Acts 7 · Verse 23

Acts 7:23

And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
Acts 7:23, King James Version

Acts 7:23 in other translations

BSBWhen Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
WEBBut when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
ASVBut when he was well-nigh forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.
YLT‘And when forty years were fulfilled to him, it came upon his heart to look after his brethren, the sons of Israel;
DARBYAnd when a period of forty years was fulfilled to him, it came into his heart to look upon his brethren, the sons of Israel;
BBEBut when he was almost forty years old, it came into his heart to go and see his brothers, the children of Israel.
WebsterAnd when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

What does Acts 7:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 7:23-27
23-27. In Ac 7:23, 30, 36, the life of Moses is represented as embracing three periods, of forty years each; the Jewish writers say the same; and though this is not expressly stated in the Old Testament, his age at death, one hundred twenty years (De 34:7), agrees with it. it came into his heart to visit his brethren--his heart yearning with love to them as God's chosen people, and heaving with the consciousness of a divine vocation to set them free.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verse 23. Full forty years of age. This is not recorded in the Old Testament, but it is a constant tradition of the Jews that Moses was forty years of age when he undertook to deliver them. Thus it is said, "Moses lived in the palace of Pharaoh forty years; he was forty years in Midian; and he ministered to Israel forty years." (Kuin�el.)

To visit, etc. Probably with a view of delivering them from their oppressive bondage. Comp. Acts 7:26.

(a) "And when he was" Ex 2:11

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 When he was full forty years old - This was a general tradition among the Jews: "Moses was forty years in Pharaoh's court, forty years in Midian, and forty years he served Israel." To visit his brethren - Probably on the ground of trying to deliver them from their oppressive bondage. This desire seems to have been early infused into his mind by the Spirit of God; and the effect of this desire to deliver his oppressed countrymen was his refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter - see Heb 11:24, and thus renouncing all right to the Egyptian crown, choosing rather to endure addiction with the people of God than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · 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…

Read the full comment on Acts 7:17-29 →

Acts 7:23 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.

ὡςhōsWhenG5613
δὲdethenG1161
ἐπληροῦτοeplēroutowas fulfilledG4137
αὐτῷautōto himG846
τεσσερακονταετὴςtesserakontaetēsof forty yearsG5063
χρόνος,chronosa period,G5550
ἀνέβηanebēit cameG305
ἐπὶepiintoG1909
τὴνtēntheG3588
καρδίανkardianmindG2588
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
ἐπισκέψασθαιepiskepsasthaito visitG1980
τοὺςtoustheG3588
ἀδελφοὺςadelphousbrothersG80
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
τοὺςtoustheG3588
υἱοὺςhuioussonsG5207
Ἰσραήλ.Israēlof Israel.G2474

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

Cross references for Acts 7:23

  • Exodus 2:11-12

    And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren. And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

  • Philippians 2:12-13

    Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

  • Proverbs 21:1

    The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

  • Hebrews 11:24-26

    By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

  • Revelation 17:17

    For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

  • James 1:17

    Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

  • Ezra 7:27

    Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem:

  • Exodus 35:29

    The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.

  • Ezra 1:5

    Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.

  • Ezra 1:1

    Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

  • 2 Chronicles 30:12

    Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the Lord.

  • Exodus 4:18

    And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
when.
Ex 2:11,12; Heb 11:24-26
it came.
Ex 35:21,29; 1Ch 29:17-19; 2Ch 30:12; Ezr 1:1,5; 7:27; Pr 21:1
2Co 8:16; Php 2:12,13; Jas 1:17; Re 17:17
to.
15:36; Ex 4:18

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

Context

  • Acts 7:22

    And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

  • Acts 7:23

    And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

  • Acts 7:24

    And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:

Read all of Acts 7

Acts 7:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cuando hubo cumplido la edad de cuarenta años, le vino voluntad de visitar á sus hermanos los hijos de Israel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais quand il fut parvenu à l’âge de 40 ans, il lui vint au cœur de visiter ses frères, les fils d’Israël;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als er aber ein Alter von vierzig Jahren erreicht hatte, kam es in seinem Herzen auf, nach seinen Brüdern, den Söhnen Israels, zu sehen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cum autem impleretur ei quadraginta annorum tempus, ascendit in cor ejus ut visitaret fratres suos filios Israël.