Acts 7:9 Meaning and Explanation
“And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →The patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him.
What Does Acts 7:9 Mean?
The story turns to Joseph, and Stephen names the motive plainly: envy. The fathers of Israel sold their own brother (Genesis 37). Here begins a pattern the speech will press home, that the one God chooses, his brothers reject.
But God was with him. Those words carry the whole theology of the pit: rejected by his own, Joseph was never abandoned by his God. The pattern points forward to another beloved Son, sold for silver and delivered up out of envy (Matthew 27:18), whom God did not abandon.
Acts 7:9 in the Original Language
zeloo (ζηλόω), 'moved with envy' -- to burn with zeal soured into jealousy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acts 7:9
What does Acts 7:9 mean?
The patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt, but God was with him.