Acts 7:25

25 and he was supposing his brethren to understand that God through his hand doth give salvation; and they did not understand.

Acts 7:25 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 7:25

For he supposed his brethren would have understood him,
&c.] From his being an Hebrew in such high life; from his wonderful birth, and miraculous preservation in his infancy, and education in Pharaoh's court; and from the promise of God that he would visit them and save them:

how that God by his hand would deliver them:
wherefore he was the more emboldened to kill the Egyptian, believing that his brethren would make no advantage of it against him; but look upon it as a beginning and pledge of their deliverance by him:

but they understood not;
or "him not", as the Ethiopic version reads; they did not understand that he was to be their deliverer, or that this action of his was a token of it.

Acts 7:25 In-Context

23 `And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came upon his heart to look after his brethren, the sons of Israel;

24 and having seen a certain one suffering injustice, he did defend, and did justice to the oppressed, having smitten the Egyptian;

25 and he was supposing his brethren to understand that God through his hand doth give salvation; and they did not understand.

26 `On the succeeding day, also, he shewed himself to them as they are striving, and urged them to peace, saying, Men, brethren are ye, wherefore do ye injustice to one another?

27 and he who is doing injustice to the neighbour, did thrust him away, saying, Who set thee a ruler and a judge over us?