Acts 7:19

Verse

He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

American Standard Version (1901)

The 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.

Bible in Basic English

He, 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.

Douay-Rheims 1899

This same dealing craftily with our race, afflicted our fathers, that they should expose their children, to the end they might not be kept alive.

Free Bible Version

He took advantage of our people and treated our ancestors badly, forcing them to abandon their babies so they would die.

Geneva Bible 1599

The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and euill entreated our fathers, and made them to cast out their yong children, that they should not remaine aliue.

King James (Authorized) Version

The 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.

Plain English Version

He tricked our family, and he was very hard on them. He made our mob throw their baby boys into the river to kill them.

Translation for Translators

That king cruelly tried to get rid of our ancestors. He oppressed them and caused them to suffer greatly. He even commanded them to leave their baby boys outside their homes so that they would die.”

Unlocked Literal Bible

He deceived our people and forced our fathers to expose their newborn infants so they would not be kept alive.

Noah Webster Bible

The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and ill-treated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.

World English Bible

The same took advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to abandon their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.

Young's Literal Translation

this one, having dealt subtilely with our kindred, did evil to our fathers, causing to expose their babes, that they might not live;

Context

Israel Oppressed in Egypt

¹⁸Then another king, who knew nothing of Joseph, arose over Egypt.¹⁹He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

Summary

This verse recounts the account of Pharaoh's cruel treatment of the Israelites, particularly the oppression and enslavement of their children. It sets the stage for the eventual rise of Moses as their deliverer, highlighting the fulfillment of God's promise to rescue His people from bondage. The verse underscores the theme of God's faithfulness and sovereignty in fulfilling His plans despite the hardships faced by His chosen ones. It also foreshadows the miraculous events that will lead to the liberation of the Israelites from Egypt under Moses' leadership.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

The same dealt subtilty - Οὑτος κατασοφισαμενος, A word borrowed from the Septuagint, who thus translate the Hebrew נהחכמה לו nithchokmah lo, let us deal wisely with it, i.e. with cunning and deceit, as the Greek word implies; and which is evidently intended by the Hebrew. See Gen 27:35, Thy brother came with subtilty, which the Targumist explains by בחוכמא be-chokma, with wisdom, that is, cunning and deceit. For this the Egyptians were so remarkable that αιγυπτιαζειν, to Egyptize, signified to act cunningly, and to use wicked devices. Hence the Jews compared them to foxes; and it is of them that Canticles, Sol 2:15, is understood by the rabbins: Take us the little foxes which spoil our vines; destroy the Egyptians, who, having slain our male children, sought to destroy the name of Israel from the face of the earth. To the end they might not live - Might not grow up and propagate, and thus build up the Hebrew nation.

John Gill Bible Commentary

The same dealt subtilly with our kindred,.... See Exo 1:10 he took crafty, and yet cruel methods, to diminish the children of Israel, and to humble them; weakening their strength by labour, that they might not be able to beget children; ordering the Hebrew midwives to kill all the males that were born; and charging all his people to drown such male children that should escape the hands of the midwives; and evil entreated our fathers; keeping them to hard labour, in mortar and brick, and all rural service; in which he made them to serve with rigour, and thereby made their lives bitter to them; employing them in building cities, pyramids, walls, and towers; making ditches, throwing up trenches, cutting watercourses, and turning rivers, with other things; which he added, setting taskmasters over them, to afflict them with burdens: so that they cast out their young children, or "by making their children cast outs": or as the Arabic version renders it, "by making that their children should be cast out": that is, by ordering his people to expose them to ruin, and to cast them in the rivers; and so the Syriac version, "and he commanded that their children be cast out"; for this refers to Pharaoh, and his orders to his officers and people, to cast out the male children of the Israelites; and not to the parents of the children, which our version and the Vulgate Latin incline to: for though Moses's mother, after she had hid him three months, put him into an ark of bulrushes, and laid him among the flags by the river's side, yet that was in order to save his life: whereas the end of the casting out of these young children was as follows, to the end they might not live: for this has not respect unto the parents of the children, that they might not increase or multiply their offspring, but to the young children, that they being cast into the waters, might perish, and not live and become men; the Ethiopic version is rather a paraphrase, "and he commanded that they should kill every male that was born".