Acts 7:11 kjv
Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.
Acts 7:11 nkjv
Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance.
Acts 7:11 niv
"Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food.
Acts 7:11 esv
Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food.
Acts 7:11 nlt
"But a famine came upon Egypt and Canaan. There was great misery, and our ancestors ran out of food.
Acts 7 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 41:54 | "The seven years of famine began to come, as Joseph..." | Famine began after years of plenty. |
| Gen 41:56 | "So when the famine was over all the face of the earth, and Joseph opened all..." | Global extent of the famine. |
| Gen 42:1 | "When Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, Jacob said to his sons, “Why..." | Jacob's awareness of grain in Egypt. |
| Gen 42:5 | "And the sons of Israel went to buy grain among those who went, for the..." | Jacob's sons seek food in Egypt. |
| Gen 43:1 | "Now the famine was severe in the land." | Confirming the severity of the famine in Canaan. |
| Gen 45:6 | "For two years now the famine has been in the land, and there are yet..." | Joseph explains famine's duration. |
| Gen 47:4 | "They said to Pharaoh, 'We have come to sojourn in the land...'" | Migration due to lack of pasture/food. |
| Gen 47:13 | "Now there was no food in all the land, for the famine was very severe..." | Total absence of food due to famine. |
| Ps 105:16 | "He called down a famine on the land; he broke all supply of bread." | God's sovereign control over famine. |
| Ps 105:17 | "He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave." | Joseph sent by God to preserve. |
| Hag 1:11 | "And I called for a drought on the land and on the mountains, on the..." | Famine as a divine consequence for neglect. |
| Joel 1:17 | "The seeds shrivel under the clods; the storehouses are desolate..." | Depiction of extreme lack due to famine. |
| Jer 14:12 | "Though they fast, I will not hear their cry; and though they offer..." | Famine as judgment despite false piety. |
| Lk 4:25 | "Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah..." | Reference to a severe famine in Elijah's time. |
| Mt 24:7 | "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and..." | Famines as a sign of the end times. |
| Rom 8:35 | "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation..." | Tribulation and distress cannot separate. |
| 2 Cor 11:27 | "in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and..." | Experiencing lack and hunger. |
| Deut 28:22 | "The Lord will strike you with wasting disease and with fever, with..." | Famine listed as a consequence of disobedience. |
| Ezra 9:8 | "But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the LORD our God..." | Acknowledging God's preservation amidst distress. |
| Is 3:1 | "For behold, the Lord GOD of hosts is taking away from Jerusalem and..." | Removal of sustenance as judgment. |
| Acts 7:19 | "He dealt treacherously with our people and forced our fathers to expose..." | Initial hardship in Egypt for the patriarchs. |
| Hab 3:17 | "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines..." | Trust in God despite lack of provisions. |
Acts 7 verses
Acts 7 11 Meaning
Acts 7:11 states that a widespread famine afflicted both Egypt and Canaan, bringing severe distress to the region, and that the Israelite patriarchs, referred to as "our fathers," were unable to find any provisions or sustenance due to the scarcity. This verse sets the scene for Jacob's family's crucial migration to Egypt, orchestrated by divine providence through Joseph.
Acts 7 11 Context
Acts 7:11 is part of Stephen's lengthy speech before the Sanhedrin (Acts 7:2-53). Accused of blasphemy against the Temple and the Law, Stephen recites Israel's history, starting from Abraham, to demonstrate God's consistent work outside of fixed structures (like the Temple) and to highlight Israel's recurring pattern of resisting God's Spirit and His appointed leaders. This particular verse forms a crucial link in Stephen's narrative, detailing the catalyst for Jacob's family moving to Egypt, thereby preserving the promised lineage, which ultimately points to God's continuous providential care and sovereign plan despite severe hardship. It sets the stage for the narrative of Moses and the Exodus.
Acts 7 11 Word analysis
- Now there came: (ἐγένετο - egeneto, "it happened," "it became") This Greek imperfect tense indicates the initiation of a prolonged state or event. It conveys a sense of divine orchestration rather than a random occurrence, reflecting God's sovereign control over natural events like famine, which frequently serve His purposes in biblical narrative.
- a famine: (λιμὸς - limos) Refers to a widespread lack of food, leading to starvation and distress. In biblical contexts, limos often appears as a consequence of disobedience (Lev 26:26, Deut 28:23) or as a divinely appointed catalyst for significant historical developments (as seen here, leading to Israel's formation in Egypt).
- over all Egypt and Canaan: (ἐφ᾽ ὅλην τὴν Αἴγυπτον καὶ Χαναάν - eph holēn tēn Aigupton kai Chanaan) This highlights the extensive geographic scope of the famine, demonstrating its severity and the unified impact across distinct regions. The parallel affliction in both Egypt and Canaan underlines the inescapability of the famine's effects on the patriarchs, driving them towards God's appointed place of refuge in Egypt.
- and great affliction: (καὶ θλῖψις μεγάλη - kai thlipsis megalē) Thlipsis signifies pressing, pressure, tribulation, or distress. It is more profound than mere discomfort, pointing to deep hardship, severe suffering, and the distress experienced by people facing starvation and the threat of death. Megale (great) emphasizes its intense severity.
- and our fathers: (καὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν - kai hoi pateres hēmōn) This phrase connects Stephen and his Jewish audience directly to their patriarchal ancestors, primarily Jacob and his sons. Stephen employs this term throughout his discourse (Acts 7:2, 12, 15, 19, 39, 44, 45, 51) to identify with and underscore the shared heritage and God's dealings with the covenant people from the earliest times.
- found no sustenance: (οὐχ εὕρισκον χορτάσματα - ouch heuriskon chortasmata) Literally "they were not finding pasture/fodder." Chortasma typically denotes grass or food for livestock, but here it applies to humans, emphasizing the desperate scarcity and their utter inability to find any provisions whatsoever. The continuous aspect of the imperfect tense "were finding" (heuriskon) stresses their persistent, fruitless search for food. It signifies total deprivation.
- "Now there came a famine over all Egypt and Canaan": This phrase emphasizes the sovereign hand of God in historical events. The famine, widespread and severe, was not accidental but divinely permitted or initiated to move the patriarchal family into Egypt, where they would multiply into a nation, fulfilling God's covenant with Abraham (Gen 12:2).
- "and great affliction, and our fathers found no sustenance": This collective hardship underlines the dire circumstances faced by Jacob's family, forcing them out of their homeland to seek survival elsewhere. It highlights their absolute dependence on divine intervention and leadership, setting the stage for Joseph's providential role. The affliction was not just lack of food, but a pressing, grievous state of distress for their very survival.
Acts 7 11 Bonus section
The famine recounted in Acts 7:11 and in the Genesis narrative (Gen 41-47) serves several theological purposes. Firstly, it demonstrates God's sovereignty over creation and natural phenomena. Famine, like other disasters, is never outside His control and can be employed as an instrument of His will. Secondly, it acted as a divine catalyst, forcing Jacob's family out of Canaan where they remained a relatively small, vulnerable clan, and into Egypt, a powerful empire where they could grow into a mighty nation, as promised to Abraham (Gen 12:2, 15:5). Thirdly, the event allowed Joseph's role as a savior figure to be fully realized, foreshadowing Christ's ultimate role as the One who provides sustenance (spiritual food) and preserves life (Jn 6:35, 6:51). Stephen implicitly emphasizes that God’s presence and providential care extend beyond specific geographical locations or physical structures like the Temple, demonstrating His boundless reach and consistent involvement in His people's lives even in foreign lands and amidst severe hardship.
Acts 7 11 Commentary
Acts 7:11 provides a concise yet potent summary of the desperate conditions that necessitated the patriarchal move to Egypt. Stephen's mention of this famine serves not merely as a historical detail, but as a testament to God's precise control over events, even seemingly disastrous ones, to fulfill His covenant purposes. The "great affliction" underscore the severe test of faith the patriarchs endured, highlighting God's faithfulness in providing a means of survival through Joseph's prior elevation. This moment in Israel's history is pivotal, demonstrating how suffering and scarcity can be part of God's greater redemptive plan, ensuring the preservation of His people for the coming of Christ. It illustrates divine providence working through natural disasters to accomplish supernaturally good outcomes.