The Meaning of Acts 7:16 Explained

Acts 7:16

KJV: And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

YLT: and they were carried over into Sychem, and were laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in money from the sons of Emmor, of Sychem.

Darby: and were carried over to Sychem and placed in the sepulchre which Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.

ASV: and they were carried over unto Shechem, and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver of the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  were carried over  into  Sychem,  and  laid  in  the sepulchre  that  Abraham  bought  for a sum  of money  of  the sons  of Emmor  [the father  ] of Sychem. 

What does Acts 7:16 Mean?

Study Notes

sepulchre
.
buryingplace
Cf. Genesis 33:19 ; Genesis 50:13 ; Joshua 24:32 ; Acts 7:15 ; Acts 7:16 . A discrepancy in these statements has been fancied. It disappears entirely before the natural supposition that in the interval of about eighty years between the purchase by Abraham of the family sepulchre Genesis 23:4-20 and Jacob's purchase Genesis 33:19 , the descendants of Hamor (or "Emmor," Acts 7:15 ; Acts 7:16 had resumed possession of the field in which the burial cave was situated. Instead of asserting an ancient title by inheritance, Jacob repurchased the field. Heth was the common ancestor.

Verse Meaning

From Egypt the chosen people eventually returned to the Promised Land. God had been with them out of the land, and He now returned them to the land. Believers in Jesus will end up in the final resting place of Jesus, heaven.
Shechem was of special interest to Stephen. The Israelites buried Joseph"s bones there after their initial conquest of the land ( Joshua 24:32). Stephen"s allusion to this event was his way of concluding this period of Israel"s history. Moses wrote that Jacob, not Abraham, had purchased the tomb from Hamor in Shechem ( Genesis 33:19; cf. Genesis 23:16; Genesis 50:13). This is probably a case of attributing to an ancestor what one of his descendants did (cf. Hebrews 7:9-10). In the ancient Near Eastern view of things, people regarded an ancestor as in one sense participating in the actions of his descendants ( Genesis 9:25; Genesis 25:23; cf. Malachi 1:2-3; Romans 9:11-13). Abraham had purchased Joseph"s burial site in the sense that his grandson Jacob had purchased it (cf. Hebrews 7:9-10). Stephen probably intended that his reference to Abraham rather than to Jacob would remind his hearers of God"s faithfulness in fulfilling the promises God gave to Abraham. He did this in one sense when Israel possessed Canaan under Joshua"s leadership. Israel will experience the ultimate fulfillment of God"s land promises to Abraham when she enters rest under Jesus" messianic rule in the Millennium.
Two other explanations of this apparent error are these. Stephen telescoped two events into one: Abraham"s purchase from Ephron in Hebron ( Genesis 23:1-20), and Jacob"s purchase from Hamor in Shechem. [1] Second, Abraham really did purchase the plot in Shechem, though Moses did not record that (cf. Genesis 12:6-7), and Jacob repurchased it later because the Canaanites had retaken it. [2]
In Stephen"s day Shechem was in Samaritan territory. He reminded the Sanhedrin that their ancestral deliverer was buried in the land that orthodox Jews despised and avoided. This was another instance of helping them see that they should not think that the only place God worked was in the Promised Land. Stephen had already referred to Mesopotamia as where God had revealed Himself to Abraham ( Acts 7:2).

Context Summary

Acts 7:14-29 - Stephen's Defense: The Deliverer From Bondage
Moses, we are here told, was "mighty in words;" that is, in eloquence as well as in deeds. This confirms the statement of the Jewish historian, Josephus, that in the earlier part of his career, now lost in the oblivion of history, Moses led a very successful Egyptian expedition against Ethiopia. He complains to the Lord, in Exodus 4:10, of being slow of speech, but that probably refers to the habit of long disuse amid the silence and loneliness of the desert.
It is clear that, stung by the sense of wrong, Moses at first interfered with his own right arm to deliver his people. He smote the Egyptian, and essayed to judge between his brethren. God had to bring him into the dust by repeated failure and rejection that he might become an emptied and a broken vessel. God will not give glory to man. The treasure must be held in an earthen vessel, 2 Corinthians 4:7. It is when we come to the end of ourselves that we arrive at the beginning of God. The world has ever to learn what God can do by those who are wholly emptied of self-confidence but yielded to His hand. [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 7:16

They were carried over unto Shechem [μετετετησαν εις Συχεμ]
First aorist passive of μετατιτημι — metatithēmi only here in the N.T. in this sense of changing places. Jacob was buried in the cave of Machpelah (Genesis 50:13). The O.T. does not say where the sons of Jacob were buried save that Joseph was buried in Shechem (Joshua 24:32). Possibly only “our fathers” without Jacob is the subject of “were carried.” [source]
Which Abraham bought [ωι ωνησατο Αβρααμ]
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 (Genesis 23:16), while Jacob bought a field from the sons of Hamor at Shechem (Genesis 33:19; Joshua 24:32). Abraham had built an altar at Shechem when he entered Canaan (Genesis 12:6.). It is possible, of course, that Abraham also bought the ground on which the altar stood. In Shechem (εν Συχεμ — en Suchem). This is the reading of Aleph B C instead of the Textus Receptus του Συχεμ — tou Suchem which makes it “Hamar the father of Sichem.” “In Shechem” is the true reading. [source]
In Shechem [εν Συχεμ]
This is the reading of Aleph B C instead of the Textus Receptus του Συχεμ — tou Suchem which makes it “Hamar the father of Sichem.” “In Shechem” is the true reading. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 7:16

Galatians 1:6 Removed [μετατίθεσθε]
A.V. misses the sense of the middle voice, removing or transferring yourselves, and also the force of the continuous present, are removing or going over, indicating an apostasy not consummated but in progress. The verb is used in Class. of altering a treaty, changing an opinion, desertion from an army. For other applications see Acts 7:16; Hebrews 7:12; Hebrews 11:5. Comp. lxx, Deuteronomy 27:17; Proverbs 23:10; Isaiah 29:17. Lightfoot renders are turning renegades. [source]
1 Timothy 5:17 Double honor [διπλῆς τιμῆς]
This at least includes pecuniary remuneration for services, if it is not limited to that. The use of τιμή as pay or price appears Matthew 27:6, Matthew 27:9; Acts 4:34; Acts 7:16; 1 Corinthians 6:20. Double, not in a strictly literal sense, but as πλείονα τιμὴν morehonor, Hebrews 3:3. The comparison is with those Elders who do not exhibit equal capacity or efficiency in ruling. The passage lends no support to the Reformed theory of two classes of Elders - ruling and teaching. The special honor or emolument is assigned to those who combine qualifications for both. [source]
Hebrews 11:5 Was translated [μετετέθη]
The verb used of Enoch's translation, lxx, Genesis href="/desk/?q=ge+5:24&sr=1">Genesis 5:24. In Acts 7:16of the transporting of the remains of Jacob and his sons to Sychem. In Galatians 1:6, of the sudden change in the religious attitude of the Galatians. In Hebrews 7:12, of the change in the priesthood. [source]
Hebrews 11:5 Was translated [μετετετη]
First aorist passive indicative of μετατιτημι — metatithēmi old verb to transpose, to change as in Hebrews 7:12; Acts 7:16. That he should not see death Here again του — tou with the infinitive usually expresses purpose, but in this case result is the idea as in Matthew 21:23; Romans 1:24; Romans 7:3, etc. (Robertson, Grammar, p. 1002). He was not found Imperfect passive of ευρισκω — heuriskō from Genesis 5:24. Was still not found. Translated First aorist active of same verb as μετετετη — metetethē just before. Translation Substantive from the same verb μετατιτημι — metatithēmi used already in Hebrews 7:12 for change. See also Hebrews 12:27. Our very word “metathesis.” He hath had witness borne him Perfect passive indicative of μαρτυρεω — martureō stands on record still, “he has been testified to.” That he had been well-pleasing unto God Perfect active infinitive of ευαρεστεω — euaresteō late compound from ευαρεστος — euarestos (well-pleasing), in N.T. only in Hebrews 11:5.; Hebrews 13:16. With dative case τεωι — theōi Quoted here from Genesis 5:22, Genesis 5:24. The word is common of a servant pleasing his master. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 7:16 mean?

and they were carried over into Shechem were placed in the tomb which had bought Abraham for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor Shechem
καὶ μετετέθησαν εἰς Συχὲμ ἐτέθησαν ἐν τῷ μνήματι ὠνήσατο Ἀβραὰμ τιμῆς ἀργυρίου παρὰ τῶν υἱῶν Ἑμμὼρ Συχέμ

μετετέθησαν  they  were  carried  over 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: μετατίθημι  
Sense: to transpose (two things, one of which is put in place of the other).
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
Συχὲμ  Shechem 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: Συχέμ  
Sense: a city in Ephraim.
ἐτέθησαν  were  placed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: τίθημι  
Sense: to set, put, place.
μνήματι  tomb 
Parse: Noun, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: μνῆμα  
Sense: a monument or memorial to perpetuate the memory of any person or thing.
ὠνήσατο  had  bought 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ὠνέομαι  
Sense: to buy.
Ἀβραὰμ  Abraham 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἀβραάμ  
Sense: the son of Terah and the founder of the Jewish nation.
τιμῆς  for  a  sum 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: τιμή  
Sense: a valuing by which the price is fixed.
ἀργυρίου  of  silver 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ἀργύριον  
Sense: silver.
υἱῶν  sons 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
Ἑμμὼρ  of  Hamor 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Ἑμμώρ  
Sense: the father of Sychem, Act.
Συχέμ  Shechem 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: Συχέμ  
Sense: a city in Ephraim.