Bible Strands
Acts 7:15
So Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Stephen addresses his Jewish audience, narrating the patriarchal history to establish continuity from Joseph’s invitation to Jacob’s relocation and eventual death.
The words — κατέβη (katebē) literally means “went down,” marking the physical descent into Egypt, while ἐτελεύτησεν (eteleutēsen) means “died,” confirming the mortality of the patriarchs.
The thread — This account parallels Genesis 46:3 where God instructs Jacob to descend, Genesis 49:33 which records Jacob’s final breath, and Exodus 1:6 which notes the death of that entire generation.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to acknowledge that divine guidance does not suspend human mortality, and that the covenant lineage proceeds through physical death before any promised fulfillment.
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
So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,
Cross-references
- Genesis 49:33 When Jacob had finished instructing his sons, he pulled his feet into the bed and breathed his last, and he was gathered to his people.
- Exodus 1:6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,
- Genesis 46:3 “I am God,” He said, “the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.
- Numbers 20:15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we lived many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers,
- Deuteronomy 10:22 Your fathers went down to Egypt, seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.
- Deuteronomy 26:5 and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty and numerous.
- Joshua 24:4 and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau Mount Seir to possess, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.
- Hebrews 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.