Original Word: Αἴγυπτος
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: Aiguptos
Pronunciation: ah'-ee-goop-tos
Phonetic Spelling: (ah'-ee-goop-tos)
KJV: Egypt
NASB: Egypt
Word Origin: [of uncertain derivation]
1. Egypt (Ægyptus), the land of the Nile
Of uncertain derivation -- ?Gyptus, the land of the Nile -- Egypt.
Egypt lies southwest of the land of Israel, dominated by the Nile Valley and Delta. Its rich soil, monumental architecture, and powerful Pharaohs made it both a place of refuge and a house of bondage for the covenant people. By the first century, large Jewish communities flourished in Alexandria and throughout the Nile region, providing an established bridge for the gospel.
Egypt in Salvation History
1. Patriarchal Providence
Joseph’s sale into Egypt and Jacob’s descent during the famine (Acts 7:9–15) reveal God’s overruling of human evil for covenant preservation.
2. Bondage and Exodus
Stephen’s summary (Acts 7:17–36) and Paul’s sermon (Acts 13:17) recall four centuries of oppression and the mighty deliverance wrought through Moses. Hebrews 3:16; 8:9; 11:26-27 and Jude 1:5 look back to the Exodus as both a triumph of grace and a warning against unbelief.
3. Typology
Egypt becomes a scriptural type for the world’s slavery to sin, while the Passover and Red Sea prefigure Christ’s blood and the believer’s passage from death to life.
Egypt and the Messiah
Matthew alone records three references to Egypt in the infancy narrative. Warned in a dream, Joseph "withdrew to Egypt" (Matthew 2:14); the stay fulfilled Hosea 11:1, "Out of Egypt I called My Son" (Matthew 2:15). Egypt thus serves as a temporary refuge for the true Israel, foreshadowing the greater Exodus Jesus will accomplish at the cross. When "an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt" (Matthew 2:19), the pattern of deliverance was sealed.
Egypt in Apostolic Mission
At Pentecost, visitors from "Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene" (Acts 2:10) heard the mighty works of God, showing that Egyptian Jews were among the earliest recipients of the gospel. Alexandria soon produced influential believers such as Apollos (Acts 18:24).
Egypt in Apostolic Preaching
• Stephen: Eleven explicit mentions in Acts 7 use Egypt to expose Israel’s recurrent unbelief—"in their hearts they turned back to Egypt" (Acts 7:39).
• Paul: "He made the people prosper during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out of it" (Acts 13:17).
Spiritual Lessons
1. Deliverance Requires Perseverance
Hebrews 3:16 and Jude 1:5 caution that the generation rescued from Egypt perished through unbelief.
2. Renouncing Worldly Wealth
Moses "considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt" (Hebrews 11:26).
3. Courage in Hostility
"By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger" (Hebrews 11:27) encourages steadfastness.
4. Rejecting Nostalgia for Bondage
Turning "back to Egypt" (Acts 7:39) warns against reverting to former sins.
Prophetic and Eschatological Echoes
Revelation 11:8 calls the apostate city "Sodom and Egypt," merging past judgments into a future oracle against hardened rebellion. Yet Isaiah’s vision of Egypt’s future worship (Isaiah 19:21) hints at redemption for the nations.
Key New Testament Occurrences
Acts 2:10; 7:9-40; 13:17
Hebrews 3:16; 8:9; 11:26-27
Summary
Αἴγυπτος stands in the New Testament as an historical land, a symbol of bondage, a place of refuge, and a prophetic signpost. Each reference highlights the Lord’s sovereign power to protect, deliver, and transform His people, culminating in the redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ.
Matthew 2:14 N-AFS
GRK: ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον
NAS: and left for Egypt.
KJV: departed into Egypt:
INT: withdrew into Egypt
Matthew 2:15 N-GFS
GRK: λέγοντος Ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν
NAS: the prophet: OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED
KJV: saying, Out of Egypt have I called my
INT: saying Out of Egypt have I called the
Matthew 2:19 N-DFS
GRK: Ἰωσὴφ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ
NAS: to Joseph in Egypt, and said,
KJV: to Joseph in Egypt,
INT: Joseph in Egypt
Acts 2:10 N-AFS
GRK: καὶ Παμφυλίαν Αἴγυπτον καὶ τὰ
NAS: and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts
KJV: Pamphylia, in Egypt, and
INT: and Pamphylia Egypt and the
Acts 7:9 N-AFS
GRK: ἀπέδοντο εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ ἦν
NAS: and sold him into Egypt. [Yet] God
KJV: Joseph into Egypt: but God
INT: sold [him] into Egypt But was
Acts 7:10 N-GFS
GRK: Φαραὼ βασιλέως Αἰγύπτου καὶ κατέστησεν
NAS: king of Egypt, and he made
KJV: of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made
INT: Pharoah king of Egypt and he appoointed
Acts 7:10 N-AFS
GRK: ἡγούμενον ἐπ' Αἴγυπτον καὶ ἐφ'
NAS: over Egypt and all
KJV: governor over Egypt and all
INT: ruler over Egypt and over
Acts 7:11 N-AFS
GRK: ὅλην τὴν Αἴγυπτον καὶ Χαναὰν
NAS: over all Egypt and Canaan, and great
KJV: all the land of Egypt and Chanaan,
INT: whole of Egypt and Canaan
Acts 7:12 N-AFS
GRK: σιτία εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἐξαπέστειλεν τοὺς
NAS: that there was grain in Egypt, he sent
KJV: corn in Egypt, he sent out our
INT: grain in Egypt sent forth the
Acts 7:15 N-AFS
GRK: Ἰακὼβ εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ ἐτελεύτησεν
NAS: went down to Egypt and [there] he and our fathers
KJV: went down into Egypt, and died,
INT: Jacob into Egypt and died
Acts 7:17 N-DFS
GRK: ἐπληθύνθη ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ
NAS: increased and multiplied in Egypt,
KJV: multiplied in Egypt,
INT: multiplied in Egypt
Acts 7:18 N-AFS
GRK: ἕτερος ἐπ' Αἴγυπτον ὃς οὐκ
NAS: KING OVER EGYPT WHO KNEW
INT: another over Egypt who not
Acts 7:34 N-DFS
GRK: τοῦ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ τοῦ
NAS: OF MY PEOPLE IN EGYPT AND HAVE HEARD
KJV: which is in Egypt, and I have heard
INT: in Egypt and the
Acts 7:34 N-AFS
GRK: σε εἰς Αἴγυπτον
NAS: NOW, AND I WILL SEND YOU TO EGYPT.'
KJV: thee into Egypt.
INT: you to Egypt
Acts 7:36 N-DFS
GRK: ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ ἐν
NAS: in the land of Egypt and in the Red
KJV: in the land of Egypt, and in
INT: in [the] land of Egypt and in
Acts 7:39 N-AFS
GRK: αὐτῶν εἰς Αἴγυπτον
NAS: turned back to Egypt,
KJV: turned back again into Egypt,
INT: of them to Egypt
Acts 7:40 N-GFS
GRK: ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου οὐκ οἴδαμεν
NAS: US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT-- WE DO NOT KNOW
KJV: out of the land of Egypt, we wot not
INT: from [the] land of Egypt not we know
Acts 13:17 N-GFS
GRK: ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτου καὶ μετὰ
NAS: in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted
KJV: in the land of Egypt, and with
INT: in [the] land of Egypt and with
Hebrews 3:16 N-GFS
GRK: ἐξελθόντες ἐξ Αἰγύπτου διὰ Μωυσέως
NAS: who came out of Egypt [led] by Moses?
KJV: that came out of Egypt by Moses.
INT: having come out from Egypt by Moses
Hebrews 8:9 N-GFS
GRK: ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου ὅτι αὐτοὶ
NAS: THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE
KJV: out of the land of Egypt; because they
INT: out of [the] land of Egypt because they
Hebrews 11:26 N-GFS
GRK: ἡγησάμενος τῶν Αἰγύπτου θησαυρῶν τὸν
NAS: than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking
KJV: in Egypt: for
INT: having esteemed than the of egypt treasures the
Hebrews 11:27 N-AFS
GRK: Πίστει κατέλιπεν Αἴγυπτον μὴ φοβηθεὶς
NAS: he left Egypt, not fearing
KJV: By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing
INT: By faith he left Egypt not having feared
Jude 1:5 N-GFS
GRK: ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου σώσας τὸ
NAS: out of the land of Egypt, subsequently
KJV: the land of Egypt, afterward
INT: out of [the] land of Egypt having saved
Revelation 11:8 N-NFS
GRK: Σόδομα καὶ Αἴγυπτος ὅπου καὶ
NAS: is called Sodom and Egypt, where also
KJV: Sodom and Egypt, where also
INT: Sodom and Egypt where also
Strong's Greek 125
25 Occurrences
Αἰγύπτῳ — 4 Occ.
Αἴγυπτον — 12 Occ.
Αἴγυπτος — 1 Occ.
Αἰγύπτου — 8 Occ.