Acts 7:29
At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Stephen highlights that Moses' flight wasn't just a reaction, but a significant departure from his Egyptian upbringing. By becoming a "stranger" in Midian, Moses literally stepped away from the worldly wisdom and status he had known, entering a period of obscurity that God would ultimately use to prepare him for his true calling.
Stephen is recounting Moses' life, emphasizing God's dramatic intervention from his birth and education in Egypt. After Moses impulsively killed an Egyptian oppressor, he saw himself as his people's deliverer, but they rejected him. This rejection led Moses to flee Egypt for Midian, where he lived as a stranger for 40 years before God called him from the burning bush.
Moses' life took a dramatic turn after a moment of passion and a harsh rejection. Why did God allow this setback?
Stephen highlights that Moses' birth was during a time of extreme danger for Israelite boys, yet God preserved him. Later, even after Moses acted with courage and a desire to free his people, he was forced to flee. This wasn't a failure, but part of God's plan. Calvin points out that God often works best when human hope is gone, showcasing His power through our weakness. Moses' forty years in Midian, though appearing as exile, were crucial for his preparation, stripping away his Egyptian pride and shaping him for leadership.
Moses went from being raised as an Egyptian prince to a 'stranger.' What does this shift reveal about his identity and calling?
The word used for 'stranger' (paroikos) means more than just being in a foreign land; it signifies a sojourner, someone without permanent roots. Bengel notes that in Egypt, Moses might have felt at home as Pharaoh's adopted son, but in Midian, he was truly an outsider. This experience would have deeply shaped his empathy for the enslaved Israelites. Barnes explains that this temporary status implies he didn't expect Midian to be his permanent home, aligning with God's future plans.
Understand the original words
paroikos · Greek Noun/Adjective
A person who resides in a foreign land away from their home or native country, often characterized by displacement or estrangement.
Stephen highlights Moses's flight not just as an escape, but as a pivotal moment of exile that forged him into the man God would use, demonstrating that God's plans often unfold through unexpected detours.
c. 1574 BC
Moses Born into Oppression
Moses is born into slavery in Egypt during a time of intense persecution where male Israelite babies are ordered to be killed.
c. 1534 BC
Moses Kills an Egyptian
Moses, now 40 years old and educated in Egyptian wisdom, sees an Egyptian beating an Israelite and kills the oppressor, attempting to defend his people.
c. 1534 BC— this verse
Moses Flees Egypt
After being confronted about killing the Egyptian and realizing his actions are known, Moses flees Egypt to escape Pharaoh's wrath.
c. 1534 BC - c. 1494 BC
Moses Sojourns in Midian
Moses lives as a stranger and shepherd in the land of Midian, marrying Zipporah and fathering two sons, Gershom and Eliezer.
c. 1494 BC
This passage directly parallels Acts 7:29, stating that Pharaoh heard about Moses killing the Egyptian and sought to kill him, which was the immediate cause for Moses' flight.
Exodus 2:21-22This passage describes Moses' life in Midian after his flight, where he married Zipporah and had his first son, Gershom, directly correlating with the outcome mentioned in Acts 7:29.
Hebrews 11:24-26This New Testament passage reflects on Moses' choice to identify with the oppressed Israelites rather than enjoy the privileges of Egypt, highlighting the significance of his later suffering and exile in Midian as a divine choice, which underpins the context of his flight.
Psalm 105:17This psalm recounts God sending Moses as a deliverer, indirectly referencing the events leading up to his exile, suggesting that his time in Midian was part of God's plan for Israel's redemption, even if Moses' flight was due to rejection.
calvinActs 7:20-29: "In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:"
- At that time was Moses born, who was acceptable to God And he was brought up three months in his father's house. 21. And the daughter of Pharaoh took him up when he was cast out, and nourished him up for her own son. 22. And Moses was taught in all wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in word and deed. 23. And when the time of forty years was fulfilled, it came into…
meyerActs 7:29: "Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons."
Acts 7:29-30 . See Exodus 2:15-22 ; Exodus 3:2 . ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ ] on account of this word , denoting the reason which occasioned his flight. Winer, p. 362 [E. T. 484]. Μαδιάμ ] מִדְיָן , a district in Arabia Petraea. Thus Moses had to withdraw from his obstinate people; but how wonderfully active did the divine guidance show itself anew, Acts 7:30 ! On πάροικος , comp. Acts 7:6 . κα…
Stephen highlights that Moses' flight wasn't just a reaction, but a significant departure from his Egyptian upbringing. By becoming a "stranger" in Midian, Moses literally stepped away from the worldly wisdom and status he had known, entering a period of obscurity that God would ultimately use to prepare him for his true calling.
Stephen is recounting Moses' life, emphasizing God's dramatic intervention from his birth and education in Egypt. After Moses impulsively killed an Egyptian oppressor, he saw himself as his people's deliverer, but they rejected him. This rejection led Moses to flee Egypt for Midian, where he lived as a stranger for 40 years before God called him from the burning bush.
Stephen is recounting Moses' life, emphasizing God's dramatic intervention from his birth and education in Egypt. After Moses impulsively killed an Egyptian oppressor, he saw himself as his people's deliverer, but they rejected him. This rejection led Moses to flee Egypt for Midian, where he lived as a stranger for 40 years before God called him from the burning bush.
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Moses Encounters the Burning Bush
Forty years after fleeing Egypt, Moses is called by God from a burning bush at Mount Sinai (or Horeb), marking the beginning of his return to lead the Israelites out of slavery.
"At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons." — Stephen highlights that Moses' flight wasn't just a reaction, but a significant departure from his Egyptian upbringing. By becoming a "stranger" in Midian, Moses literally stepped away from the world…
