The Meaning of Acts 7:13 Explained

Acts 7:13

KJV: And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.

YLT: and at the second time was Joseph made known to his brethren, and Joseph's kindred became manifest to Pharaoh,

Darby: and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharaoh.

ASV: And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph's race became manifest unto Pharaoh.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  at  the second  [time] Joseph  was made known  to his  brethren;  and  Joseph's  kindred  was made  known  unto Pharaoh. 

What does Acts 7:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 7:1-13 - Stephen's Defense: God's First Called Ones
There are several touches in this eloquent apology which deserve notice. Acts 7:2 : "The God of glory." This chapter begins and ends with glory. See Acts 7:55. Note that God appeared to Abraham in Ur, before he had come to Haran at the divine bidding. It is interesting to have this discrimination between the different appearances of God to the patriarch. Acts 7:3 : We often have to leave our land before God shows us another. Acts 7:6 : God's promises lighted up the weary bondage of Egypt. Acts 7:10 : It is God that delivers us out of our afflictions and gives us favor with people.
The drift of the whole speech, which must be borne in mind as we read it, is that again and again the Chosen People had rejected their God-sent deliverers and prophets, and had taken their own evil courses. The rejection of the Savior was only a parallel to that of Joseph by his brethren, and that of Moses by the nation. Israel had always been stiffnecked and froward, and ought not history to warn Stephen's hearers against taking a similar attitude towards Jesus of Nazareth? Might not Jesus prove to be as great a blessing in that generation as Joseph or Moses had been in his? The parallel will be complete when Jesus returns in power and glory. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 7

1  Stephen, permitted to answer to the accusation of blasphemy,
2  shows that Abraham worshipped God rightly, and how God chose the fathers,
20  before Moses was born, and before the tabernacle and temple were built;
37  that Moses himself witnessed of Christ;
44  and that all outward ceremonies were ordained to last but for a time;
51  reprehending their rebellion, and murdering of Christ, whom the prophets foretold
54  Whereupon they stone Stephen to death,
59  who commends his soul to Jesus, and humbly prays for them

Greek Commentary for Acts 7:13

At the second time [εν τωι δευτερωι]
This expression only here in the N.T. This second visit is recorded in Genesis 45:1. [source]
Became manifest [πανερον εγενετο]
In Genesis 41:12 the fact that Joseph was a Hebrew had been incidentally mentioned to Pharaoh, but now it was made clear to him. [source]
Joseph's race []
Note the repetition of the name. “A certain sense of patriotic pride is implied in it.” [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 7:13

Revelation 22:16 Have sent [επεμπσα]
First aorist active indicative of πεμπω — pempō used here in the same sense as αποστειλας — aposteilas in Revelation 1:1 as his personal messenger. It is the Jesus of history here speaking, who is also the Christ of theology and the Lamb of God.For the churches (επι ταις εκκλησιαις — epi tais ekklēsiais). For this use of επι — epi see Revelation 10:11; John 12:16. It is not just for the seven churches (Revelation 1:4), but for all the churches in the world then and now.I am the root and the offspring of David See Revelation 5:5 for “the root of David,” to which John now adds το γενος — to genos in the sense of “offspring” (Acts 17:28.), not of family or race (Acts 4:6; Acts 7:13). Cf. Matthew 22:42-45.The bright, the morning star (ο αστηρ ο λαμπρος ο πρωινος — ho astēr ho lampros ho prōinos). The Davidic King is called a star in Numbers 24:17; Luke 1:78. This “day-star” (πωσπορος — phōsphoros) is interpreted as Christ (2 Peter 1:19). In Revelation 2:28 the phrase “the morning star” occurs in Christ‘s words, which is here interpreted. Christ is the Light that was coming into the world (John 1:9; John 8:12). [source]
Revelation 22:16 I am the root and the offspring of David [Εγω ειμι η ριζα και το γενος Δαυειδ]
See Revelation 5:5 for “the root of David,” to which John now adds το γενος — to genos in the sense of “offspring” (Acts 17:28.), not of family or race (Acts 4:6; Acts 7:13). Cf. Matthew 22:42-45.The bright, the morning star (ο αστηρ ο λαμπρος ο πρωινος — ho astēr ho lampros ho prōinos). The Davidic King is called a star in Numbers 24:17; Luke 1:78. This “day-star” (πωσπορος — phōsphoros) is interpreted as Christ (2 Peter 1:19). In Revelation 2:28 the phrase “the morning star” occurs in Christ‘s words, which is here interpreted. Christ is the Light that was coming into the world (John 1:9; John 8:12). [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 7:13 mean?

and on the second time was made known Joseph to brothers of him known became - to Pharaoh the family - of Joseph
καὶ ἐν τῷ δευτέρῳ ἀνεγνωρίσθη Ἰωσὴφ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς αὐτοῦ φανερὸν ἐγένετο τῷ Φαραὼ τὸ γένος [τοῦ] Ἰωσήφ

δευτέρῳ  second  time 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: δεύτερον 
Sense: the second, the other of two.
ἀνεγνωρίσθη  was  made  known 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀναγνωρίζω  
Sense: to recognise.
Ἰωσὴφ  Joseph 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰωσήφ 
Sense: the patriarch, the eleventh son of Jacob.
ἀδελφοῖς  brothers 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀδελφός  
Sense: a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother.
αὐτοῦ  of  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
φανερὸν  known 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: φανερός  
Sense: apparent, manifest, evident, known.
ἐγένετο  became 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Φαραὼ  to  Pharaoh 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: Φαραώ  
Sense: was a common title of the native kings of Egypt.
γένος  family 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: γένος  
Sense: race.
[τοῦ]  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰωσήφ  of  Joseph 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰωσήφ 
Sense: the patriarch, the eleventh son of Jacob.

What are the major concepts related to Acts 7:13?

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