Acts 7 · Verse 17

Acts 7:17

But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
Acts 7:17, King James Version

Acts 7:17 in other translations

BSBAs the time drew near for God to fulfill His promise to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased greatly in number.
WEB“But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
ASVBut as the time of the promise drew nigh which God vouchsafed unto Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
YLT‘And according as the time of the promise was drawing nigh, which God did swear to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
DARBYBut as the time of promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
BBEBut when the time was near for putting into effect the undertaking which God had given to Abraham, the people were increasing in Egypt,
WebsterBut when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

What does Acts 7:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. But when--rather, "as." the time of the promise--that is, for its fulfilment. the people grew and multiplied in Egypt--For more than two hundred years they amounted to no more than seventy-five souls; how prodigious, then, must have been their multiplication during the latter two centuries, when six hundred thousand men, fit for war, besides women and children, left Egypt!

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 17. The times of the promise. The time of the fulfillment of the promises.

The people grew, etc. Ex 1:7,8

(b) "the people grew" Ex 1:7-9

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 7:17-29
Let us not be discouraged at the slowness of the fulfilling of God's promises. Suffering times often are growing times with the church. God is preparing for his people's deliverance, when their day is darkest, and their distress deepest. Moses was exceeding fair, "fair toward God;" it is the beauty of holiness which is in God's sight of great price. He was wonderfully preserved in his infancy; for God will take special care of those of whom he designs to make special use. And did he thus protect the child Moses? Much more will he secure the interests of his holy child Jesus, from the enemies who are gathered together against him. They persecuted Stephen for disputing in defence of Christ and his gospel: in opposition to these they set up Moses and his law. They may understand, if they do not wilfully shut their eyes against the light, that God will, by this Jesus, deliver them out of a worse slavery than that of Egypt. Although men prolong their own miseries, yet the Lord will take care of his servants, and effect his own designs of mercy.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Acts 7:17 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καθὼςkathōsEven asG2531
δὲdenowG1161
ἤγγιζενēngizenwas drawing nearG1448
ὁhotheG3588
χρόνοςchronostimeG5550
τῆςtēsof theG3588
ἐπαγγελίαςepangeliaspromiseG1860
ἧςhēsthatG3739
ὡμολόγησενhōmologēsenhe agreedG3670
ὁho<the>G3588
θεὸςtheosGodG2316
τῷtō<the>G3588
Ἀβραάμ,Abraamto Abraham,G11
ηὔξησενēuxēsenincreasedG837
ὁhotheG3588
λαὸςlaospeopleG2992
καὶkaiandG2532
ἐπληθύνθηeplēthunthēmultipliedG4129
ἐνeninG1722
ΑἰγύπτῳAiguptōEgyptG125

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 7:17

  • Exodus 1:7-12

    And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. …

  • Psalms 105:24-25

    And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies. He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.

  • Acts 7:6

    And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.

  • Genesis 15:13-16

    And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance. And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age. But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

  • Acts 13:17

    The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.

  • Exodus 1:20

    Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

  • 2 Peter 3:8-9

    But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
when.
6; Ge 15:13-16; 2Pe 3:8,9
the people.
13:17; Ex 1:7-12,20; Ps 105:24,25

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 7:16

    And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

  • Acts 7:17

    But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

  • Acts 7:18

    Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph.

Read all of Acts 7

Acts 7:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Mas como se acercaba el tiempo de la promesa, la cual Dios había jurado á Abraham, el pueblo creció y multiplicóse en Egipto,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais comme le temps de la promesse que Dieu avait promise à Abraham, approchait, le peuple s’accrut et se multiplia en Égypte,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als aber die Zeit der Verheißung nahte, welche Gott dem Abraham zugesagt hatte, wuchs das Volk und vermehrte sich in Ägypten,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cum autem appropinquaret tempus promissionis quam confessus erat Deus Abrahæ, crevit populus, et multiplicatus est in Ægypto,