Acts 7 20

Acts 7:20 kjv

In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:

Acts 7:20 nkjv

At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father's house for three months.

Acts 7:20 niv

"At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for by his family.

Acts 7:20 esv

At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God's sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father's house,

Acts 7:20 nlt

"At that time Moses was born ? a beautiful child in God's eyes. His parents cared for him at home for three months.

Acts 7 verses

Acts 7 20 Meaning

Acts 7:20 describes the birth of Moses at a critical period of oppression. It states that Moses was "exceeding fair" in a manner that signified divine favor or special beauty in the eyes of God, rather than merely physical attractiveness. He was then "nourished up in his father's house" (referring to his natural parents, Amram and Jochebed) for three months before being placed in the Nile. This verse highlights God's providential care for His chosen deliverer from his very infancy, preserving him despite the Pharaoh's murderous decree.

Acts 7 20 Context

Acts chapter 7 contains Stephen's long and comprehensive defense speech before the Sanhedrin. He had been accused of blasphemy against the Temple and the Law. In his defense, Stephen traces the history of Israel from Abraham, focusing on God's continuous providential work through various figures, including the patriarchs, Moses, and the prophets. He consistently highlights that God is not confined to human structures (like the Temple) and, critically, that Israel (including his accusers) had a long history of rejecting God's chosen messengers, culminating in their rejection of Jesus Christ. Verse 20 sets the stage for the story of Moses, who, despite being God's specially appointed deliverer, faced initial rejection by his own people. It establishes God's hand in Moses's life from his precarious beginning during a time when Pharaoh had ordered the slaughter of all male Hebrew infants, underscoring divine preservation in the face of tyrannical opposition.

Acts 7 20 Word analysis

• At which time: Refers to the period described in Exod 1:22, when Pharaoh commanded the killing of every male Hebrew infant. This phrase emphasizes God's precise timing for Moses's birth amidst severe adversity.
• Moses: The central figure of the Pentateuch, chosen by God to lead Israel out of Egyptian bondage and to deliver God's Law. His life prefigures that of Jesus Christ.
• was born: A simple statement, yet marking the divinely orchestrated beginning of a pivotal life.
• and was exceeding fair:
  • Greek: ēn asteios tō Theō (ἦν ἀστεῖος τῷ Θεῷ).
  • asteios: Often translated as "beautiful" or "handsome." It can refer to physical comeliness but carries a deeper nuance in the context of Stephen's speech and its Old Testament roots (Exod 2:2, LXX).
  • tō Theō (to God): This dative phrase can function adverbially to mean "in God's sight," "in a divine way," or as a superlative, "exceedingly," similar to "beautiful unto God" implying "supremely beautiful."
  • Significance: This is not just human subjective beauty but implies a divinely-imparted specialness, favor, or beauty recognized by God, marking him for His purpose. It suggests a divine quality or supernatural charm that distinguished him even as an infant.
• and nourished up:
  • Greek: anetraphē (ἀνετράφη), from anatraphō, meaning "to rear," "to bring up," "to nourish."
  • Significance: Passive voice emphasizes that he "was nourished," highlighting the parental care given despite immense risk.
• in his father's house: This confirms his primary nurture during these crucial months was with his natural parents, Amram and Jochebed (members of the tribe of Levi). This speaks to the faith and defiance of his family against Pharaoh's decree.
• three months: The specific period mentioned in Exod 2:2 (LXX and Hebrew). This detail highlights the human effort and sacrifice of his parents to conceal him for as long as possible before resorting to placing him in the ark on the Nile. It underscores the precise conditions under which God's plan for Moses unfolded.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "At which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair": This phrase introduces Moses as an extraordinary child born under extraordinary circumstances. The "exceeding fair" emphasizes God's hand upon him from birth, distinguishing him and marking him as specially favored, even when he seemed most vulnerable. This sets the stage for God's divine rescue and future use of him.
• "and nourished up in his father's house three months": This part highlights the perilous but faith-filled initial care provided by his own family. It shows their active participation and obedience to God in hiding him, despite the mortal danger. The specificity of "three months" further emphasizes the human limit to their hiding him, paving the way for the next stage of divine intervention through the ark in the Nile.

Acts 7 20 Bonus section

• The Septuagint Connection: Stephen's reference to Moses being "exceeding fair" directly echoes the Septuagint (LXX) translation of Exod 2:2, which uses the exact phrase asteios tō Theō. Stephen, likely speaking to a Greek-speaking Sanhedrin, deliberately employs this phrasing, which was well-understood in the Hellenistic Jewish world, lending weight to the spiritual and divinely ordained nature of Moses's birth.
• Typological Significance: The narrative of Moses's birth and divine preservation directly parallels the infant Jesus's escape from Herod's slaughter (Matt 2:13-18). Both great deliverers of God's people faced murderous decrees against their lives in infancy, yet both were providentially preserved by God, underscoring a consistent pattern of divine protection over God's chosen vessels throughout salvation history.
• Jewish Tradition: Certain Jewish traditions (midrashim) describe Moses's extraordinary beauty, so profound that it attracted immediate attention. While this is not explicitly stated in the biblical text, Stephen's phrasing in Acts 7:20 might subtly nod to such traditions, enhancing the narrative of Moses's divine distinctiveness to his audience.

Acts 7 20 Commentary

Acts 7:20 is a powerful distillation of divine providence. Stephen recounts Moses's birth under dire circumstances, when a genocidal decree aimed to annihilate male Hebrew infants. The phrase "exceeding fair" (or "beautiful to God") speaks less of physical appearance and more of divine favor and special mark on Moses from his birth, setting him apart for God's purposes. This immediate, divinely-sanctioned uniqueness underscored that Moses's life was not by chance but by design. His initial sustenance within his "father's house" for three months emphasizes the brave faith of his parents in hiding him, despite extreme peril, illustrating human cooperation with divine will. This seemingly small detail in Stephen's vast historical retelling serves as a crucial foundational point: God intricately and sovereignly works through individuals whom He raises up and preserves, often against immense opposition, just as He did with Moses, who prefigured the ultimate deliverer, Jesus Christ. This historical precedent becomes a powerful point against Stephen's accusers, who also rejected God's appointed messenger.