Acts 7:18

18 till another king arose who did not know Joseph.

Acts 7:18 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 7:18

Till another king arose
In, or over Egypt, as the Alexandrian copy, and others, and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read; in ( Exodus 1:8 ) it is a new king; the Jewish writers are divided about him, whether he was a different king from the former; or only so called, because he made new edicts F4:

``Rab and Samuel, one says a new one absolutely: and the other says, because his decrees were renewed; he that says a new one absolutely, (thinks so) because it is written a new one; and he who says, because his decrees are renewed (or he makes new decrees, he thinks so) from hence, because it is not written, and he died, and there reigned; and (it makes) for him that says, because his decrees are renewed, what is written, "who knew not Joseph"; what is the meaning of that, "who knew not Joseph?" that he was like one who knew not Joseph at all.''

The Septuagint version of ( Exodus 1:8 ) renders it "another" king, as does Stephen here; another king from the Pharaoh of Joseph: the name of this was Ramesses Miamun; and one of the treasure cities built for him seems to be called after his name, Raamses, ( Exodus 1:11 ) . The Jews call him Talma F5 and by Theophilus of Antioch F6 he is called Tethmosis; and by Artapanus F7, Palmanotha: "which knew not Joseph"; nor what great things he had done, to the advantage of the Egyptian nation; he was acquainted with the history of him, and of his worthy deeds, and therefore had no regard to his people, as the other Pharaoh had Josephus F8 says, the kingdom was translated to another family; which might be the reason why he was not known, nor his friends taken notice of: Aben Ezra says, he was not of the seed royal; wherefore it is written, "and there arose"; he the kingdom, and had not a just right and title so that being a stranger, it is no wonder that he should not know Joseph; Jarchi's note is,

``he made himself as if he did not know him''

he dissembled, he pretended ignorance of him, because he would show no respect unto his people. Beza's ancient copy, and another in the Bodleian library, read, "which remembered not Joseph".


FOOTNOTES:

F4 T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 53. 1. & Sota, fol. 11. 1.
F5 Juchasin, fol. 135. 2.
F6 Ad Autolycum, l. 3. p. 130.
F7 Apud Euseb. de prep. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27.
F8 Antiqu. l. 2. c. 9. sect. 1.

Acts 7:18 In-Context

16 And they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.
17 "But when the time of the promise drew near which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt
18 till another king arose who did not know Joseph.
19 This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live.
20 At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father's house for three months.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.