Acts 7:39 · Bible study
Acts 7:39 Commentary: The Heart's Turning from Deliverance
Greek · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why did the Israelites long to return to Egypt after being freed? Stephen's charge in Acts 7:39 exposes a pattern of rejection that still warns and teaches.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Israel rejected Moses in their hearts and turned toward the culture and idolatries of Egypt despite God’s deliverance.
- Key words: ἠθέλησαν (ēthelēsan, they were unwilling), ἀπώσαντο (apōsanto, they thrust away, middle voice), ἐστράφησαν (estraphēsan, they were turned, aorist passive).
- Main debate: Whether “turned back to Egypt” means a literal desire to return (Numbers 14:4) or a metaphorical attachment to Egyptian customs/idolatry (most commentators).
- Theological theme: The stubbornness of the human heart even after salvation; the link between rejection of God’s messenger and rejection of God.
- Best use: A warning against spiritual nostalgia, preferring the comfort of old patterns to the uncertainty of following God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
WEB World English Bible 2000
to whom our fathers wouldn’t be obedient, but rejected him and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,
KJV King James Version 1769
To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt,
ASV American Standard Version 1901
to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt,
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
to whom our fathers did not wish to become obedient, but did thrust away, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
to whom our fathers would not be subject, but thrust [him] from them, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Whom our fathers would not obey: but thrust him away and in their hearts turned back into Egypt,
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Al cual nuestros padres no quisieron obedecer|strong="G5255, G1096"; antes le desecharon, y se apartaron de corazón á Egipto,
Ao qual nossos pais não quiseram obedecer; mas o rejeitaram, e seus corações voltaram ao Egito;
Nos pères ne voulurent pas lui obéir, ils le repoussèrent, et ils tournèrent leur cœur vers l’Égypte,
welchem nicht wollten gehorsam werden eure Väter, sondern stießen ihn von sich und wandten sich um mit ihren Herzen nach Ägypten
Denwelken onze vaders niet wilden gehoorzaam zijn, maar verwierpen hem, en keerden met hun harten weder naar Egypte;
A lui i nostri padri non vollero essere ubbidienti, ma lo ripudiarono, e rivolsero i loro cuori all’Egitto,
Któremu nie chcieli posłuszni być ojcowie nasi; ale go odrzucili i obrócili się sercy swemi do Egiptu.
которому отцы наши не хотели быть послушными, но отринули его и обратились сердцами своими к Египту,
我們的 祖宗 不 肯 聽從，反 棄絕他， 心 裡歸 向 埃及，
By whom our fathers would not be controlled; but they put him on one side, turning back in their hearts to Egypt,
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Acts 7:39
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators widely agree that Acts 7:39 describes not a literal plan to return to Egypt but a spiritual and moral orientation. The Greek verb ἐστράφησαν (estraphēsan, aorist passive, “they were turned”) combined with ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις (“in their hearts”) marks an internal movement. Vincent notes they were “not desiring to go back, but longing for the idolatries of Egypt.” Calvin sharpens the point: the Israelites “returned in mind to those corruptions, which they ought not so much as to have remembered without great detestation.” Gill connects this to their craving for Egyptian food (Numbers 11:5), and Barnes adds that “their hearts inclined to the habits and morals of the Egyptians.” The rejection of Moses (ἀπώσαντο, apōsanto, “they thrust away,” middle voice, emphasizing personal repudiation) and the refusal to be obedient (οὐκ ἠθέλησαν ὑπήκοοι γενέσθαι, “they were not willing to become obedient”) form a single act: they cast off God’s appointed leader and in the same motion turned toward the very world from which God had freed them.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal return view: Numbers 14:4 records the people saying 'Let us choose a leader and return to Egypt.' This makes the heart-turn a desire for physical return.
- Metaphorical/cultural return view: Commentators like Vincent and Calvin, citing the longing for Egyptian food and idolatries, argue the text means a moral and religious reorientation, not a geographic one.
What is clear: The fathers rejected Moses, refused obedience, and their hearts were oriented away from God's purposes and toward the values of Egypt — a pattern that Stephen applies to his own hearers.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the 'turn' to Egypt | All commentators read it as a spiritual/moral reorientation, not necessarily a physical journey. | Some (Gill, Cambridge Bible) emphasise the literal desire to return (Numbers 14:4); others (Calvin, Vincent, Barnes) stress it as a metaphor for embracing Egyptian idolatry and customs. |
| The force of 'thrust him from them' | The word ἀπώσαντο indicates an active, forceful rejection. This is the same verb used in Acts 7:27. | Some (Calvin, Lange) focus on the stubbornness and rebellion; others (Clarke, Gill) connect it specifically to the golden calf episode as the climax of the rejection. |
| Application to Stephen’s hearers | Stephen uses the history to accuse the Sanhedrin of repeating their fathers’ sin. | Is the parallel primarily about rejecting God’s chosen leader (Moses → Jesus) or is it also about a deeper pattern of heart turned away from God? Jamieson-Fausset-Brown says Stephen is reading their own 'downward career.' |
| The location of the rejection in Israel’s story | Stephen points to the wilderness period, specifically the golden calf and subsequent complaints. | Lange sees a double illustration: original rejection in Egypt (Exodus 2) and subsequent rejection at Sinai. Others (Barnes, Calvin) focus on the wilderness murmuring after the exodus. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Stephen’s speech stands before the Sanhedrin, a council that has accused him of blasphemy against Moses and the temple. In Acts 7, he recites Israel’s history not as a neutral review but as a courtroom brief: the nation has a long pattern of resisting God’s chosen deliverers. The critical back story for verse 39 is the golden calf incident (Exodus 32). While Moses was on Sinai receiving “living revelations” (v. 38), the people demanded that Aaron make them gods. Their words, “we don’t know what has become of him” (v. 40), are the exact words Stephen summarises. But the heart’s turn to Egypt reflects a series of wilderness complaints: they longed for the fish, leeks, onions and garlic of Egypt (Numbers 11:5); they asked Aaron for a visible idol precisely because Moses had disappeared; they even proposed choosing a captain to lead them back (Numbers 14:4). Each complaint shows that the people’s affections were still bound to the place of their slavery. They had left Egypt geopolitically but not psychologically. Israel had seen the plagues, the Red Sea crossing, and the manna, yet their memories of Egypt were selective, they remembered the food but forgot the bricks.
The phrase “turned back in their hearts” does not mean they packed their tents for a return journey. Numbers 14:4 does record the plan to choose a leader and go back, but Stephen’s emphasis falls on the inner disposition. Calvin, Barnes, and Vincent all agree: the heart’s turn is a moral and religious drift, not a geographical one. The Israelites were drawn to the idolatries and customs of Egypt as a more comfortable, familiar spiritual environment than the radical trust the wilderness demanded. Stephen’s hearers would recognise the danger, they saw themselves as the true heirs of Moses, yet Stephen is charging that their rejection of Jesus is an exact replay of the fathers’ rejection of Moses. The historical context turns the courtroom tables: the Sanhedrin’s ancestors had the very same posture of heart.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Acts 7:39. The verse is stable across the major manuscript traditions (P74, א, A, B, D). The only minor variation is the presence or absence of the article before πατέρες (fathers), which does not affect the meaning. The key verbs, ἠθέλησαν, ἀπώσαντο, ἐστράφησαν, are consistent.
Reception History
Early church teachings often used Acts 7:39 as a warning against apostasy. Chrysostom, in his homilies on Acts, pointed to the Israelites’ heart-turning as a caution for those who receive grace but cling to old habits. Medieval commentators read the verse allegorically: Egypt represented the world, and the wilderness wanderings the Christian life, a journey of renunciation where the heart could still be tempted by the fleshpots of sin. During the Reformation, Calvin and the Geneva Bible stressed the sovereignty of God in judgment, noting that a people delivered by miracles could still reject their deliverer. In Protestant evangelical tradition, Acts 7:39 has become a classic proof-text for the danger of backsliding and the need for perseverance of faith. More recently, pastoral writers have used the verse to describe the experience of those who physically leave a destructive environment (addiction, abusive relationships, oppressive systems) but mentally and emotionally remain captive to its patterns. The verse continues to challenge Christians to examine where their true attachments lie.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Refusal of God’s appointed leader. The fathers “would not obey”, the verb ἠθέλησαν stresses unwillingness. Their problem was not a lack of evidence but a lack of desire to submit.
- Active repudiation. “Thrust him from them” (ἀπώσαντο). The middle voice shows they pushed Moses away. Rejection of the messenger is rejection of the one who sent him.
- Heart-sickness for the old life. “Turned back in their hearts to Egypt.” The heart is the seat of will and affection. They inwardly repatriated to the place of their former bondage, craving its security and its gods.
Five-point outline
- The leader they rejected: Moses, the deliverer, prophet, mediator of the law, the one God used to save them.
- The obedience they refused: Not just external compliance but the inner posture of “becoming obedient” (ὑπήκοοι γενέσθαι).
- The violence of their push-back: “Thrust him from them” (ἀπώσαντο), the same word used when the Hebrew slave rejected Moses in Egypt (Acts 7:27).
- The geography of the heart: Their hearts made a return trip to Egypt even while their bodies stayed in the wilderness.
- The idolatry that followed: The golden calf (v. 41) was the natural fruit of a heart that had already turned.
Illustration hooks
- The ex-smoker who still misses the habit. Someone has been freed from a destructive pattern but still feels the pull of the old life. The body is out; the heart lingers.
- The immigrant who never makes a new home. A person lives in a new country but only watches television from the old one, complains about the new food, and refuses to learn the language. Physically present but emotionally repatriated.
- The church member who still craves the world’s approval. Outwardly part of a faith community, but inwardly longing for the status markers, habits, and values they left behind.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it possible to be a Christian but have my heart still “in Egypt”?
- How do I know if I am rejecting a leader God has placed in my life?
- What does it look like to turn back to Egypt today, in practical, everyday terms?
Leading a Discussion
The heart is a powerful thing. It can be free from a situation but still chained to it. This small-group guide invites you to examine where your true loyalties lie. Stephen’s accusation against Israel’s fathers is also a mirror: what does it look like to be rescued by God yet prefer the old place?
Discussion questions
- Read Acts 7:39 slowly. What words or phrases catch your attention? Why?
- Why do you think the text stresses that they “turned back in their hearts” rather than just “turned back”? What does the heart have to do with it?
- Look at the cross-references: Exodus 16:3 and Numbers 11:5. What specific things did the people miss about Egypt? Why would they remember those things and forget the slavery?
- Stephen says the fathers “thrust him from them.” What are some ways we push away the people God sends to lead or correct us today?
- How can a person experience God’s deliverance and still long for the old life? Can you think of a modern “return to Egypt” that is more about the heart than geography?
- In what areas of your own life do you sense a tension between the freedom God offers and the familiar pull of your past?
- Stephen’s audience saw themselves as faithful to Moses. How could they be repeating the same pattern without realising it? How can we guard against a similar blind spot?
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)
| Exodus 14:11 | They said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt? |
| Exodus 14:12 | Isn’t this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” |
| Exodus 16:3 | and the children of Israel said to them, “We wish that we had died by Yahweh’s hand in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots, when we ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” |
| Exodus 17:3 | The people were thirsty for water there; so the people murmured against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?” |
| Numbers 11:5 | We remember the fish, which we ate in Egypt for nothing; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic; |
| Numbers 14:3 | Why does Yahweh bring us to this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will be captured or killed! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return into Egypt?” |
| Numbers 14:4 | They said to one another, “Let’s choose a leader, and let’s return into Egypt.” |
| Numbers 21:5 | The people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, there is no water, and our soul loathes this disgusting food!” |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke points out that the Israelites actively preferred Egyptian bondage and idolatry over the promised land and pure worship. Their hearts turned back meant deliberately rejecting God's deliverance, choosing slavery and false gods instead of obedience and freedom.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes takes the phrase “turned back in their hearts” as pointing not simply to a wish to return to Egypt, but to a deeper moral drift. In his reading, the people’s hearts inclined toward Egyptian habits and idolatry, forsaking God even while still in the wilderness.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes the shocking folly of the Israelites, who preferred the very superstitions of Egypt where they had suffered so grievously. Their rebellion was not a physical return but a mental one, turning back in heart to what they should have detested. He compares them to a stubborn horse that suddenly bolts backward when God himself was leading them forward.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator ties the people's rejection of Moses directly to their persistent longing for Egypt, even after their deliverance. Their hearts were still attached to the comforts of slavery, as shown when they spoke of appointing a captain to lead them back and later craved the food they had in Egypt.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes stress that Israel’s disobedience was not merely outward but internal: in their hearts they turned back toward Egypt, rejecting God’s deliverance even as they physically left. Their refusal was a settled inward rebellion.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the people's disobedience was active: they physically thrust Moses from them, foreshadowing Israel's later rejection of God's messengers. Their hearts had already turned back to Egypt, evident in their longing for its food—fish, cucumbers, melons—and their move to appoint a captain to lead them there.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB highlights the irony that those who claimed to honor Moses most deeply were the ones who dishonored him by turning back to Egypt in their hearts. Stephen uses this contrast to warn his hearers that they were entering the same downward path.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry argues that Stephen's speech honors Moses rather than blasphemes him. Stephen recounts Moses' divine calling, miracles, and faithful leadership, showing the highest respect. The charge of blasphemy against Moses is therefore unfounded, as nothing could be said more honor
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent clarifies that being "turned back in their hearts" does not mean the people wished to physically return to Egypt. Instead, it exposes their inward craving for the idolatrous practices they left behind, a longing of the heart rather than a desire for the place itself.