Acts 7:39

39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and ¹in their hearts they turned to Egypt,

Acts 7:39 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 7:39

To whom our fathers would not obey
But often murmured against him, and were disobedient to him, and to the oracles he delivered to them, and so to God, whose oracles they were:

but thrust him from them;
as one of the two Hebrews did, when he interposed to make up the difference between them; and which was an emblem and presage of what that people would afterwards do; ( Acts 7:27 )

and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt;
they wished themselves there again, they lusted after the fish, the cucumbers, the melons, leeks, onions, and garlic there; and went so far as to move for a captain, and even to appoint one to lead them back thither again.

Acts 7:39 In-Context

37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.'

38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us.

39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt,

40 saying to Aaron, 'Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'

41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 16:3; Numbers 11:4, 5; Numbers 14:3, 4; Ezekiel 20:8, 24