The Meaning of Acts 7:19 Explained

Acts 7:19

KJV: The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

YLT: this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live;

Darby: He dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that they might not live.

ASV: The same dealt craftily with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, that they should cast out their babes to the end they might not live.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The same  dealt subtilly  with our  kindred,  and evil entreated  our  fathers,  so that  they cast out  their  young children,  to the end  they might  not  live. 

What does Acts 7:19 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This Pharaoh took advantage of the Israelites and mistreated them by decreeing the death of their infants ( Exodus 1:10; Exodus 1:16; Exodus 1:22). Like Pharaoh, Herod the Great had tried to destroy all the Jewish babies at the time of Jesus" birth.

Context Summary

Acts 7:14-29 - Stephen's Defense: The Deliverer From Bondage
Moses, we are here told, was "mighty in words;" that is, in eloquence as well as in deeds. This confirms the statement of the Jewish historian, Josephus, that in the earlier part of his career, now lost in the oblivion of history, Moses led a very successful Egyptian expedition against Ethiopia. He complains to the Lord, in Exodus 4:10, of being slow of speech, but that probably refers to the habit of long disuse amid the silence and loneliness of the desert.
It is clear that, stung by the sense of wrong, Moses at first interfered with his own right arm to deliver his people. He smote the Egyptian, and essayed to judge between his brethren. God had to bring him into the dust by repeated failure and rejection that he might become an emptied and a broken vessel. God will not give glory to man. The treasure must be held in an earthen vessel, 2 Corinthians 4:7. It is when we come to the end of ourselves that we arrive at the beginning of God. The world has ever to learn what God can do by those who are wholly emptied of self-confidence but yielded to His hand. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 7

1  Stephen, permitted to answer to the accusation of blasphemy,
2  shows that Abraham worshipped God rightly, and how God chose the fathers,
20  before Moses was born, and before the tabernacle and temple were built;
37  that Moses himself witnessed of Christ;
44  and that all outward ceremonies were ordained to last but for a time;
51  reprehending their rebellion, and murdering of Christ, whom the prophets foretold
54  Whereupon they stone Stephen to death,
59  who commends his soul to Jesus, and humbly prays for them

Greek Commentary for Acts 7:19

Dealt subtilly [κατασοπισαμενος]
First aorist middle participle of κατασοπιζομαι — katasophizomai late compound (κατα — kata and σοπιζω — sophizō old verb, to make wise, to become wise, then to play the sophist), perfective use of κατα — kata In the lxx, but here only in the N.T. To use fraud, craft, deceit. [source]
That they should cast out their babes [του ποιειν τα βρεπη εκτετα]
Του ποιειν — Tou poiein (genitive of the articular present infinitive) can be either design or result. The Revised Version here takes it as purpose while the Authorized as result. In either case Pharaoh required the Israelites to expose their children to death, a possible practice done voluntarily in heathen China and by heathen in so-called Christian lands. But the Israelites fought against such an iniquity. The word εκτετα — ektheta (exposed, cast out) is a verbal adjective from εκτιτημι — ektithēmi It is an old word, but here only in the N.T. and not in the lxx. To the end they might not live (εις το μη ζωογονεισται — eis to mē zōogoneisthai). Purpose with εις — eis and the articular infinitive (present middle). This compound verb is from ζωογονος — zōogonos (from ζωος — zōos alive, and γενω — genō to bear) and is used by late writers and the lxx. It is three times in the N.T. (here, Luke 17:33; 1 Timothy 6:13) in the sense to preserve alive. [source]
To the end they might not live [εις το μη ζωογονεισται]
Purpose with εις — eis and the articular infinitive (present middle). This compound verb is from ζωογονος — zōogonos (from ζωος — zōos alive, and γενω — genō to bear) and is used by late writers and the lxx. It is three times in the N.T. (here, Luke 17:33; 1 Timothy 6:13) in the sense to preserve alive. [source]
Dealt subtilely [κατασοφισάμενος]
Only here in New Testament. Lit., to employ cunning against. See on σοφὸς , wise, James 3:13. [source]
So that they cast out [τοῦ ποιεῖν ἔκθετα]
Lit.,make exposed. The verb ἐκτίθημι , to set out, or place outside, is not uncommon in classical Greek for the exposure of a new-born child. Thus Herodotus, of Cyrus, exposed in infancy: “The herdsman's wife entreated him not to expose ( ἐκθεῖναι ) the babe” (i., 112). The rendering of the A. V., “so that they cast out,” is correct, expressing the result, and not Pharaoh's design. [source]
Young children [βρέφη]
Incorrect. See on 1 Peter 2:2. Rev., rightly, babes. [source]
Live [ζωογονεῖσθαι]
Or, be preserved alive. See on Luke 17:33. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 7:19

Luke 17:33 Shall preserve [ζωογονήσει]
Only here and Acts 7:19. Originally to engender; thence to produce alive or endue with life, and so to preserve alive. Wyc., shall quicken it. [source]
Luke 17:33 Shall preserve it [ζωογονησει αυτην]
Or save it alive. Here only in the N.T. except 1 Timothy 6:13; Acts 7:19. It is a late word and common in medical writers, to bring forth alive (ζωοσ γενω — zōos genō) and here to keep alive. [source]
1 Timothy 6:13 Who quickeneth all things [του ζωογονουντος τα παντα]
Present active participle of ζωογονεω — zōogoneō (ζωογονος — zōogonos from ζωοσ γενω — zōosεπι Ποντιου Πειλατου — genō), late word to give life, to bring forth alive, in N.T. only here and Acts 7:19. See 1 Samuel 2:6. [source]
Hebrews 11:5 That he should not see death [τοῦ μὴ ἰδεῖν θάνατον]
This may signify the purpose of his translation, but probably refers to the result. He was translated so that he did not see death. Comp. Matthew 21:32; Acts 7:19; Romans 7:3. [source]
1 Peter 2:2 Babes [βρέθη]
The word signifying peculiarly a child at birth, or of tender years. See Luke 18:15; Acts 7:19. Of the infant Jesus, Luke 2:12, Luke 2:16. Here marking the recency of Christian life in the converts addressed. [source]
1 Peter 3:13 That will harm you [ο κακωσων υμας]
Future active articular participle of κακοω — kakoō old verb (from κακος — kakos bad) as in Acts 7:6, Acts 7:19. Any real hurt, either that wishes to harm you or that can harm. See the words in Isaiah 50:9. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 7:19 mean?

He having dealt treacherously with the race of us he mistreated the fathers of us - making [them] the infants abandon of them unto not they would live
οὗτος κατασοφισάμενος τὸ γένος ἡμῶν ἐκάκωσεν τοὺς πατέρας [ἡμῶν] τοῦ ποιεῖν τὰ βρέφη ἔκθετα αὐτῶν εἰς μὴ ζωογονεῖσθαι

κατασοφισάμενος  having  dealt  treacherously  with 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: κατασοφίζομαι  
Sense: to circumvent by artifice or fraud, conquer by subtle devices.
γένος  race 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: γένος  
Sense: race.
ἡμῶν  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἐκάκωσεν  he  mistreated 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κακόω  
Sense: to oppress, afflict, harm, maltreat.
πατέρας  fathers 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: προπάτωρ 
Sense: generator or male ancestor.
[ἡμῶν]  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ποιεῖν  making  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
βρέφη  infants 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: βρέφος  
Sense: an unborn child, embryo, a foetus.
ἔκθετα  abandon 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἔκθετος  
Sense: cast out, exposed.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
εἰς  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
ζωογονεῖσθαι  they  would  live 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Root: ζῳογονέω  
Sense: to bring forth alive.