Verse of the Day
Author Spotlight
Loading featured author...
Report Issue
See a formatting issue or error?
Let us know →
Verse Takeaways
1
Why 75 and Not 70?
Nearly all commentators explain that Stephen's number of 75 people comes from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), which was commonly used in his day. The Hebrew text of Genesis states 70. This is not seen as an error, but as Stephen quoting the version of Scripture most familiar to his audience. Some scholars, like John Gill, even offer ways to harmonize the numbers by including Jacob's sons' wives in the count of 'kindred'.
See 3 Verse Takeaways
Book Overview
Acts
Author
Audience
Composition
Teaching Highlights
Outline
+ 5 more
See Overview
Commentaries
8
Albert Barnes
On Acts 7:14
18th Century
Theologian
All his kindred. His father and family, Genesis 45:17–28 and Genesis 46:1-26.
Threescore and fifteen souls. Sev…
AT Robertson
On Acts 7:14
Three-score and fifteen souls (εν ψυχαις εβδομηκοντα πεντε). Stephen follows the LXX which counts some grandchildren of Joseph and…
Charles Ellicott
On Acts 7:11–14
19th Century
Bishop
Now there came a famine . . .—As far as we can trace the sequence of thought, the suggested inference appears to be that just as t…
Go Ad-Free
Go ad-free and create your own bookmark library
Charles Spurgeon
On Acts 7:14–17
19th Century
Preacher
Note those words, the time of the promise, and remember that every promise has its due time of fulfillment, and that there is a time of pr…
Expositor's Bible Commentary
On Acts 7:14
Stephen’s address next turns to the sons of Jacob, or “the twelve patriarchs” as they were known more popularly. Here Stephen’s point is that God w…
John Calvin
On Acts 7:14
16th Century
Theologian
When he says that Jacob came into Egypt with seventy-five souls, it does not agree with the words of Moses, for Moses mentions seventy only. Jerome…
John Gill
On Acts 7:14
17th Century
Pastor
Then sent Joseph
Gifts and presents to his father, and wagons, to fetch down him and his family into Egypt, ([Refere…
Matthew Henry
On Acts 7:1–16
17th Century
Minister
Stephen was charged as a blasphemer of God and an apostate from the church; therefore, he shows that he is a son of Abraham and takes pride in this…