Acts 7:8

8 And ¹he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And ²so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and ³circumcised him on the eighth day, and ⁴Isaac became the father of Jacob, and ⁵Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

Acts 7:8 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 7:8

And he gave him the covenant of circumcision
Or the covenant, of which circumcision was a sign or token, ( Genesis 17:11 ) . Stephen speaks here in the language of the Jews, who are wont to speak of circumcision after this manner; hence in the Jewish liturgy, there is a collect, (hlym tyrbl) , "for the covenant of circumcision" ^F8; and so it is said ^F9,

``when Joseph died, they made void the "covenant of circumcision":''

and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day;
according to the express command in ( Genesis 17:12 ) (See Gill on Philippians 3:5)

and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs;
the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Seder Tephillot, fol. 197. 1. Ed. Basil. Vid. Kimchi in Mal. iii. 1.
F9 Shemot Rabba, sect. 1. fol. 90. 1.

Acts 7:8 In-Context

6 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.

7 'But I will judge the nation that they serve,' said God, 'and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.'

8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so 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.

9 "And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him

10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 17:9-12
• 2. Genesis 21:2-4
• 3. See Luke 1:59
• 4. Genesis 25:26
• 5. Genesis 29:31-35; Genesis 30:5-24; Genesis 35:18, 23-26