Acts 7:22

22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

Acts 7:22 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 7:22

And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,
&c,] Which was reckoned very considerable: ( 1 Kings 4:30 ) Philo the Jew says F5 that he learned arithmetic, geometry, and every branch of music, the hieroglyphics, the Assyrian language, and the Chaldean knowledge of the heavens, and the mathematics; yet was not a magician, or skilled in unlawful arts, as Justin suggests F6:

and was mighty in words;
he had a command of language, and a large flow of words, and could speak properly and pertinently upon any subject; for though he was slow of speech, and of tongue, and might have somewhat of a stammering in speaking, yet he might have a just diction, a masculine style, and a powerful eloquence, and the matter he delivered might be very great and striking:

and in deeds;
or in "his deeds", as the Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read: he was a man of great abilities, and fit for business both in the cabinet and in the field. Josephus F7 relates an expedition of his against the Ethiopians, whilst he was in Pharaoh's court, in which he obtained victory over them, when the Egyptians had been greatly oppressed by them; in which his prudence and fortitude were highly commended.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 De Vita Mosis, l. 1. p. 606. Clement. Alex. Strom. l. 1. p. 343.
F6 L. 36. c. 2.
F7 Antiqu l. 2. c. 10. sect. 1. 2. 3.

Acts 7:22 In-Context

20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:
21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.
22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:
The King James Version is in the public domain.