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Acts 7:41

New Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Acts 7:41 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.
Acts 7:41 — American Standard Version

Context — Acts 7

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
38This is he that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel that spake to him in the Mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received living oracles to give unto us:
39to whom our fathers would not be obedient, but thrust him from them, and turned back in their hearts unto Egypt,
40saying unto Aaron, Make us gods that shall go before us: for as for this Moses, who led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
41And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.
42But God turned, and gave them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, Did ye offer unto me slain beasts and sacrifices Forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43And ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, And the star of the god Rephan, The figures which ye made to worship them: And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
44Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he appointed who spake unto Moses, that he should make it according to the figure that he had seen.
← Acts 7:40Acts 7:42 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And they made a calf in those days, etc.] Whilst Moses was in the mount; this was done in imitation of the Egyptian idol Apis or Serapis, which was an ox or a bullock; and it was made of the golden earnings of the people, which were melted down, and cast into the form of a calf, and graved by Aaron with a graving tool, (<023202>Exodus 32:2-4) And so the Syriac version here reads in the singular number, “and he made them a calf”; this was a most shameful and scandalous piece of idolatry. The Jews themselves are so sensible of the horribleness of it, and of the guilt of it, and of the reproach that lies on them for it, that it is common for them to say f364, “there is not a generation, or an…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“And they made a calf - This was made of the ear-rings and ornaments which they had brought from Egypt, Exodus 32:2-4. Stephen introduces this to remind them how prone the nation had been to reject God, and to walk in the ways of sin. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“And they made a calf - In imitation of Apis, the Egyptian god: and rejoiced in the works of their hands - In the god they had made. Acts 7:42”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“they: Exo 32:2-8, Exo 32:17-20; Deu 9:12-18; Neh 9:18; Psa 106:19-21 rejoiced: Isa 2:8, Isa 2:9, Isa 44:9-20; Hos 9:1, Hos 9:10; Hab 2:18-20 Acts 7:42”
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Related study paths

Read Acts 7 in contextBrowse Greek word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification