Patriarchs

Patriarchs in the Bible

ACTS 7 COMMENTARY ◄
Acts 7:5-7 God's Promise to Abraham

Acts 7:8-11 Patriarchs

Acts 7:12-15 Sons of Jacob

ACTS 7:8-9 8 “Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so he begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac, Jacob, and Jacob, the twelve patriarchs. 9 And the patriarchs, becoming envious, sold Joseph into Egypt. But God was with him

Who are the "twelve patriarchs" (Acts 7:8)?
Jacob's twelve sons who founded the twelve tribes of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Napthali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph and Benjamin (see Genesis 29:31-30:24).

Is Stephen saying that only the twelve sons of Jacob are "patriarchs"?
"Patriarchs" refer to men who founded or headed a family or a clan. All Jews, including the Jewish leaders in Stephen's audience, knew the first three patriarchs of their nation to be Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (see "patriarch Abraham" in Hebrews 7:4), so there was no need for Stephen to identify them as such. He referred to the twelve sons of Jacob as the "twelve patriarchs" probably because he didn't see the need to list them one by one as above.

When did God give Abraham "the covenant of circumcision" (Acts 7:8)?
When he was still called "Abram": When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless... This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you." (Genesis 17:1,10-11)

Who are the "patriarchs" in Acts 7:9?
Nine of Jacob's sons - Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Napthali, Gad, Asher, Issachar and Zebulun - who sold Joseph into slavery (See Genesis 37:12-36).

ACTS 7:10 10 “and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

From what kinds of "troubles" (Acts 7:10) did God deliver Joseph?
God had Joseph sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guards. Potiphar noticed God's blessings through Joseph and put him in charge of managing his house. When Potiphar's wife falsely accused Joseph of attempted rape and he ended up in prison, God prospered him even in prison (see Genesis 39:1-23).

Why did Pharaoh make Joseph "governor over Egypt" (Acts 7:10)?
God gave Pharaoh two troubling dreams and Joseph the ability to interpret those dreams, which foretold Egypt's forthcoming famine, and pointed to Joseph's God-given wisdom to manage it (see Genesis 41:1-45).

ACTS 7:11 11 “Now a famine and great trouble came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers found no sustenance.

Did Joseph's interpretation prove true?
Yes, and God used the famine to move the Jews to Egypt, where He grew a family into a nation.