“And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
Comment: There were 12 Patriarchs, the sons of Jacob (Israel). Joseph, due to the jealousy of his brothers and boastful pride himself, is sold into slavery into Egypt away from the area where God had told Abraham to begin a new nation in God’s name. God is in control and uses Joseph’s slavery to save the Patriarchs from a severe famine. They all die away from ‘home’, but their (at least Jacob and Joseph’s) dead bones eventually are carried back and buried next to Abraham’s remains. Stephen’s recall of history is good, but we might ask where he is heading with his oration! He seems a bit long-winded, but there is a lot at stake!
Prayer: Help me to be ready to give an answer to all questioners for the reason for my faith.
As I read it! 