What Does Acts 7:31 Mean?
When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight, and as he drew near to look closely, the voice of the LORD came to him.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came unto him,THE KEY
As Moses moves toward the vision, the Lord’s voice comes toward him, the Greek repeats the same word for “toward” on both sides of the encounter.
THE MEANING
A striking sight draws you closer before its meaning is clear. As you attend to what you see, the Lord’s voice comes toward you as an address; seeing and hearing become one encounter.
THE ROOT
προσερχομένου
proserchomenou
GROWS FROM
ἔρχομαι
erchomai
To come or go; with a directional prefix, to come toward or approach.
The verb translated “drew near” contains the preposition for “toward,” which appears again in the phrase translated “unto him.” The sentence gives both movements the same direction: Moses approaches the vision, and the Lord’s voice comes toward Moses.
ALSO GROWS
erchomai: Come or go
ἔρχομαι
The base verb supplies the movement in “drew near.”
proserchomai: Approach; come toward
προσέρχομαι
The prefix adds direction, sharpening the sense of Moses moving toward the sight.
κατανοῆσαι
katanoēsai
GROWS FROM
νοέω
noeō
To perceive, consider, or understand.
“look closely” in this verse is katanoēsai. “Behold” here also carries focused understanding: Moses draws near not only to look, but to perceive what he sees. The verse moves from sight toward comprehension, and then the voice addresses him.
ALSO GROWS
nous: Mind
νοῦς
This related word points to the mental attention involved in perceiving.
noēma: Thought or perception
νόημα
It carries perception into formed understanding, echoing Moses drawing near to comprehend the sight.
φωνή
phōnē
GROWS FROM
φων-
phōn-
Voice or sound; a call that can be heard.
The word holds voice and sound together, while the sentence makes this voice more than background noise: it comes toward Moses. The same Greek word for “voice” appears when Jesus speaks of his sheep hearing his voice.
ALSO GROWS
phōneō: Call or speak aloud
φωνέω
This related verb shows the voice as an act of calling or speaking.
aphōnos: Voiceless or speechless
ἄφωνος
Its contrasting form makes clear that φωνή (phōnē, voice) names audible expression.
THE PATTERN
The Lord’s voice meets attention as personal address, turning what is noticed into direct encounter.
And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here I am.And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak, for your servant hears and responds.My sheep hear and respond to my voice, and I perceive them, and they follow me.THE THREAD
My sheep hear and respond to my voice, and I perceive them, and they follow me.Acts uses φωνή (phōnē, voice) for the Lord’s address to Moses; John uses the same Greek word for the voice the sheep hear. The shared word links Moses’ encounter to recognition: the voice is heard as personal address, not just sound.
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