Acts 7:9-16

Acts 7:9-16

[9] And  the patriarchs,  moved with envy,  sold  Joseph  into  Egypt:  but  God  with  him,  [10] And  delivered  him  out of  all  his  afflictions,  and  gave  him  favour  and  wisdom  in the sight  of Pharaoh  king  of Egypt;  and  he made  him  governor  over  Egypt  and  all  his  house.  [11] Now  there came  a dearth  over  all  of Egypt  and  Chanaan,  and  great  affliction:  and  fathers  found  no  sustenance.  [12] But  when Jacob  heard  corn  Egypt,  he sent out  fathers  first.  [13] And  at  the second  time Joseph  was made known  to his  brethren;  and  Joseph's  kindred  was made  known  unto Pharaoh.  [14] Then  sent  Joseph,  and called  his  father  Jacob  to him, and  all  his  kindred,  threescore  and fifteen  souls.  [15] Jacob  went down  into  Egypt,  and  died,  he,  and  fathers,  [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. 

What does Acts 7:9-16 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Stephen next proceeded to show what God had done with Joseph and his family. He apparently selected this segment of the patriarchal narrative primarily for two reasons. First, it shows how God miraculously preserved His people in faithfulness to His promises. Second, it shows the remarkable similarity between the career of Joseph, a savior God raised up, and that of Jesus. Jesus repeated many of Joseph"s experiences illustrating God"s choice of Him. Also the Israelites in the present were similar to Joseph"s brothers in the past. Stephen"s emphasis continued to be on God"s faithfulness to His promises even though Joseph"s brothers were wicked and the chosen family was out of the Promised Land. Stephen mentioned Jesus explicitly only once in his entire speech, in his very last sentence ( Acts 7:52). Nevertheless he referred to Him indirectly many times by drawing parallels between the experiences of Joseph and Moses and those of Jesus.