Acts 7:39

39 Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him; instead, they pushed him aside, and in their hearts they turned back 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 a prophet for you from your own people as he raised me up.'

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

39 Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him; instead, they pushed him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,

40 saying to Aaron, "Make gods for us who will lead the way for us; as for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.'

41 At that time they made a calf, offered a sacrifice to the idol, and reveled in the works of their hands.