The Meaning of Acts 7:8 Explained

Acts 7:8

KJV: And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

YLT: And He gave to him a covenant of circumcision, and so he begat Isaac, and did circumcise him on the eighth day, and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob -- the twelve patriarchs;

Darby: And he gave to him the covenant of circumcision; and thus he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.

ASV: And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob, and Jacob the twelve patriarchs.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he gave  him  the covenant  of circumcision:  and  so  [Abraham] begat  Isaac,  and  circumcised  him  the eighth  day;  and  Isaac  [begat] Jacob;  and  Jacob  [begat] the twelve  patriarchs. 

What does Acts 7:8 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Stephen probably referred to God giving Abraham the covenant of circumcision ( Genesis 17) because this was the sign that God would deliver what He had promised. It was the seal of the Abrahamic Covenant. God"s promise was firm. Moreover God enabled Abraham to father Isaac, whom Abraham obediently circumcised, and later Isaac gave birth to Jacob who fathered the12patriarchs. Thus this chapter in Israel"s history ends with emphasis on God"s faithfulness to His promises to Abraham. The Sanhedrin needed to reevaluate these promises in the light of how God was working in their day.
Stephen affirmed belief that the God of glory had given the Abrahamic Covenant, which contained promises of land ( Acts 7:2-4), seed ( Acts 7:5), and blessing ( Acts 7:6-7). He had sealed this covenant with a sign, namely, circumcision ( Acts 7:8). Circumcision was one of the Jewish customs that would pass away in view of the new revelation that had come through Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 6:14).
Throughout his speech Stephen made many statements that had revolutionary implications for traditional Jewish thinking of his day. He did not expound these implications, but they are clear in view of what the disciples of Jesus were preaching. As such his speech is a masterpiece of understatement, or rather non-statement. That the Sanhedrin saw these implications and rejected them becomes clear at the end of the speech when they reacted as negatively as possible.

Context Summary

Acts 7:1-13 - Stephen's Defense: God's First Called Ones
There are several touches in this eloquent apology which deserve notice. Acts 7:2 : "The God of glory." This chapter begins and ends with glory. See Acts 7:55. Note that God appeared to Abraham in Ur, before he had come to Haran at the divine bidding. It is interesting to have this discrimination between the different appearances of God to the patriarch. Acts 7:3 : We often have to leave our land before God shows us another. Acts 7:6 : God's promises lighted up the weary bondage of Egypt. Acts 7:10 : It is God that delivers us out of our afflictions and gives us favor with people.
The drift of the whole speech, which must be borne in mind as we read it, is that again and again the Chosen People had rejected their God-sent deliverers and prophets, and had taken their own evil courses. The rejection of the Savior was only a parallel to that of Joseph by his brethren, and that of Moses by the nation. Israel had always been stiffnecked and froward, and ought not history to warn Stephen's hearers against taking a similar attitude towards Jesus of Nazareth? Might not Jesus prove to be as great a blessing in that generation as Joseph or Moses had been in his? The parallel will be complete when Jesus returns in power and glory. [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 7:8

The covenant of circumcision [διατηκην περιτομης]
A covenant marked by (genitive) circumcision (no article) of which circumcision is the sign (Romans 4:11) as set forth in Genesis 17:9-14. In the ancient Greek διατηκη — diathēkē was usually will (Latin, testamentum) and συντηκη — sunthēkē was used for covenant But the lxx and the N.T. use διατηκη — diathēkē for covenant (will in Hebrews 9:15.) as Lightfoot on Galatians 3:16 says: “The lxx translation and New Testament writers probably preferred διατηκη — diathēkē as better expressing the free grace of God than συντηκη — sunthēkē [source]
And so [και ουτως]
After the covenant was made and as a sign and seal of it. [source]
The covenant of circumcision []
There is no article, and it is better omitted in rendering. He gave him a covenant, the peculiar character of which is defined by the next word - of circumcision; i.e., of which circumcision was the completion and seal. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 7:8

Matthew 26:28 Testament [διαθήκης]
From διατίθημι , to distribute; dispose of. Hence of the disposition of one's property. On the idea of disposing or arranging is based that of settlement or agreement, and thence of a covenant. The Hebrew word of which this is a translation is primarily covenant, from a verb meaning to cut. Hence the phrase, to make a covenant, in connection with dividing the victims slain in ratification of covenants (Genesis 15:9-18). Covenant is the general Old Testament sense of the word (1 Kings 20:34; Isaiah 28:15; 1 Samuel 18:3); and so in the New Testament. Compare Mark 14:24; Luke 1:72; Luke 22:20; Acts 3:25; Acts 7:8. Bishop Lightfoot, on Galatians 3:15, observes that the word is never found in the New Testament in any other sense than that of covenant, with the exception of Hebrews 9:15-17, where it is testament. We cannot admit this exception, since we regard that passage as one of the best illustrations of the sense of covenant. See on Hebrews 9:15-17. Render here as Rev., covenant. [source]
Acts 2:29 The patriarch [πατρια]
Transliteration of the word, from αρχω — patria family, and εταπη — archō to rule, the founder of a family. Late word in lxx. Used of Abraham (Hebrews 7:4), of the twelve sons of Jacob as founders of the several tribes (Acts 7:8), and here of David as head of the family from whom the Messiah comes. [source]
Acts 2:29 Freely [μετα παρρησιας]
Telling it all It is a new start for Simon Peter, full of boldness and courage. The patriarch (πατρια — tou patriarchou). Transliteration of the word, from αρχω — patria family, and εταπη — archō to rule, the founder of a family. Late word in lxx. Used of Abraham (Hebrews 7:4), of the twelve sons of Jacob as founders of the several tribes (Acts 7:8), and here of David as head of the family from whom the Messiah comes. Was buried Second aorist passive indicative of thaptō His tomb was on Matthew. Zion where most of the kings were buried. The tomb was said to have fallen into ruins in the time of the Emperor Hadrian. Josephus (Ant. XVI. 7, 1) attributes most of the misfortunes of Herod‘s family to the fact that he tried to rifle the tomb of David. [source]
Hebrews 9:16 There must also of necessity be the death of the testator [θάνατου ἀνάγκη φέρεσθαι τοῦ διαθεμένου]
Rend. it is necessary that the death of the institutor (of the covenant ) should be borne. With the rendering testament, φέρεσθαι is well-nigh inexplicable. If covenant the meaning is not difficult. If he had meant to say it is necessary that the institutor die, he might better have used γένεσθαι : “it is necessary that the death of the institutor take place ”; but he meant to say that it was necessary that the institutor die representatively; that death should be borne for him by an animal victim. If we render testament, it follows that the death of the testator himself is referred to, for which θάνατου φέρεσθαι is a very unusual and awkward expression. Additional Note on Hebrews 9:16Against the rendering testament for διαθήκη , and in favor of retaining covenant, are the following considerations: (a) The abruptness of the change, and its interruption of the line of reasoning. It is introduced into the middle of a continuous argument, in which the new covenant is compared and contrasted with the Mosaic covenant (8:6-10:18). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(b) The turning-point, both of the analogy and of the contrast, is that both covenants were inaugurated and ratified by death: not ordinary, natural death, but sacrificial, violent death, accompanied with bloodshedding as an essential feature. Such a death is plainly indicated in Hebrews 9:15. If διαθήκη signifies testament, θάνατον deathin Hebrews 9:16must mean natural death without bloodshed. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(c) The figure of a testament would not appeal to Hebrews in connection with an inheritance. On the contrary, the idea of the κληρονομία was always associated in the Hebrew mind with the inheritance of Canaan, and that inheritance with the idea of a covenant. See Deuteronomy 4:20-23; 1 Chronicles 16:15-18; Psalm 105:8-11. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(d) In lxx, from which our writer habitually quotes, διαθήκη has universally the meaning of covenant. It occurs about 350 times, mostly representing בְּרִית, covenant. In the Apocryphal books it has the same sense, except in Exodus href="/desk/?q=ex+30:26&sr=1">Exodus 30:26; Numbers 14:44; 2 Kings 6:15; Jeremiah 3:16; Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:72, Acts 3:25; Acts 7:8. Also in N.T. quotations from the O.T., where, in its translation of the O.T., it uses foedus. See Jeremiah 31:31, cit. Hebrews 8:8. For διατιθέσθαι of making a covenant, see Hebrews 8:10; Acts 3:25; Hebrews 10:16. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(e) The ratification of a covenant by the sacrifice of a victim is attested by Genesis 15:10; Psalm 1:5; Jeremiah 34:18. This is suggested also by the phrase כָּרַֽת בְּרִֽת, to cut a covenant, which finds abundant analogy in both Greek and Latin. Thus we have ὅρκια τάμνειν tocut oaths, that is, to sacrifice a victim in attestation (Hom. Il. ii. 124; Od. xxiv. 483: Hdt. vii. 132). Similarly, σπονδὰς letus cut (make ) a league (Eurip. Hel. 1235): φίλια τέμνεσθαι tocement friendship by sacrificing a victim; lit. to cut friendship (Eurip. Suppl. 375). In Latin, foedus ferire to strike a league foedus ictum a ratified league, ratified by a blow (ictus ). -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
(f) If testament is the correct translation in Hebrews 9:16, Hebrews 9:17, the writer is fairly chargeable with a rhetorical blunder; for Hebrews 9:18ff. is plainly intended as a historical illustration of the propositions in Hebrews 9:16, Hebrews 9:17, and the illustration turns on a point entirely different from the matter illustrated. The writer is made to say, “A will is of no force until after the testator's death; therefore the first covenant was ratified with the blood of victims.sa180 [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 7:8 mean?

And He gave to him [the] covenant of circumcision thus he begat - Isaac circumcised him on the day - eighth Isaac Jacob Jacob the twelve patriarchs
Καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ διαθήκην περιτομῆς οὕτως ἐγέννησεν τὸν Ἰσαὰκ περιέτεμεν αὐτὸν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ Ἰσαὰκ Ἰακώβ Ἰακὼβ τοὺς δώδεκα πατριάρχας

ἔδωκεν  He  gave 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: διδῶ 
Sense: to give.
αὐτῷ  to  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
διαθήκην  [the]  covenant 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: διαθήκη  
Sense: a disposition, arrangement, of any sort, which one wishes to be valid, the last disposition which one makes of his earthly possessions after his death, a testament or will.
περιτομῆς  of  circumcision 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: περιτομή  
Sense: circumcised.
οὕτως  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: οὕτως  
Sense: in this manner, thus, so.
ἐγέννησεν  he  begat 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γεννάω  
Sense: of men who fathered children.
τὸν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰσαὰκ  Isaac 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰσαάκ  
Sense: the son of Abraham and Sarah.
περιέτεμεν  circumcised 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: περιτέμνω  
Sense: to cut around.
τῇ  on  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἡμέρᾳ  day 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ἡμέρα  
Sense: the day, used of the natural day, or the interval between sunrise and sunset, as distinguished from and contrasted with the night.
τῇ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ὀγδόῃ  eighth 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: ὄγδοος  
Sense: the eighth.
Ἰσαὰκ  Isaac 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰσαάκ  
Sense: the son of Abraham and Sarah.
Ἰακώβ  Jacob 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰακώβ  
Sense: was the second son of Isaac.
Ἰακὼβ  Jacob 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰακώβ  
Sense: was the second son of Isaac.
δώδεκα  twelve 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: δώδεκα  
Sense: twelve.
πατριάρχας  patriarchs 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: πατριάρχης  
Sense: patriarch, founder of a tribe, progenitor.