Acts 7 40

Acts 7:40 kjv

Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

Acts 7:40 nkjv

saying to Aaron, 'Make us gods to go before us; as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'

Acts 7:40 niv

They told Aaron, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt?we don't know what has happened to him!'

Acts 7:40 esv

saying to Aaron, 'Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'

Acts 7:40 nlt

They told Aaron, 'Make us some gods who can lead us, for we don't know what has become of this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.'

Acts 7 verses

Acts 7 40 Meaning

Acts 7:40, quoted by Stephen from Exodus 32:1, vividly depicts the impatience and idolatry of the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Lacking immediate leadership from Moses, whom they presumed lost, they demanded tangible deities to guide them. This showcases their spiritual immaturity and quick defection from the living God who had just miraculously delivered them from Egypt, highlighting their inherent propensity towards apostasy.

Acts 7 40 Context

Acts 7:40 is deeply embedded within Stephen's defense speech before the Sanhedrin, which recounts a sweeping history of Israel's interactions with God. Stephen uses this verse, directly quoting Exodus 32:1, to illustrate a recurring pattern in Israel's history: a propensity for rebellion, the rejection of God's appointed leaders (such as Moses), and a swift descent into idolatry, despite witnessing God's powerful acts of deliverance and covenant establishment. This specific historical event occurred very shortly after the miraculous Exodus from Egypt and God's powerful manifestation at Mount Sinai, where Moses was receiving the Law. The people's fear and impatience in Moses's perceived absence led them to demand visible, tangible gods to "go before" them, revealing their ingrained pagan mindset likely influenced by Egyptian polytheism. Stephen's invocation of this moment serves to highlight his Jewish audience's consistent historical infidelity and rejection of divine messengers, implicitly extending this historical critique to their contemporary rejection of Jesus, the Messiah.

Acts 7 40 Word analysis

• saying (λέγοντες - legontes): A present participle, highlighting an ongoing or immediate action. It marks the precise utterance of the impatient crowd.
• to Aaron (τῷ Ἀαρών - tō Aaraōn): Addresses Moses' brother and designated leader in Moses' absence, indicating the people's pressure on their immediate authority figure.
• Make (ποίησον - poieson): An imperative verb, "make" or "do," signifying a forceful and direct command from the people. It implies their agency in initiating a spiritual corruption.
• for us (ἡμῖν - hemin): Dative case, indicating that the command is for the benefit and according to the desire of the people, emphasizing self-interest over divine will.
• gods (θεούς - theous): Plural. Refers to tangible, physical deities or idols. This directly contrasts with the singular, invisible God of Israel who had just established a covenant with them. This shows a deep theological departure.
• who will go (προπορεύσονται - proporeusontai): Future tense, from proporeuomai, meaning "to go before," "to lead." This highlights their desire for visible, leading deities, replacing God's unseen guidance (e.g., the pillar of cloud/fire).
• before us (ἔμπροσθεν ἡμῶν - emprosthen hēmōn): "In front of us." Reinforces their demand for visible, tangible guidance that they can control or perceive, indicating a lack of faith in the unseen.
• for as for this Moses (οὗτος γὰρ Μωϋσῆς - houtos gar Mōusēs): "For this Moses" or "Indeed, this Moses." The demonstrative pronoun "this" might carry a subtle tone of dismissal or frustration, signifying a turning away from the leader God had chosen.
• who led us out of the land of Egypt (ὁ ἐξαγαγὼν ἡμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου - ho exagagōn hēmas ek gēs Aigyptou): A statement of past fact, recalling Moses' key role in their liberation under God's power. Yet, despite this evidence of God's mighty hand, their immediate anxiety overshadowed their memory.
• we do not know (οὐκ οἴδαμεν - ouk oidamen): "We do not know." Expresses profound uncertainty, impatience, and a fundamental lack of trust. It highlights a reliance on immediate gratification and visible presence.
• what has become of him (τί γέγονεν αὐτῷ - ti gegonen autō): "What has happened to him." Their fear of the unknown, coupled with dependence on a human mediator, led to a desperate spiritual panic and readiness to embrace idolatry.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods": This phrase captures the Israelites' shift from divine to human authority for their spiritual direction. They aggressively demand the creation of idols, reflecting a profound lack of faith in God's invisible presence and guidance, and a desire to control their religious experience.
• "who will go before us": This specific request underscores a longing for tangible leadership and visible representation. It contrasts sharply with God's miraculous, albeit unseen, guidance via the pillars of cloud and fire. The people sought security in physical idols rather than trusting the divine promises and supernatural provisions of God.
• "for as for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.": This longer phrase reveals their fickle nature and short-term memory concerning God's acts through Moses. It signals a hasty rejection of their divinely appointed human leader due to perceived absence and uncertainty. This serves as a significant parallel in Stephen's broader argument concerning Israel's historical pattern of rejecting God's chosen instruments and, ultimately, God Himself.

Acts 7 40 Bonus section

Stephen’s detailed recall of this particular moment highlights the rapid nature of Israel’s defection, moving from being God's covenant people to idolatry in a mere 40 days. It reveals that the outward miracle of the Exodus did not immediately eradicate their inner spiritual rebellion. The specific mention "we do not know what has become of him" demonstrates a profound failure to wait patiently upon the Lord and His appointed leader, even when faced with God's clear past interventions. This historical account functions as a foundational narrative for understanding the chronic spiritual apostasy throughout Israel's history and serves as a direct critique of those who opposed Stephen and Jesus.

Acts 7 40 Commentary

Acts 7:40 encapsulates the tragic flaw in ancient Israel's spiritual history: a profound and recurring inability to trust in the invisible God. This pivotal moment, occurring barely after their miraculous deliverance from Egypt and receiving the Law at Sinai, illustrates humanity's innate tendency to create a tangible deity when confronted with the absence of immediate, visible leadership. The people's demand to "make for us gods" signifies a desire for controllable, comprehensible objects of worship, a stark contrast to the transcendent, living God. Stephen employs this incident to indict his audience, drawing a direct parallel between their ancestors' rejection of Moses, God's chosen deliverer, and their contemporary rejection of Jesus, the ultimate deliverer. This historical act of idolatry serves as a timeless warning against spiritual impatience, dependence on outward forms rather than inward faith, and the inherent danger of rejecting divine appointments in favor of self-made spiritual security.