Acts 7:8

8 Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and 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.

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 God told him that his descendants would be foreigners in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

7 ‘But I will punish the nation that enslaves them,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come forth and worship Me in this place.’

8 Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and 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 Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him

10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He granted Joseph favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and all his household.