Acts 7:15
So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,
Original Language Analysis
εἰς
into
G1519
εἰς
into
Strong's:
G1519
Word #:
4 of 12
to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
6 of 12
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
ἐτελεύτησεν
died
G5053
ἐτελεύτησεν
died
Strong's:
G5053
Word #:
7 of 12
to finish life (by implication, of g0979), i.e., expire (demise)
αὐτὸς
he
G846
αὐτὸς
he
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
8 of 12
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
καὶ
and
G2532
καὶ
and
Strong's:
G2532
Word #:
9 of 12
and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words
οἱ
G3588
οἱ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
10 of 12
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Historical Context
Jacob died at 147 years (Genesis 47:28), having lived in Egypt seventeen years. Joseph died at 110 years (Genesis 50:26). The other brothers' deaths are not individually recorded but occurred during the 400-year Egyptian sojourn. Ancient Near Eastern practice honored the dying with burial in ancestral lands when possible.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the patriarchs' death in a foreign land teach us that God's promises often transcend our earthly lifetimes?
- What comfort does covenant faithfulness across generations provide to believers who may not see promised blessings fulfilled in their lifetimes?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Jacob and 'our fathers' dying in Egypt fulfilled God's prophecy that Abraham's descendants would be strangers in a foreign land (Genesis 15:13). Yet their deaths were not the end—God's covenant transcends individual lifespans, being 'the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,' the God of the living (Mark 12:26-27). The patriarchs' faith persisted through death, trusting in resurrection and ultimate covenant fulfillment.