Acts 7:12-16 · Bible study
Acts 7:12-16 Commentary: Why 'First Time'? Stephen's Joseph Narrative
Greek · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Stephen mention 'the first time' in Acts 7:12?
Research Summary
- Meaning: Stephen condenses the Joseph story to show God’s hidden, sovereign work through human failure, from the first visit to the patriarchs’ burial in Canaan.
- Key words: “First” (πρῶτον) marks a two-stage revelation; “seventy-five souls” follows the LXX; “were carried over” (μετετέθησαν) signals the fulfillment of the land promise.
- Main debate: The number 75 (LXX) vs. 70 (Hebrew) and whether Stephen conflates two burial purchases (Machpelah and Shechem) or accurately preserves tradition.
- Theological theme: God’s providence works despite rejection, exile, and death, the land promise is certain, pointing to resurrection and Christ.
- Best use: Preaching on God’s faithfulness through dark chapters; teaching how New Testament writers use the Old Testament with freedom and theological intent.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
12When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.
13On their second visit, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
14Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five in all.
15So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.
16Their bones were carried back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a price he paid in silver.
WEB World English Bible 2000
12But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time.
13On the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was revealed to Pharaoh.
14Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.
15Jacob went down into Egypt and he died, himself and our fathers;
16and they were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver from the children of Hamor of Shechem.
KJV King James Version 1769
12But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first.
13And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.
14Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
15So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,
16And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
12But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time.
13And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s race became manifest unto Pharaoh.
14And Joseph sent, and called to him Jacob his father, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.
15And Jacob went down into Egypt; and he died, himself and our fathers;
16and they were carried over unto Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver of the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
12and Jacob having heard that there was corn in Egypt, sent forth our fathers a first time;
13and at the second time was Joseph made known to his brethren, and Joseph's kindred became manifest to Pharaoh,
14and Joseph having sent, did call for his father Jacob, and all his kindred--with seventy and five souls--
15and Jacob went down to Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers,
16and they were carried over into Sychem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Sychem.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
12But Jacob, having heard of there being corn in Egypt, sent out our fathers first;
13and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh.
14And Joseph sent and called down to him his father Jacob and all [his] kindred, seventy-five souls.
15And Jacob went down into Egypt and died, he and our fathers,
16and were carried over to Sychem and placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the [father] of Sychem.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
12But when Jacob had heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent our fathers first.
13And at the second time, Joseph was known by his brethren: and his kindred was made known to Pharao.
14And Joseph sending, called thither Jacob, his father, and all his kindred, seventy-five souls.
15So Jacob went down into Egypt. And he died, and our fathers.
16And they were translated into Sichem and were laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Hemor, the son of Sichem.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Acts 7:12
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Stephen is not giving a precise chronology but a compressed, theologically pointed retelling of the Joseph story. The phrase “the first time” (v.12) marks the first trip of Joseph’s brothers for grain, creating a two-stage revelation pattern (first unknown, then recognized) that highlights God’s hidden work. Stephen follows the Septuagint’s figure of seventy-five souls (v.14) rather than the Hebrew Bible’s seventy, as the LXX was the version familiar to his Hellenist Jewish audience and to Luke’s Gentile readers. On the burial in Shechem (v.16), most scholars see a contraction of two distinct purchases: Abraham’s field at Machpelah (for Sarah) and Jacob’s field at Shechem (for Joseph’s bones). Barnes and Calvin note that Stephen compresses these for rhetorical speed, focusing on the single point that the patriarchs were buried in the land of promise. Wesley calls this “a concise manner of speaking” common among Hebrews. The underlying agreement is that Stephen uses the Joseph story to demonstrate God’s sovereignty over human rejection, a key theme in his defense before the Sanhedrin.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Rhetorical compression: Stephen condenses two burial purchases and uses the LXX number to make his point quickly; historical precision is secondary to theological argument (Wesley, Barnes).
- Fidelity to tradition: Stephen accurately reports a reliable oral or LXX tradition about the number and burial site; the differences from the Hebrew text are not contradictions but complementary details (Clarke, Lightfoot).
- Possible scribal error in transmission: The reading 'seventy-five' may have arisen from a scribal mistake in the LXX that Stephen follows; the original number was seventy, and Stephen’s point remains valid (Calvin hints at this).
What is clear: Stephen’s central claim is that God’s providence guided the Joseph story from the first journey to the final burial in the Promised Land, demonstrating that rejection and exile cannot thwart God’s covenant purposes.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Number of souls entering Egypt (70 vs. 75) | All traditions agree Stephen used the Septuagint, which lists 75, and that the Hebrew Masoretic text gives 70. | Some see this as a free quotation for rhetorical effect; others argue the LXX preserves an accurate tradition that included additional descendants of Joseph. |
| Burial site of the patriarchs (Shechem vs. Machpelah) | All agree the Old Testament records Jacob buried at Machpelah and Joseph at Shechem, but is silent on the brothers. | Some see Stephen compressing two purchases for brevity; others (with Jewish tradition) hold that the brothers were indeed buried at Shechem. A few (like Calvin) call it synecdoche. |
| The purpose of the Joseph summary in Stephen’s speech | All agree Stephen uses the story to demonstrate God’s sovereign care despite Israel’s rejection of His messengers. | Some emphasize the apologetic function (defending Stephen against blasphemy charges); others focus on the typological link to Jesus as the rejected-now-exalted one. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Stephen addresses the Sanhedrin as a Hellenist, a Greek-speaking Jew from the Diaspora. He draws heavily on the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures widely used among Hellenistic Jews. This explains the figure of seventy-five souls (v.14): the LXX of Genesis 46:27 includes five additional descendants of Joseph’s sons (Machir, Galaad, Taam, Soutalaam, Edom) not listed in the Hebrew Masoretic text. Stephen’s audience would have recognized the LXX as authoritative, so the number would not have caused debate.
The mention of Shechem as the burial site (v.16) is historically layered. In Genesis 50:13, Jacob is buried at Machpelah near Hebron. Only Joseph’s bones are explicitly said to be buried at Shechem (Joshua 24:32). But Jewish tradition (as noted by the first-century historian Josephus and later rabbis) held that all twelve patriarchs were eventually buried in Canaan, though the Old Testament is silent on the eleven brothers. Lightfoot (cited by Clarke) speculates that the Jews avoided mentioning Shechem because it was Samaritan territory. Stephen, under the Spirit, may be drawing on a reliable oral tradition, or, as Calvin suggests, using a synecdoche where Joseph stands for all the patriarchs. The rhetorical point is clear: God brought His people back to the land He had promised, even after they had died in exile.
The repetition of “Egypt” and “down” in verses 12, 15 (the Greek verb katabainō suggests descent, both geographical and as a symbol of sojourn) underscores the distance from the land of promise. Yet God’s covenant faithfulness reaches even into that foreign place.
Textual Notes
The main textual issue in this passage is the number of souls: the majority of Greek manuscripts read “seventy-five” (ἑβδομήκοντα πέντε), while a few later copies harmonize to “seventy” to match the Hebrew text. All major modern critical texts (NA28, UBS5) read seventy-five, following the earliest and best witnesses (P74, Sinaiticus, Vaticanus, Alexandrinus). The variant likely arose from scribes familiar with the Masoretic number. No significant variants affect the burial account. The supplied sources note no other textual variants for these verses.
Reception History
The early church read Acts 7:12-16 as proof that God’s promise to Abraham extended through the patriarchs’ sojourn in Egypt. Augustine (City of God) attempted to harmonize the seventy-five souls with the Hebrew seventy by including Joseph’s grandchildren. Jerome, in his account of Paula’s pilgrimage, mentioned seeing tombs of the twelve patriarchs at Shechem, suggesting a local tradition that the brothers were buried there. John Calvin noted the difficulty but refused to call it an error, preferring explanations of synecdoche or oral tradition. John Wesley and Adam Clarke followed the LXX reading with detailed harmonization attempts. In more recent centuries, this passage has been used to illustrate the New Testament’s freedom in quoting the Old, and to teach that Scripture’s theological truth can stand alongside minor historical discrepancies. Christians from all traditions have found here a testament to God’s faithfulness across generations, even when the details are compressed, the story holds.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God works through human failure. The patriarchs sold Joseph; God turned that into salvation for many (v.9-12). Stephen shows that Israel’s rejection of God’s messenger is not new, but neither does it thwart God’s plan.
- Revelation comes in stages. “The first time” and “the second time” (v.12-13) show that God’s purposes are often hidden before they are made clear. Joseph’s brothers did not recognize him at first; later they did. Many who heard Stephen would later recognize Jesus.
- God keeps His promises even in death. The patriarchs died in Egypt but were buried in Canaan (v.15-16). Their bones testify that God’s promise of land and rest is certain.
Five-point outline
- Famine drives Israel to Egypt (v.12), crisis becomes the doorway to providence.
- Hidden identity revealed (v.13), Joseph’s recognition is a picture of how God reveals Himself.
- Joseph gathers his family (v.14), the reconciler brings his own together.
- Descent and death (v.15), the patriarchs share the exile of their people, yet hope remains.
- Burial in the land (v.16), the promise is not forgotten; death does not defeat it.
Illustration hooks
- Two trips to the grocery store. You go once and don’t realize the clerk is someone you know. On the second visit, everything changes. What looked like buying food was really a family reunion in the making.
- A will that takes years to settle. Someone leaves property in another state; the heirs assume it will never be claimed. But a lawyer finds the deed, and decades later the family inherits what was promised. God’s promises are like that, they survive centuries.
- A photo album from a refugee family. Grandparents died in exile, but the grandchildren carry their bones home. The burial plot, bought long ago, finally receives its own.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does the Bible seem to have different numbers (70 vs 75)? Does that affect its trustworthiness?
- Why did the patriarchs need to be buried in Canaan instead of Egypt? What does that say about God’s faithfulness to the land promise?
- How does Joseph’s story fit into the bigger story of Jesus? Stephen is making a connection, can we see it too?
Leading a Discussion
In Acts 7, Stephen retells the history of Israel to show that God has always worked through rejection and suffering. This passage about Joseph is a microcosm: a brother sold into slavery becomes the savior of his family. As you discuss, notice how Stephen compresses details, he is not writing a history textbook but making a legal defense. Ask: what is his central point, and how does it prepare for the coming of Jesus?
Discussion questions
- Read Acts 7:12-16 as a group. What details does Stephen include? What does he leave out? Why might he choose these specifics?
- The phrase “the first time” (v.12) marks a two-step process. In Joseph’s story, why did God let the brothers go unrecognized on the first visit? How does that pattern of hiddenness and revelation appear in your own life?
- Verse 14 gives the number seventy-five, while the Old Testament says seventy. How does knowing Stephen used the Septuagint change how you think about this difference? Does it challenge or strengthen your trust in Scripture?
- Burial in the land of promise (v.16) was a strong statement of hope. What “bones” are you still waiting to see brought home, what promises do you cling to even when the wait is long?
- Stephen’s audience (the Sanhedrin) prided themselves on their ancestors. How does Stephen use their own history to challenge them? What can we learn from his approach to speaking truth in a hostile setting?
- If God could take Joseph’s brothers’ sin and turn it into deliverance, what does that say about God’s ability to work through your mistakes or the failures of your church?
- Stephen died soon after this speech, but the promise of resurrection remained. How does the burial of the patriarchs in the land point forward to the resurrection of Jesus and our own hope?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 42:1 | Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and Jacob said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” |
| Genesis 42:24 | He turned himself away from them, and wept. Then he returned to them, and spoke to them, and took Simeon from among them, and bound him before their eyes. |
| Genesis 43:2 | When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.” |
| Genesis 45:1 | Then Joseph couldn’t control himself before all those who stood before him, and he called out, “Cause everyone to go out from me!” No one else stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. |
| Genesis 45:18 | Take your father and your households, and come to me, and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and you will eat the fat of the land.’ |
| Genesis 46:31 | Joseph said to his brothers, and to his father’s house, “I will go up, and speak with Pharaoh, and will tell him, ‘My brothers, and my father’s house, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. |
| Genesis 47:10 | Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh. |
| Genesis 45:9 | Hurry, and go up to my father, and tell him, ‘This is what your son Joseph says, “God has made me lord of all Egypt. Come down to me. Don’t wait. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that Stephen's figure of seventy-five souls follows the Septuagint, which adds five names absent from the Hebrew text. He also observes that Stephen alone records the patriarchs' burial in Sychem, and suggests Jewish writers may have avoided this detail because Sychem belonged to the Samaritans.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes addresses two difficulties in Stephens speech: the count of seventy-five people going to Egypt follows the Septuagint, which added five of Josephs descendants not recorded in the Hebrew text. He also treats the claim that Abraham bought land in Shechem as a scribal mistake, since Jacob actually purchased it, and that this does not affect the inspiration of Lukes record.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin handles the two discrepancies in Stephen's speech as minor textual and historical issues. He suggests the number of souls came from a copyist mistake in the Greek Old Testament, and he plainly notes that Stephen mistakenly named Abraham instead of Jacob as the buyer of the burial field. For Calvin these are not doctrinal problems but innocent errors in transmission.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator suggests that the reported discrepancies in Stephen's speech, such as Abraham buying Shechem instead of Jacob and the number of souls, likely come from the speech being an abbreviated summary where details got confused. Stephen deliberately emphasizes Shechem and Egypt to show these were once holy places where God’s people worshipped, even though they were then occupied by enemies.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight how the patriarchs' burial in Shechem fulfilled Abraham's purchase of that tomb, showing God kept His land promise even while His people sojourned in Egypt. The detail of "threescore and fifteene soules" underlines the smallness of the family that God later multiplied into a nation.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill resolves the apparent discrepancies in Stephen's account by showing they are not contradictions. He explains the 75 souls by including the wives of Jacob's sons in the count, and he reconciles the burial location by noting that Stephen refers to two separate sepulchres: the cave of Machpelah bought by Abraham, and the field at Shechem bought by Jacob.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
The number 75 people comes from the Septuagint, which counts Joseph's grandchildren. More importantly, Stephen presents Israel's opposition to God's plan as the pattern: they sold Joseph out of envy, yet God was with him and used their hostility to accomplish His purposes.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange notes that Stephen calls God the God of glory to counter blasphemy charges and stress God's freedom to reveal himself anywhere, not just in the temple. He also acknowledges that Stephen's historical details, such as Abraham's call in Ur, follow contemporary Jewish traditions rather than strict chronology. Yet Lange maintains these inaccuracies do not detract from the Spirit's wisdom in the discourse.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Stephen begins his defense not with the temple or the law, but with the God of glory appearing to Abraham while he was still a pagan in Mesopotamia. The whole of God's saving history, Stephen argues, started with pure grace before Abraham owned a single foot of land or had a child, and it unfolded through trials and even human sin, as with Joseph, but always with God present and overruling.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes a textual variation: the best manuscripts read "into Egypt" rather than "in Egypt," connecting the phrase to the sending forth. He also observes that the repetition of Joseph's name carries a sense of patriotic pride. On the number, he explains the Greek idiom "in seventy-five" as expressing the sum total of all individuals included.