The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelled as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it.
God.
Acts 7:2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: …
Genesis 17:7,8 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee…
and exalted.
Acts 7:17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
Exodus 1:7-9 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them…
Deuteronomy 10:22 Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.
and with.
Acts 7:36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
Exodus 6:1-14:31 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land…
Exodus 15:1-21 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea…
chose our fathers
The term "chose" indicates divine election, a theme prevalent throughout the Old Testament. This choice began with the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—whom God selected to establish His covenant people. This election is not based on merit but on God's sovereign will (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). It sets the stage for Israel's unique role in salvation history.
He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt
This refers to the period of Israelite growth in Egypt, as described in Exodus 1:7, where the Israelites multiplied greatly. Despite their eventual enslavement, God's promise to Abraham about his descendants becoming numerous (Genesis 15:13-14) was fulfilled. This growth in a foreign land underscores God's providence and faithfulness.
and with an uplifted arm
The "uplifted arm" symbolizes God's power and might in delivering Israel from bondage. It is a metaphor for divine intervention and strength, often used in the context of the Exodus (Exodus 6:6). This imagery conveys God's active role in history, demonstrating His ability to save and protect His people.
He led them out of that land
This phrase refers to the Exodus, a foundational event in Israel's history where God liberated the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. It is a pivotal moment that defines Israel's identity as God's chosen people and is celebrated annually in the Passover. The Exodus is also a type of Christ's redemptive work, as Jesus leads believers out of the bondage of sin (1 Corinthians 5:7).
“ The God of the people of Israel ” (Acts 13:17a) immediately centers everything on the Lord’s personal involvement with a specific nation.
• This is not a distant deity but the covenant-making God revealed to Abraham (Genesis 17:7-8) and later to Moses as “I AM” (Exodus 3:14).
• Paul, preaching in the synagogue, reminds his Jewish hearers that the same God speaking in their Scriptures is the One behind the gospel he proclaims (Romans 1:2; Galatians 3:8).
• The phrase underscores God’s faithfulness: “For the LORD will not cast off His people, nor forsake His inheritance” (Psalm 94:14).
“ …chose our fathers ” (Acts 13:17b) highlights divine election.
• God selected Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—not because of human merit but by sovereign grace (Deuteronomy 7:6-8).
• This choice carries purpose: through Abraham’s seed all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3; 22:18), pointing forward to Christ (Acts 3:25-26).
• Paul comforts believers with the same truth: “God chose you as firstfruits to be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:13). The pattern of divine initiative remains unchanged.
“ He made them into a great people during their stay in Egypt ” (Acts 13:17c) recounts miraculous multiplication under oppression.
• From seventy persons (Exodus 1:5; Deuteronomy 10:22) Israel swelled into a nation so numerous that Pharaoh felt threatened (Exodus 1:9-10).
• God’s promise to Abraham—“I will make you into a great nation” (Genesis 12:2)—was fulfilled in an unlikely place, proving that circumstances cannot thwart His word (Psalm 105:24).
• For believers today, growth often occurs in hardship (James 1:2-4). The same God still turns adversity into advancement (Romans 8:28).
“ …with an uplifted arm He led them out of that land ” (Acts 13:17d) recalls the Exodus, the defining act of redemption in the Old Testament.
• “The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” (Deuteronomy 26:8). The plagues (Exodus 7–12), pillar of fire (Exodus 13:21-22), and parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-31) display raw, decisive power.
• The same language is later used for spiritual rescue: “The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all nations” (Isaiah 52:10), a prophecy fulfilled in Christ’s saving work (Colossians 1:13-14).
• Just as Israel was physically liberated, believers are delivered from sin’s bondage, “for our Passover lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Acts 13:17 presents a fourfold portrait of God’s unchanging character: He is the personal, covenant God of Israel; He initiates relationship by choosing; He multiplies His people even in adversity; and He powerfully redeems them. Paul ties Israel’s story to the gospel, showing that the God who acted in Exodus now acts in Christ. The same uplifted arm that freed Israel still saves all who trust Him today.
(17) The God of this people of Israel.--It will be observed that St. Paul, as far as the plan of his discourse is concerned, follows in the footsteps of St. Stephen, and begins by a recapitulation of the main facts of the history of Israel. It was a theme which Israelites were never tired of listening to. It showed that the Apostles recognised it as the history of God's chosen people.And exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers.--Literally, in their sojourning in the land of Egypt. The word for "exalt" is found in the Greek of Isaiah 1:2, where our version has, "I have nourished and brought up children," and may fairly be considered as an echo from the lesson that had just been read. It may be noted that it was only in this sense, as increasing rapidly in population, that Israel could be spoken of as "exalted" in the house of bondage.
Verse 17. - Israel for of Israel, A.V., sojourned for dwelt as strangers, A.V.; a for an, A.V.; led he them forth for brought he them out, A.V. The word ὕψωσεν, exalted, is thought by some to be borrowed from the LXX. of Isaiah 1:2 (רוןממְתִי), I have brought up" (A.V.), but this is very doubtful, as ὑψόω is frequently used in the New Testament in the sense of exalting from a low to a high estate (see Matthew 11:23; Matthew 23:12; Luke 1:52; Luke 10:15; Luke 14:11; Acts 2:33; see too Genesis 41:52 (LXX., Cod. Vat.) and Gen 48:19). The resemblance of this exordium to that of Stephen's speech in Acts 7. must strike every one. The natural conclusion is that that speech made a deep impression upon St. Paul when he heard it at Stephen's trial. The common purpose in the two speeches is to conciliate and gain the attention of the Jewish hearers by dwelling upon the great events of the history of their fathers, of which they were proud, and claiming for Christians an equal heritage in that history. The speeches diverge in that Stephen sought to show in that history instances of the same stubborn unbelief in their fathers which had led the children to crucify the Lord of glory; but St. Paul rather sought to show how the promises made to their fathers had their fulfillment in that Jesus whom he preached unto them, and how the crucifixion of Christ by the Jerusalem Jews was an exact fulfillment of the Law and the prophets which had just been read to them in the synagogue. In both speeches it is a great point to exhibit Christianity as the true development of Judaism (comp. Hebrews 1:1 and throughout).