Acts 7:17
◄  Acts 7:17  ►
New International Version (©2011)
"As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased.

New Living Translation (©2007)
"As the time drew near when God would fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased.

English Standard Version (©2001)
“But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"But as the time of the promise was approaching which God had assured to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
As the time was drawing near to fulfill the promise that God had made to Abraham, the people flourished and multiplied in Egypt

International Standard Version (©2012)
"Now as the time approached for the fulfillment of the promise that God had made to Abraham, the people's population increased a great deal in Egypt.

NET Bible (©2006)
"But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham, the people increased greatly in number in Egypt,

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
And when the time had arrived which God had promised with an oath to Abraham, the people had multiplied and had grown strong in Egypt,

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
"When the time that God had promised to Abraham had almost come, the number of our people in Egypt had grown very large.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
But when the time of the promise drew near, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

American King James Version
But when the time of the promise drew near, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

American Standard Version
But as the time of the promise drew nigh which God vouchsafed unto Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when the time of the promise drew near, which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased, and were multiplied in Egypt,

Darby Bible Translation
But as the time of promise drew near which God had promised to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

English Revised Version
But as the time of the promise drew nigh, which God vouchsafed unto Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

Webster's Bible Translation
But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

Weymouth New Testament
"But as the time drew near for the fulfilment of the promise which God had made to Abraham, the people became many times more numerous in Egypt,

World English Bible
"But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,

Young's Literal Translation
'And according as the time of the promise was drawing nigh, which God did swear to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:17-29 Let us not be discouraged at the slowness of the fulfilling of God's promises. Suffering times often are growing times with the church. God is preparing for his people's deliverance, when their day is darkest, and their distress deepest. Moses was exceeding fair, fair toward God; it is the beauty of holiness which is in God's sight of great price. He was wonderfully preserved in his infancy; for God will take special care of those of whom he designs to make special use. And did he thus protect the child Moses? Much more will he secure the interests of his holy child Jesus, from the enemies who are gathered together against him. They persecuted Stephen for disputing in defence of Christ and his gospel: in opposition to these they set up Moses and his law. They may understand, if they do not wilfully shut their eyes against the light, that God will, by this Jesus, deliver them out of a worse slavery than that of Egypt. Although men prolong their own miseries, yet the Lord will take care of his servants, and effect his own designs of mercy.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 17. - As for when, A.V.; vouchsafed unto for had sworn to, A.V. and T.R. Vouchsafed; ὁμολογεῖν, in the sense of" to promise," as in Matthew 14:7, and not unfrequently in Greek writers, for ὀμνύειν, to swear.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But when the time of the promise drew nigh,.... That is, the time of the four hundred years; when God promised to deliver the seed of Abraham out of their affliction and servitude, and bring them into the land of Canaan to inherit it:

which God had sworn to Abraham; in Genesis 15:13 for though there is no express mention made of an oath, yet there is a most solemn affirmation, which is equivalent to one; the Alexandrian copy and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version read,

which God promised unto Abraham; the people grew and multiplied in Egypt; see Exodus 1:7 insomuch, that though their number were but threescore and ten when they went down to Egypt, and though various methods were taken to destroy them, and lessen their numbers, yet in little more than two hundred years, their number was increased to six hundred thousand, and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men, besides old men, women, and children, and besides two and twenty thousand Levites, Numbers 1:46. And it seems, that they multiplied the more towards the time when the promise of deliverance drew nigh to be accomplished, and even when they were the most afflicted, Exodus 1:12.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17. But when—rather, "as."

the time of the promise—that is, for its fulfilment.

the people grew and multiplied in Egypt—For more than two hundred years they amounted to no more than seventy-five souls; how prodigious, then, must have been their multiplication during the latter two centuries, when six hundred thousand men, fit for war, besides women and children, left Egypt!

Acts 7:17 Parallel Commentaries

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Stephen Addresses the Sanhedrin
…16And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulcher that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. 17But when the time of the promise drew near, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph. …

Genesis 15:13 Then the LORD said to him, "Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there.
Genesis 47:27 Now the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and were fruitful and increased greatly in number.
Exodus 1:7 but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.
Acts 13:17 The God of the people of Israel chose our ancestors; he made the people prosper during their stay in Egypt; with mighty power he led them out of that country;