What Does Acts 7:17 Mean in the King James?
But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The promise draws near while the people are already multiplying inside the place of constriction.
THE MEANING
The promise’s appointed time is drawing near, and increase is already unfolding within Egypt. In your constricted place, growth can be present before the promised change is complete; the approaching promise and the increase unfold together.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The belief that nothing is happening until you are fully out of the narrow place dissolves: the verse places increase inside Egypt, while the promised time draws near.
THE ROOT
ἤγγιζεν
ēngizen
GROWS FROM
ἐγγ-
near, close
“drew nigh” in this verse is ēngizen. The time does not merely arrive; it draws near. This verb gives the promise’s appointed time a movement toward you, even as growth unfolds alongside it.
ALSO GROWS
engizō: draw near, approach
ἐγγίζω
This is the verb’s lexical form, showing that nearness is active movement.
engys: near, close
ἐγγύς
This related form names the nearness toward which the time is moving.
engyteros: nearer
ἐγγύτερος
Its comparative form makes nearness a matter of degree: what was distant can come closer.
ἐπαγγελίας
epangelias
GROWS FROM
ἀγγελ-
announce, make known
The word for promise belongs to a family of words about announcing and carrying a message. Here, the promise is not an unnamed hope: it is what God has declared and sworn to Abraham.
ALSO GROWS
angellō: announce, report
ἀγγέλλω
This verb shares the announcing stem beneath the word for promise.
angelos: messenger
ἄγγελος
A messenger carries an announcement; this branch reveals the message-bearing shape within the promise word.
epangellomai: promise, announce openly
ἐπαγγέλλομαι
This verb shares the word family and shows a promise as a declared commitment.
ἐπληθύνθη
eplēthynthē
GROWS FROM
πληθ-
multitude, abundance
“multiplied” in this verse is eplēthynthē. The verse pairs the people’s growth with their multiplication: increase becomes a multitude. The root links the people’s expanding number with the fullness that their collective presence embodies.
ALSO GROWS
plēthos: multitude, crowd
πλῆθος
This noun names the many gathered into the growing people.
plēthynō: multiply, increase
πληθύνω
This verb shares the root and names the increase described in the verse.
THE PATTERN
A promise approaching its appointed time becomes visible through growth before the constricted place has ended.
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;THE THREAD
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.Acts names the promise sworn to Abraham; Galatians uses the same Greek word family for the promises made to Abraham and his seed. The thread connects the promise drawing near with the seed named as its line of fulfillment.
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