Acts 7:29 kjv
Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.
Acts 7:29 nkjv
Then, at this saying, Moses fled and became a dweller in the land of Midian, where he had two sons.
Acts 7:29 niv
When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.
Acts 7:29 esv
At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
Acts 7:29 nlt
When Moses heard that, he fled the country and lived as a foreigner in the land of Midian. There his two sons were born.
Acts 7 29 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 7:29 | Moses fled, and became an exile... | Exo 2:15 (Moses flees after killing the Egyptian) |
| Acts 7:29 | ...in the land of Midian. | Gen 25:2 (Birth of sons to Abraham and Keturah, includes Midian) |
| Acts 7:29 | ...where he fathered two sons. | Exo 2:22 (Moses has two sons, Gershom and Eliezer) |
| Exo 2:22 | He named his son Gershom... | Exo 18:3-4 (Further mention of Gershom and Eliezer) |
| Exo 2:22 | ...for he said, "I have become a sojourner in a foreign land." | Exo 3:1 (Moses at the burning bush, referencing his exile) |
| Gen 25:1-2 | Abraham took another wife, Keturah... and her sons were Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian... | Exo 18:2-3 (Moses' wife Zipporah and their sons Gershom and Eliezer) |
| Heb 11:23 | By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. | Exo 2:1-2 (Moses' parents hide him) |
| Heb 11:24-25 | By faith Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. | Exo 2:10-11 (Moses goes to his people, sees their suffering) |
| Acts 7:23 | "When he was about forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel." | Exo 2:11-14 (Moses goes out to his people, kills Egyptian) |
| Exo 2:12 | He looked this way and that way... | Psa 106:19-22 (Israel turning to idols, contrast to God's faithfulness) |
| Exo 2:14 | "Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?" | Num 16:1-3 (Korah's rebellion against Moses and Aaron) |
| Gen 16:12 | ...his hand against everyone, and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell opposite all his kinsmen. | Gen 16:11-12 (Ishmael's destiny and character) |
| Acts 7:30-34 | An angel of the Lord appeared to him... to deliver you... | Exo 3:2-6 (The burning bush experience) |
| Gen 21:18 | “Arise, lift up the boy, and hold him fast, for I will make him into a great nation.” | Gen 16:10 (God's promise concerning Ishmael) |
| Exo 4:20 | Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey... | Exo 18:4 (Moses names his second son Eliezer) |
| Psa 78:70-71 | He chose David also his servant... to shepherd Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance. | 2 Sam 7:8 (God chooses David) |
| Psa 105:26 | He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron whom he had chosen. | Exo 3:10 (God sends Moses to Pharaoh) |
| Exo 3:2 | And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. | Exo 3:1-6 (Burning bush) |
| 1 Sam 24:14 | After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! | 1 Sam 26:20 (David speaks to Saul) |
| Deut 33:2 | "The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon them; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with the fire of the law at his right hand." | Deut 32:1-2 (Moses' final song, God's revelation) |
Acts 7 verses
Acts 7 29 Meaning
The verse describes Moses' personal reaction and internal motivation when he fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian. He perceived God's intent to use him for liberation and acted to protect himself from Pharaoh's retribution, a protective instinct driven by the knowledge of God's providence.
Acts 7 29 Context
In Acts chapter 7, Stephen is recounting the history of Israel, from Abraham to Joseph, and is currently focusing on Moses. He is presenting Moses as a significant figure of God's deliverance and law-giving. This particular verse falls within the narrative of Moses' early life, detailing his abandonment of Egyptian royalty to identify with his oppressed people. Stephen is highlighting Moses' development of faith and his nascent leadership. The overall discourse is a defense of Christianity against Jewish accusations, and Stephen is subtly demonstrating that their own history, particularly through Moses, foreshadows the coming of Jesus and the rejection He faced, mirroring Moses' own rejection.
Acts 7 29 Word Analysis
- Moses (Μωσης - Mōses): The Hebrew name Moshe means "drawn out," referencing his rescue from the Nile (Exodus 2:10).
- fled (ἀπέδρα - apedra): From apedraō, meaning "to escape," "to run away," signifying a hasty departure from danger.
- and became an exile (καὶ ἐγενήθη πάροικος - kai egenēthē parOikos):
- and (καὶ - kai): Conjunction linking the action of fleeing with his subsequent state.
- became (ἐγενήθη - egenēthē): Aorist passive of ginomai, "to become," indicating a change of status.
- an exile/sojourner (πάροικος - parOikos): A stranger, sojourner, alien living in a foreign land, often with implications of being temporary and dependent, not having full rights. It emphasizes his foreignness in Midian.
- in the land of Midian (ἐν τῇ γῇ Μαδιάμ - en tē gē Madiam): Midian was a region east of the Gulf of Aqaba, associated with descendants of Midian, son of Abraham by Keturah. This was a land of nomadic tribes.
- where he fathered (οὗ ἐγέννησεν - hou egennēsen): "where" indicates the location of the event, "fathered" refers to begetting children.
- two sons (δύο υἱούς - duo huious): Refers to Gershom and Eliezer.
Words/Groups Analysis:
- "Moses fled, and became an exile": This phrase highlights a deliberate act of abandoning his privileged life, driven by an understanding of divine purpose and self-preservation. His "exile" was not merely displacement but a transitional period leading to God's greater work.
- "in the land of Midian": This specifies the geographical location of his exile, a stark contrast to the palaces of Egypt. Midian represented a place where he lived amongst the tribes, learning a different way of life and further developing patience and character.
Acts 7 29 Bonus Section
Moses' life in Midian mirrors in a sense the concept of God's preparation of leaders through periods of obscurity and testing. Similar to Joseph in Egypt or David in the wilderness, Moses' exile was a crucible, refining his faith, patience, and understanding of leadership from God's perspective, rather than solely from a human or political one. His gentile wife, Zipporah, and his gentile father-in-law, Jethro, also provided him with practical guidance in pastoring sheep, which symbolically prepared him for pastoring a nation. This period also positioned him in proximity to Mount Sinai, the place of future revelation.
Acts 7 29 Commentary
Moses' flight to Midian was not an act of cowardice but a crucial phase in his divine appointment. He rejected the perceived temporal security of Egypt to embrace the hardships of exile, aligning himself with his oppressed brethren. This period allowed for his character to be forged away from the corrupting influences of Pharaoh's court, preparing him for the monumental task of leading Israel out of bondage. His marriage and fatherhood in Midian underscore a time of private growth and domestic stability before his public calling.