be a sojourner in a foreign land; and they will reduce it to servitude, and will treat it ill, during four hundred years.
New Living Translation
God also told him that his descendants would live in a foreign land, where they would be oppressed as slaves for 400 years.
New Life Bible
This is what God said, ‘Your children's children will be living in a strange land. They will live there 400 years. They will be made to work without pay and will suffer many hard things.
English Revised Version
And God spake on this wise, that his seed should sojourn in a strange land, and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil, four hundred years.
New Revised Standard
And God spoke in these terms, that his descendants would be resident aliens in a country belonging to others, who would enslave them and mistreat them during four hundred years.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But God, spake thus - His seed shall be a sojourner in a foreign land, and they will bring it into bondage, and ill-treat it four-hundred years;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And God said to him: That his seed should sojourn in a strange country, and that they should bring them under bondage and treat them evil four hundred years.
King James Version
And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.
Lexham English Bible
But God spoke like this: ‘His descendants will be foreigners in a foreign land, and they will enslave them and mistreat them four hundred years,
Bishop's Bible (1568)
God veryly spake on this wyse, that his seede shoulde soiourne in a straunge lande, and that they shoulde kepe it in bondage, and entreate them euyl foure hundreth yeres.
Easy-to-Read Version
"This is what God said to him: ‘Your descendants will live in another country. They will be strangers. The people there will make them slaves and mistreat them for 400 years.
New American Standard Bible
"But God spoke to this effect, that his DESCENDANTS WOULD BE STRANGERS IN A LAND THAT WAS NOT THEIRS, AND THEY WOULD ENSLAVE AND MISTREAT THEM FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.
Good News Translation
This is what God said to him: ‘Your descendants will live in a foreign country, where they will be slaves and will be badly treated for four hundred years.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And God spak to hym, That his seed schal be comling in an alien lond, and thei schulen make hem suget to seruage, and schulen yuel trete hem, foure hundrid yeris and thritti;

Contextual Overview

1Then the high priest asked Stephen, "Are these charges true?" 2And Stephen declared: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3and told him, 'Leave your country and your kindred and go to the land I will show you.' 4So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God brought him out of that place, into this land where you are now living. 5He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a child. 6God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.7'But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,' God said, 'and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.' 8Then 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. 9Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him 10and 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.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

That: Genesis 15:13, Genesis 15:16

four: Exodus 12:40, Exodus 12:41, Galatians 3:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 47:4 - For to Ezekiel 16:4 - for Acts 7:17 - when Hebrews 11:9 - he sojourned

Cross-References

Genesis 5:32
After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
Genesis 8:13
In Noah's six hundred and first year, on the first day of the first month, the water had dried up from the earth. So Noah removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And God spake on this wise,.... The Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, "and God spake to him", and so does one of Beza's copies; and the Ethiopic version reads it both ways, God "said thus to Abraham", as in Genesis 15:13.

That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; or "be a stranger in a land not theirs"; first in the land of Canaan, and then in Egypt, which were possessed by other persons, the natives of them:

and that they should bring them into bondage; that is, the inhabitants of the lands, and particularly Egypt, should bring the seed of Abraham into bondage, as they did; and very hard bondage it was, at least some part of it:

and entreat them evil four hundred years; which must be reckoned not from the time of their going down into Egypt, which to their coming up out of it were but two hundred and ten years, but from the birth of Isaac: which was as soon as Abraham had the promised seed, and may be reckoned after this manner; from the birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob, sixty years, Genesis 25:26 and from thence to the coming of Jacob into Egypt, one hundred and thirty years, Genesis 47:9 and from thence to the coming of the children of Israel out of Egypt, two hundrd and ten years; which in all make up four hundred years; for the sojourning and evil entreating of Abraham's seed are not to be confined to the land of Egypt, but belong to other lands, where they were within this time, though that land is more especially intended; and so the Septuagint version renders the text in Exodus 12:40. "Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, which they (and some copies add, and their fathers) sojourned in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, were four hundred and thirty years": and this text is differently read in the Talmuds, in one of them thus f; "and the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt", הארצות

ובכל, "and in all the lands, were four hundred and thirty years"; and in the other of them thus g, "and the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt", ובשאר ארצות, "and in the rest of the lands, were four hundred years"; upon which latter the gloss has these words;

"from the time that the decree of the captivity was made between them to the birth of Isaac, were thirty years; and from the birth of Isaac, until the Israelites went out of Egypt, were four hundred years; take out of them the sixty of Isaac, and the one hundred and thirty that Jacob had lived when he went down into Egypt, and there remain two hundred and ten; and so is the decree, that "thy seed shall be a stranger in a land not theirs", Genesis 15:13 and it is not said in Egypt, but in a land not theirs; and when Isaac was born, Abraham was a sojourner in the land of the Philistines; and from thence, till they went out of Egypt, it will be found that Isaac and his seed who were the seed of Abraham, were strangers: and the thirty years before that are not numbered in the decree;''

Genesis 15:13- :.

f T. Hieros, Megilla, fol. 71. 4. g T. Bab. Megilla, fol. 9. 1. Vid. Aben Ezra, in Exod. xii. 40.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And God spake on this wise - In this manner, Genesis 15:13-14.

His seed - His posterity; his descendants.

Should sojourn - This means that they would have a “temporary residence there.” The word is used in opposition to a fixed, permanent home, and is applied to travelers, or foreigners.

In a strange land - In the Hebrew Genesis 15:13, “Shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs.” The land of Canaan and the land of Egypt were strange lands to them, though the obvious reference here is to the latter.

Should bring them into bondage - Or, would make them slaves, Exodus 1:11.

And entreat them evil - Would oppress or afflict them.

Four hundred years - This is the precise time which is mentioned by Moses, Genesis 15:13. Great perplexity has been experienced in explaining this passage, or reconciling it with other statements. In Exodus 12:40, it is said that their sojourning in Egypt was 430 years. Josephus (Antiq., book 2, chapter 9, section 1) also says that the time in which they were in Egypt was 400 years; though in another place (Antiq., book 2, chapter 15, section 2) he says that they left Egypt f 430 years after their forefather, Abraham, came to Canaan, but 215 years after Jacob removed to Egypt. Paul also Galatians 3:17 says that it was 430 years from the time when the promise was given to Abraham to the time when the Law was given on Mount Sinai. The Samaritan Pentateuch also says Exodus 12:40 that the “dwelling of the sons of Israel, and of their fathers, which they dwelt “in the land of Canaan,” and in the land of Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.”

The same is the version of the Septuagint. “A part” of this perplexity is removed by the fact that Stephen and Moses use, in accordance with a very common custom, “round numbers” in speaking of it, and thus speak of 400 years when the literal time was 430. The other perplexities are not so easily removed. From the account which Moses has given of the lives of certain persons, it would seem clear that the time which they spent in “Egypt” was not 400 years. From Genesis 46:8, Genesis 46:11, it appears that “Kohath” was born when Jacob went into Egypt. He lived 133 years, Exodus 6:18. Amram, his son, and the father of Moses lived 137 years, Exodus 6:20. Moses was 80 years old when he was sent to Pharaoh, Exodus 7:7. The whole time thus mentioned, including the time in which the father lived after his son was born, was only 350 years. Exclusive of that, it is reasonable to suppose that the actual time of their being in Egypt could not have been but about 200 years, according to one account of Josephus. The question then is, how can these accounts be reconciled? The only satisfactory way is by supposing that the 430 years includes the whole time from the calling of Abraham to the departure from Egypt. And that this was the fact is probable from the following circumstances:

  1. The purpose of all the narratives on this subject is to trace the period before they became finally settled in the land of Canaan. During all this period from the calling of Abraham, they were in a wandering, unfixed situation. This constituted substantially one period, including all their oppressions, hardships, and dangers; and it was natural to have reference to this “entire” period in any account which was given.

(2)All this period was properly the period of “promise,” not of “possession.” In this respect the wanderings of Abraham and the oppressions of Egypt came under the same general description.

  1. Abraham was himself occasionally in Egypt. He was unsettled; and since Egypt was so pre-eminent in all their troubles, it was natural to speak of all their oppressions as having occurred in that country. The phrase “residence in Egypt,” or “in a strange land,” would come to be synonymous, and would denote all their oppressions and trials. They would speak of their sufferings as having been endured in Egypt, because their afflictions there were so much more prominent than before.

(4)All this receives countenance from the version of the Septuagint, and from the Samaritan text, showing the manner in which the ancient Jews were accustomed to understand it.

(5)It should be added, that difficulties of chronology are more likely to occur than any others; and it should not be deemed strange if there are perplexities of this kind found in ancient writings which we cannot explain. It is so in all ancient records; and all that is usually expected in relation to such difficulties is that we should be able to present a “probable” explanation.



Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 7:6. That his seed should sojourn in a strange land — See Genesis 15:13, Genesis 15:14.

Four hundred years. — MOSES says, Exodus 12:40, that the sojourning of the children of Israel in Egypt-was 430 years. See the note there. St. PAUL has the same number, Galatians 3:17; and so has Josephus, Ant. lib. ii. cap. 1, sect. 9; in Bell. lib. v. cap. 9, sect. 4. St. Stephen uses the round number of 400, leaving out the odd tens, a thing very common, not only in the sacred writers, but in all others, those alone excepted who write professedly on chronological matters.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile