Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Acts 7:11
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
11. Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, &c.] The oldest MSS. omit “the land of.”
our fathers found no sustenance ] The noun in Greek is generally used of food for cattle rather than men. See LXX. Gen 24:25; Gen 24:32, &c. But we must suppose that, though in the history the sufferings of the people are most noticed, the famine also affected the supplies of cattle-food, and the one word is used to embrace all.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Now there came a dearth – A famine, Gen 41:54.
And Chanaan – Jacob was living at that time in Canaan.
Found no sustenance – No food; no means of living.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
A dearth; this is mentioned, Gen 41:54, &c.
And great affliction; as seldom any mischief comes alone, rapine and many diseases follow famine.
Found no sustenance; any coarse diet, grass or herbs.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt, and Canaan,…. This dearth, or famine, is said to be in all lands, Ge 41:54 though only Egypt and Canaan are mentioned here, because the history is concerned with no other. The Jewish writers p speak of three lands particularly, which were affected with it, Phenicia, Arabia, and Palestine; and this famine in the land of Israel, they say q, which lasted seven years, was on account of the selling of Joseph into Egypt, as before observed. The Heathen writers make mention of this famine, particularly Justin r, who speaking of Joseph says, that he foresaw many years before the barrenness of the fields; and all Egypt would have perished with famine, had not the king, through his advice, ordered by an edict, that corn should be laid up for many years: this was the fifth of the ten famines, the Jews say have been, or shall be in the world s:
and great affliction; meaning the famine, which was very severe, and lasted a long time, even seven years: want of eating is called
, “affliction”, by the Jews t; by which they mean fasting, which is a voluntary want of eating, or abstinence from it; and if that is an affliction, then much more want of food, or abstinence through necessity; compare 1Ti 5:10.
And our fathers found not sustenance; Jacob and his family could not get sufficient provision for them in the land of Canaan, where they then were, but were obliged to go to Egypt for it.
p Bereshit Rabba, sect. 90. fol. 78. 1. q Pirke Eliezer, c. 38. r Ex Trogo, l. 36. c. 2. s Targum in Ruth i. 1. t Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora pr. Affirm. 32.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Found no sustenance ( ). Imperfect active, kept on not finding.
Chortasmata is from
chortazo , originally to feed with grass () or herbs. Old word, but only here in the N.T. and includes food for both men and animals. In Gen 24:25; Gen 24:32 it is fodder for the cattle, a first necessity for owners of herds of cattle.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Sustenance [] . For their cattle : fodder. See on shall be filled, Mt 5:6.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Now there came a dearth,” (elthen de limos) “Then there came to be a famine,” a state of hunger and near starvation for men and animals, a shortage of fodder, or provendor, or sustenance, especially for those with herds and flocks; It spread slowly over all the land, Gen 41:54.
2) “Over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan,” (epi’ hole ten Aigupton kai Chanan) “Upon, over, or covering all the territory, including Egypt and Canaan:” The famine was said to cover all the face of the earth, also, Gen 41:56.
3) “And great affliction,” (kai thlipsis megale) “And great affliction or trouble,” covered all the territory, the lands of Canaan and Egypt in particular, so that people were in frustration, near starvation, Gen 41:55-57.
4) “And our fathers found no sustenance,” (kai ouch heurisko chortasmata hoi pateres hemon) “And our fathers (of Israel) found not sustenance (food sufficient) for livelihood,” for their families and cattle; Even corn or small grain used for man’s food, for bread, could hardly be found. It was for this hour God had used Joseph as food administrator in Egypt to prepare to feed the needy, hungry of the land of Egypt and surrounding countries, Gen 41:45-54.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
11. There came a famine. Hereby it appeareth that the deliverance of Joseph was such a benefit as was common to all the family of Jacob. For, seeing the famine drew on, (396) Joseph was sent before in due time to provide sustenance to feed the hungry; as he himself doth acknowledge the wonderful counsel of God in that point. Nevertheless, the free goodness of God appeareth plainly in the person of Joseph, whilst that he is appointed to nourish and feed his brethren, who had sold him, and by that means sent him far away, and thought that he was gone away quite (397) out of the world. He putteth meat in their mouths who had thrown him into a pit, and had deprived him of the air and the common breath. Finally, he nourisheth and preserveth their life who were not afraid (398) to take from him his life. In the mean season, Stephen putteth the Jews in mind of this, that the patriarchs were enforced to depart out of that land which was given them for an heritage, and that they died in another place. Therefore, forasmuch as they were sojourners in it, they are at length banished out of the same. (399)
(396) “ Ventura esset,” was about to come.
(397) “ Prorsus exterminatum,” completely exterminated.
(398) “ Non dubitaverant,” had not hesitated.
(399) “ Exulant,” become exiles.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11-14) Now there came a dearth . . .So far as we can trace the sequence of thought, there seems the suggested inference that as those who, in the history of Joseph, had persecuted him, came afterwards to be dependent on his bounty, so it might prove to be, in the last parallel which the history of Israel presented. In the coming famine, not of bread, but of sustenance for their spiritual life, they would have to turn to Him of whom they had been, in purpose and in act, the betrayers and murderers.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. Our fathers The same phrase, our fathers, is used in Act 7:12-13, indicating that Stephen intends to claim for himself and the Church of Jesus the fatherhood of the patriarchs.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance, and when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time.’
Meanwhile the whole world was suffering from famine so that ‘our fathers’ (note the more personal application, referring it to the ones from whom ‘we’ come and whom ‘we’ are like) found no sustenance. And the result was that hearing of grain in Egypt Jacob sent forth ‘our fathers’ the first time. The relation of famine to spiritual dearth occurs often in the Old Testament, and to those who were used to dealing in allegories the point would hardly be missed. Those who appeared to be God’s faithful ones, who were suffering spiritual famine because they had refused to hear God’s prophet, would have to look to ‘outside’ sources for their sustenance. Their own were insufficient. God neither heard in their land, nor responded to their pleas at their altar.
But when they went forth the first time they did not recognise their deliverer for who he was. This is implied by the silence. They sought sustenance but did not recognise the source. Yet the source should have been known to them. It was in their blindness that they did not know him. Yet from him alone was there life.
It will be noted that we are here pressing home the applications. Stephen was quietly allowing them to sink in.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Act 7:11 . , cf. Luk 4:25 , where follows. : sustenance, R.V., fodder, provender for their cattle, cf. Gen 24:25 ; Gen 24:32 ; Gen 42:27 , Jdg 19:19 ; only here in N.T., cf. Polyb., ix., 43. The want of it would be a most pressing need for large owners of flocks. Blass takes it as meaning frumentum , corn, food for man as well as for beasts, since , both in LXX and N.T. (Mar 8:4 ; cf. Mar 7:27-28 ), is used of the food of man, cf. Kennedy, Sources of N. T. Greek , pp. 82, 156.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Act 7:11-16
11Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it, and our fathers could find no food. 12But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers there the first time. 13On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was disclosed to Pharaoh. 14Then Joseph sent word and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five persons in all. 15And Jacob went down to Egypt andthere he and our fathers died. 16From there they were removed to Shechem and laid in the tomb which Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
Act 7:11 This account is found in Gen 41:54-55; Gen 42:5.
Act 7:12 This account is found in Gen 42:4.
Act 7:13 This account is found in Gen 45:1-4.
Act 7:14 “seventy-five” This follows the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls manuscripts, while the Masoretic Text has “seventy” (cf. Gen 46:27; Exo 1:5; Deu 10:22). At first this seems like a manuscript problem between the LXX, which Stephen quotes, and the Hebrew text of Exo 1:5. On further reflection it may be two ways of counting all the descendants of Jacob. The problem arises between Gen 46:26-27 :
1. the MT of Act 7:27 has two sons born to Joseph in Egypt, while the LXX has nine, which means that Ephraim and Manassah later had more children between them
2. in the Hebrew text Jacob and his wife are counted, but Ephraim and Manasseh’s extra children are not counted
In the Greek text (LXX) Jacob and his wife are not counted, but the extra children of Ephraim and Manasseh are counted. Both are accurate, but they add up the descendants in different ways at different times in Jacob’s life. The Hebrew texts known as the Dead Sea Scrolls also have “seventy-five persons” in Gen 46:27 and Exo 1:5. Philo of Alexandia was familiar with both numbers.
We are all the benefactors of modern scholarship when it comes to difficult texts or number problems like this one. There is a new type of biblical resource available today which targets these difficult texts. I recommend:
1. Hard Sayings of the Bible, IVP
2. More Hard Sayings of the Bible, IVP
3. Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties by Gleason Archer.
For a discussion of Act 7:14-15 see #1 pp. 521-522.
Act 7:15 This account is found in Gen 46:5; Gen 49:33; Exo 1:6.
Act 7:16 “to Shechem” From the Genesis accounts of (1) the burial of Joseph recorded in Jos 24:32 and (2) the burial of Jacob recorded in Gen 50:13, there seems to be a discrepancy in Stephen’s sermon. The problem is (1) the city; it should be Hebron, not Shechem, or (2) the patriarch; it should be Jacob, not Abraham. However, Abraham and Jacob both bought land (cf. Gen 23:16; Gen 33:19). At Hebron Sarah and Abraham were buried (cf. Gen 23:19; Gen 25:9), as were Isaac and Rebekah (cf. Gen 49:29-31) and Jacob (cf. Gen 50:13). Although it is uncertain about a burial plot at Shechem, it is possible that Abraham had earlier purchased a field on his stop there in Gen 12:6-7. Later Jacob redeemed that same piece of land (cf. Gen 33:19; Jos 24:32). This is obviously speculation, but Stephen appears to be very knowledgeable of the OT history and this would be the only way to reconcile the various accounts.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
the land of. Omit.
sustenance. Greek. chortasma. Only here. Compare the verb chortazo = to fill. First occurance Mat 5:6.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Gen 41:54-57, Gen 43:1, Gen 45:5, Gen 45:6, Gen 45:11, Gen 47:13-15, Psa 105:16
Reciprocal: Gen 12:10 – was a Gen 42:5 – for Gen 47:4 – for the famine Psa 105:23 – Israel
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1
Act 7:11. This verse includes the events of Gen 41:30-31.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Act 7:11. Now there came a dearth According to the prediction of Joseph, when the seven preceding years of extraordinary plenty were past, which he had also predicted; over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan A calamity which reduced the latter country to such distress, that, fruitful as it had generally been, our fathers found no sustenance Or, not what was sufficient to support themselves and their families. But Jacob, hearing that there was corn in Egypt Ordered his sons to go and fetch a supply from thence; and sent our fathers first Namely, the ten without Benjamin. And at the second time That they went, when Benjamin accompanied them; Joseph was made known to his brethren Of which see on Gen 44:1-15. And, as the matter was immediately made public, Josephs kindred Greek, , his descent, or race, was discovered to Pharaoh, of which he had not been informed before. Then sent Joseph, and called his father With Pharaohs full consent; and all his kindred Now become numerous, amounting in the whole even to threescore and fifteen souls So the Seventy interpreters, whom Stephen follows: one son and a grandson of Manasseh, and three children of Ephraim, being added to the seventy persons, mentioned Gen 46:27. So Bengelius.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
See notes on verse 9
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
The Jews’ forefathers suffered from a famine in the Promised Land and sent to Egypt for food (Gen 41:54-55; Gen 42:2; Gen 42:5). When hard times came upon God’s people, He sustained them and brought them into blessing and under the rule of Joseph. So will it be in the future with Jesus. The Jews would suffer hardship (in the destruction of Jerusalem and in the Tribulation) and then God will bring them into blessing under Jesus’ rule (in the Millennium).