Acts 7:8

8 καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ διαθήκην περιτομῆς · καὶ οὕτως ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰσαὰκ καὶ περιέτεμεν αὐτὸν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ, καὶ Ἰσαὰκ τὸν Ἰακώβ, καὶ Ἰακὼβ τοὺς δώδεκα πατριάρχας.

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 ἐλάλησεν δὲ οὕτως ὁ θεὸς ὅτι ἔσται τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ πάροικον ἐν γῇ ἀλλοτρίᾳ, καὶ δουλώσουσιν αὐτὸ καὶ κακώσουσιν ἔτη τετρακόσια ·

7 καὶ τὸ ἔθνος ᾧ ἐὰν δουλεύσουσιν κρινῶ ἐγώ, ὁ θεὸς εἶπεν, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐξελεύσονται καὶ λατρεύσουσίν μοι ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ.

8 καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ διαθήκην περιτομῆς · καὶ οὕτως ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰσαὰκ καὶ περιέτεμεν αὐτὸν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ, καὶ Ἰσαὰκ τὸν Ἰακώβ, καὶ Ἰακὼβ τοὺς δώδεκα πατριάρχας.

9 Καὶ οἱ πατριάρχαι ζηλώσαντες τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ἀπέδοντο εἰς Αἴγυπτον · καὶ ἦν ὁ θεὸς μετ’ αὐτοῦ,

10 καὶ ἐξείλατο αὐτὸν ἐκ πασῶν τῶν θλίψεων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ χάριν καὶ σοφίαν ἐναντίον Φαραὼ βασιλέως Αἰγύπτου, καὶ κατέστησεν αὐτὸν ἡγούμενον ἐπ’ Αἴγυπτον καὶ ὅλον τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ.