Acts 7:19
What does Acts 7:19 mean?
A plain-English look at Acts 7:19 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Acts 7:19 means
This king dealt craftily with Israel, oppressing the fathers and ordering that their babies be exposed so they would not live. Stephen does not sanitize Israel’s history; he recounts the horror that threatened the covenant line. Yet even murderous policies cannot cancel God’s promise. The cruelty exposes human sin and fear of a growing people, but it also provides the dark backdrop against which God’s rescue will shine. Stephen reminds his hearers that Israel’s survival has always been miraculous, maintained by God despite human malice. Into this deadly scene God will bring forth Moses—the child who lives when others die—to be His instrument of deliverance.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000The same dealt craftily with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, that they should cast out their babes to the end they might not live.
KJV
King James Version · 1611The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901The same dealt craftily with our race, and ill-treated our fathers, that they should cast out their babes to the end they might not live.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949He, having evil designs against our nation, was cruel to our fathers, and they were forced to put out their young children, so that they might not go on living.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752This same, dealing craftily with our race, afflicted our fathers, that they should expose their children, to the end they might not be kept alive.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890He dealt subtilly with our race, and evil entreated the fathers, casting out their infants that they might not live.
Context
Verse 19 details the oppression hinted at in verse 18. The command to cast out infants sets a grim stage that highlights the mercy displayed in Moses’ birth and preservation. Verses 20–22 will show God’s providence in placing Moses within Pharaoh’s household and educating him in Egyptian wisdom. The flow emphasizes that God often uses the very structures of oppression as the setting where He prepares His deliverer, and that the story’s turn comes from God’s initiative.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 83:4
They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; That the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
- Psalms 105:25
He turned their heart to hate his people, To deal subtly with his servants.
- Exodus 1:9
And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
- Psalms 129:1
Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth up, Let Israel now say,
- Revelation 12:4
And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child.
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