Acts 7:11

Then famine and great suffering swept across Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Stephen addresses the Sanhedrin, recounting Israel’s history to explain their hostility toward Jesus. He pauses at the moment Jacob’s descendants faced starvation, explaining why they traveled to Egypt for grain.

The words — The Greek λιμὸς (limos) means a famine, while ἦλθεν (ēlthen) literally translates as “came” or “swept upon,” describing the famine’s arrival upon the entire land of Egypt.

The thread — This event directly references Genesis 41:54, 42:5, and 43:1, where the prophesied famine spreads to Canaan and forces Jacob’s sons to seek grain in Egypt.

Why it lands — The text states that widespread hunger prevented the patriarchs from finding food, requiring readers to acknowledge how historical crisis creates the conditions for later divine rescue.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

Cross-references

Genesis 41:54 the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. And although there was famine in every country, there was food throughout the land of Egypt.
Genesis 42:5 So the sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, since the famine had also spread to the land of Canaan.
Genesis 43:1 Now the famine was still severe in the land.
Genesis 45:5 And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you.
Genesis 45:11 And there I will provide for you, because there will be five more years of famine. Otherwise, you and your household and everything you own will come to destitution.’
Genesis 47:13 There was no food, however, in all that region, because the famine was so severe; the lands of Egypt and Canaan had been exhausted by the famine.
Psalms 105:16 He called down famine on the land and cut off all their supplies of food.