SEV Biblia, Chapter 7:20
En aquel mismo tiempo naci Moiss, y fue agradable a Dios; y fue criado tres meses en casa de su padre.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Acts 7:20
Verse 20. Moses-was exceeding fair] asteiov tw qew, Was fair to God, i.e. was divinely beautiful. See the note on Exod. ii. 2.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 20. In which time Moses was born , etc.] The word Moses, is differently written in the New Testament; sometimes Moses, as here, sometimes Mo-yses, as in ( Acts 7:35,37) sometimes Mo-yseus, as in ( Acts 15:1,5,21) and sometimes Moseus, as in ( Romans 5:14). He had his name from the Hebrew word, hm , which signifies to draw, ( Psalm 18:16) according to the reason of it given by Pharaohs daughter, she called his name Moses; and she said, because I drew him out of the water , ( Exodus 2:10) Though Josephus f296 , Philo f297 , and others f298 , make it to be an Egyptian name; the former of which serves, that the Egyptians call water Mo, and yses, such who are saved from water; wherefore compounding the name of both, they gave it to him: though according to Aben Ezra f299 , his name in the Egyptian language was Monios; his words are these, the name of Moses is interpreted out of the Egyptian language into the Hebrew language, for his name in the Egyptian language was Monios; and so it is written in a book of agriculture, translated out of the Egyptian language into the Arabic, and also in the books of some Greek writers. Moses had many names, as a Jewish chronologer observes f300 ; Pharaohs daughter called his name Moses; his father called him Chabar, or Heber; his mother called him Jekuthiel; and his sister called him Jether (perhaps Jared, since this was one of his names); and his brethren called him Abizanoah; and Kohath called him Abi Socos; and the Israelites called him Shemaiah ben Nathaneel, and sometimes Tobiah, sometimes Shemaiah, and sometimes Sopher; but the Egyptians called him Monios.
For Mo, in the Egyptian language, signifies water, and Ni is out; and so both together signify, out of the water, which agrees with the Hebrew etymology of his name. Now he was born at the time that orders were given by Pharaoh to cast all the male children of the Israelites into the rivers, to drown them; Moses was born, whose parents were Amram and Jochebed, of the tribe of Levi; he was born, according to the Jews f301 , on the seventh day of Adar, or February: and was exceeding fair ; or fair to God; divinely fair and beautiful; and so Pharaohs daughter, acccording to Josephus, said to her father, that she had brought up a child that was morfh yeion in form divine: and so the Jews say f303 , that his form was as an angel of God; or he was fair in the sight of God, as the Ethiopic version; the Syriac version renders it, he was dear to God; and the Vulgate Latin version, grateful to God; was wellpleasing to him, in whom he delighted, having designed to do great things by him: or fair by God: he had a peculiar beauty put upon him by God; partly to engage his parents the more to seek the preservation of him; and partly to engage the affection of Pharaohs daughter to him, when she should see him. Justin the historian makes mention of his extraordinary beauty, for which he was praised; but very wrongly makes him to be the son of Joseph; and the account Josephus gives of it, is very remarkable f305 ; as to beauty, says he, no man could be so out of love with it, as to see the goodly form of Moses, and not be amazed; it happened to many who met him, as he was carried along the way, that they would turn back at the sight of the child, and neglect their business, to indulge themselves with the sight of him; for such was the loveliness of the child, that it detained those that saw him.
The Arabic version renders it, he was consecrated by a vow to God; but of this we have no account: the Jews say f306 , that the Spirit of God came upon Miriam, and she prophesied; saying, behold a son shall be born to my father and to my mother at this time, who shall save Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians and it is further said, that at the time of his birth, the whole house was filled with a great light, as the light of the sun and moon; upon which they had raised expectations of him: though this phrase, fair to God, may be only an Hebraism, just as Niniveh is said to be a city great to God, i.e. exceeding great, (Jon 3:3) it being usual with the Jews to join the word God to an adjective, to express the superlative degree; and so it is rightly rendered here, exceeding fair: and nourished up in his fathers house three months; so long he was hid by his mother there, which was a great instance of her faith; (see Exodus 2:2, Hebrews 11:23). The reason why he was kept no longer there was, because as the Jews say f307 , the three months after Jochebed was delivered of a son, the thing was known in the house of Pharaoh, wherefore she could hide him no longer.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 17-29 - Let us not be discouraged at the slowness of the fulfilling of God' promises. Suffering times often are growing times with the church. God is preparing for his people's deliverance, when their day is darkest and their distress deepest. Moses was exceeding fair, "fair towar God;" it is the beauty of holiness which is in God's sight of grea price. He was wonderfully preserved in his infancy; for God will tak special care of those of whom he designs to make special use. And di he thus protect the child Moses? Much more will he secure the interest of his holy child Jesus, from the enemies who are gathered togethe against him. They persecuted Stephen for disputing in defence of Chris and his gospel: in opposition to these they set up Moses and his law They may understand, if they do not wilfully shut their eyes agains the light, that God will, by this Jesus, deliver them out of a wors slavery than that of Egypt. Although men prolong their own miseries yet the Lord will take care of his servants, and effect his own design of mercy.
Greek Textus Receptus
εν 1722 PREP ω 3739 R-DSM καιρω 2540 N-DSM εγεννηθη 1080 5681 V-API-3S μωσης 3475 N-NSM και 2532 CONJ ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S αστειος 791 A-NSM τω 3588 T-DSM θεω 2316 N-DSM ος 3739 R-NSM ανετραφη 397 5648 V-2API-3S μηνας 3376 N-APM τρεις 5140 A-APM εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSM οικω 3624 N-DSM του 3588 T-GSM πατρος 3962 N-GSM αυτου 846 P-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
20. Time (kairw). Better, season or juncture. "Sad, seasonable" (Bengel). See on Acts i. 7.Exceeding air (asteiov tw qew). Lit., fair unto God: a Hebrew superlative. Compare Jon. iii. 3: great unto God; A.V., exceeding great. Gen. x. 9, of Nimrod: a mighty hunter before the Lord. 2 Corinthians x. 4: mighty unto God; i.e., in God's sight. 'Asteiov, fair (only here and Heb. xi. 23), is from astu, a town, and means originally town-bred; hence refined, elegant, comely. The word is used in the Septuagint of Moses (Exod. ii. 2), and rendered goodly. The Jewish traditions extol Moses' beauty. Josephus says that those who met him, as he was carried along the streets, forgot their business and stood still to gaze at him.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
7:20 {Exceeding fair} (asteios twi qewi). Ethical dative, fair to God (as God looked at him). asteios is from astu, city, and so means "of the city," with city manners and polish. Old word, only twice in the N.T. (here and #Heb 11:23) and both times about Moses and taken from #Ex 2:2. {He was nourished} (anetrafe). Second aorist passive indicative of anatrefw. He was brought up at home for three months in defiance of the new Pharaoh.
