Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Acts: Chapter 7]
to Pharaoh, but now it was made clear to him.
7:14 {Three-score and fifteen souls} (\en psuchais hebdom•konta
pente\). Stephen follows the LXX which counts some grandchildren
of Joseph and so makes it 75 whereas Ge 46:26 has 66 and then
the next verse makes it 70 including Jacob and Joseph with his
two sons. The use of \en\ means "consisting in."
7:16 {They were carried over unto Shechem} (\meteteth•san eis
Suchem\). First aorist passive of \metatith•mi\, only here in the
N.T. in this sense of changing places. Jacob was buried in the
cave of Machpelah (Ge 50:13). The O.T. does not say where the
sons of Jacob were buried save that Joseph was buried in Shechem
(Jos 24:32). Possibly only "our fathers" without Jacob is the
subject of "were carried." {Which Abraham bought} (\h•i •n•sato
Abraam\). Hackett is sure that our present text is wrong. Hort
notes some sixty "primitive errors" in the critical text of the
N.T. It is possible that this is also one. If "Jacob" is
substituted for "Abraham," the matter is cleared up. "It is quite
as likely, judging _a priori_, that the word producing the error
escaped from some early copyist as that so glaring an error was
committed by Stephen" (Hackett). At any rate Abraham bought a
burying-place, the cave of Machpelah, from Ephron the Hittite at
Hebron (Ge 23:16), while Jacob bought a field from the sons of
Hamor at Shechem (Ge 33:19; Jos 24:32). Abraham had built an
altar at Shechem when he entered Canaan (Ge 12:6f.). It is
possible, of course, that Abraham also bought the ground on which
the altar stood. {In Shechem} (\en Suchem\). This is the reading
of Aleph B C instead of the Textus Receptus \tou Suchem\ which
makes it "Hamar the father of Sichem." "In Shechem" is the true
reading.
7:17 {Drew nigh} (\•ggizen\). Imperfect active, was drawing nigh.
7:18 {Another king} (\basileus heteros\). A different kind of
king also, probably a king of the new dynasty after the shepherd
kings had been expelled from Egypt. {Who knew not Joseph} (\hos
ouk •idei ton I•s•ph\). Second past perfect of \oida\ used like
an imperfect. Joseph's history and services meant nothing to the
new king. "The previous dynasty had been that of the Hyksos: the
new king was Ahmes who drove out the Hyksos" (Knobel).
7:19 {Dealt subtilly} (\katasophisamenos\). First aorist middle
participle of \katasophizomai\, late compound (\kata\ and
http://www.ccel.org/r/robertson_at/wordpictures/htm/AC7.RWP.html (5 of 18) [28/08/2004 09:06:33 a.m.]