Hechos 7:11

11 »Entonces un hambre azotó a Egipto y a Canaán. Hubo mucho sufrimiento, y nuestros antepasados se quedaron sin alimento.

Hechos 7:11 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 7:11

Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt, and
Canaan
This dearth, or famine, is said to be in all lands, ( Genesis 41:54 ) though only Egypt and Canaan are mentioned here, because the history is concerned with no other. The Jewish writers ^F16 speak of three lands particularly, which were affected with it, Phenicia, Arabia, and Palestine; and this famine in the land of Israel, they say ^F17, which lasted seven years, was on account of the selling of Joseph into Egypt, as before observed. The Heathen writers make mention of this famine, particularly Justin ^F18, who speaking of Joseph says, that he foresaw many years before the barrenness of the fields; and all Egypt would have perished with famine, had not the king, through his advice, ordered by an edict, that corn should be laid up for many years: this was the fifth of the ten famines, the Jews say have been, or shall be in the world ^F19:

and great affliction;
meaning the famine, which was very severe, and lasted a long time, even seven years: want of eating is called (ywnye) , "affliction", by the Jews ^F20; by which they mean fasting, which is a voluntary want of eating, or abstinence from it; and if that is an affliction, then much more want of food, or abstinence through necessity; compare ( 1 Timothy 5:10 ) .

And our fathers found not sustenance;
Jacob and his family could not get sufficient provision for them in the land of Canaan, where they then were, but were obliged to go to Egypt for it.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 90. fol. 78. 1.
F17 Pirke Eliezer, c. 38.
F18 Ex Trogo, l. 36. c. 2.
F19 Targum in Ruth i. 1.
F20 Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora pr. Affirm. 32.

Hechos 7:11 In-Context

9 »Estos patriarcas tuvieron envidia de su hermano José y lo vendieron para que fuera esclavo en Egipto; pero Dios estaba con él

10 y lo rescató de todas sus dificultades; y Dios le mostró su favor ante el faraón, el rey de Egipto. Dios también le dio a José una sabiduría fuera de lo común, de manera que el faraón lo nombró gobernador de todo Egipto y lo puso a cargo del palacio.

11 »Entonces un hambre azotó a Egipto y a Canaán. Hubo mucho sufrimiento, y nuestros antepasados se quedaron sin alimento.

12 Jacob oyó que aún había grano en Egipto, por lo que envió a sus hijos —nuestros antepasados— a comprar un poco.

13 La segunda vez que fueron, José reveló su identidad a sus hermanos
y se los presentó al faraón.