Your fathers went down to EgyptThis phrase refers to the patriarchs of Israel, specifically Jacob and his sons, who migrated to Egypt during a severe famine (
Genesis 46:1-7). This migration was part of God's providential plan to preserve the family line through which the Messiah would come. Egypt served as a place of refuge and growth for the Israelites, but it also became a place of bondage, setting the stage for God's deliverance through the Exodus.
seventy in all
The number seventy is significant in biblical numerology, often symbolizing completeness or perfection. The seventy individuals who went to Egypt included Jacob, his sons, and their families (Genesis 46:27). This small group would grow into a great nation, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars (Genesis 15:5).
and now the LORD your God
This phrase emphasizes the covenant relationship between God and Israel. The use of "LORD" (YHWH) highlights God's personal name, signifying His eternal presence and faithfulness. The phrase "your God" underscores the unique bond and commitment God has with His chosen people, a theme that runs throughout Deuteronomy.
has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky
This statement reflects the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:5, 22:17). The metaphor of stars signifies not only the vast number of Israelites but also their role as a light to the nations. This imagery is echoed in the New Testament, where believers in Christ are called to shine like stars in the world (Philippians 2:15). The growth of Israel from seventy individuals to a multitude is a testament to God's faithfulness and power.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
The Fathers (Patriarchs)Refers to the patriarchs of Israel, particularly Jacob and his sons, who went down to Egypt during a time of famine.
2.
EgyptThe land where the Israelites lived for several generations, initially as guests and later as slaves, before their exodus under Moses' leadership.
3.
The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant God of Israel, who promised to make Abraham's descendants numerous and fulfilled this promise.
4.
The IsraelitesThe descendants of the patriarchs, who grew from a small family group into a large nation during their time in Egypt.
5.
The Stars in the SkyA metaphorical expression used to describe the vast number of Israelites, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham.
Teaching Points
God's Faithfulness to His PromisesGod is faithful to fulfill His promises, as seen in the growth of the Israelites from seventy individuals to a multitude. This encourages believers to trust in God's promises in their own lives.
The Importance of Remembering God's WorksJust as the Israelites were reminded of their humble beginnings and God's blessings, Christians are called to remember and recount God's faithfulness in their personal and communal history.
The Power of God's ProvidenceThe transformation from a small family to a great nation illustrates God's providential care and sovereignty over history, encouraging believers to rely on His guidance and provision.
The Role of Faith in God's PlanThe fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham required faith and patience. Believers are encouraged to maintain faith in God's timing and plan, even when immediate results are not visible.
Community Growth and Spiritual MultiplicationThe physical multiplication of the Israelites serves as a metaphor for spiritual growth and multiplication within the church, urging believers to invest in discipleship and evangelism.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 10:22?
2.How does Deuteronomy 10:22 demonstrate God's faithfulness to His promises?
3.What does "seventy in all" teach about God's multiplication of His people?
4.How can we trust God's promises in our lives like in Deuteronomy 10:22?
5.Connect Deuteronomy 10:22 with God's covenant to Abraham in Genesis 12:2.
6.How does the growth from "seventy" to "as the stars" inspire your faith?
7.How does Deuteronomy 10:22 reflect God's faithfulness to His promises?
8.What historical evidence supports the claim of seventy ancestors in Egypt?
9.How does Deuteronomy 10:22 demonstrate God's power in multiplying the Israelites?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Deuteronomy 10?
11.What similarities exist between Moses and Jesus?
12.How do skeptics address potential inconsistencies between Genesis 46 and other Old Testament genealogies regarding the descendants of Jacob?
13.How does Genesis 46:8–27 reconcile the total of “70 persons” with other biblical passages that give different family counts?
14.How can Deut. 34:10 claim no prophet like Moses ever arose when other prophets performed significant miracles too?What Does Deuteronomy 10:22 Mean
Your fathers went down to Egypt- God reminds Israel of their humble beginnings. Jacob’s household physically relocated to Egypt at the Lord’s direct leading (Genesis 46:3-4: “I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will surely bring you back again”).
- The patriarchs trusted the covenant promises even while entering a foreign land (Acts 7:15;Hebrews 11:9-10).
- This backward glance stirs gratitude: the same God who shepherded a small clan through famine and exile is guiding the nation now.
seventy in all- Scripture records the exact number—“all the persons who descended from Jacob numbered seventy” (Exodus 1:5).
- Seventy underscores smallness: they were not chosen for size or strength (Deuteronomy 7:7).
- The detail authenticates the historical narrative, inviting confidence that every other detail God gives is equally trustworthy.
and now- A sharp contrast: then small, now vast. The phrase signals fulfilled prophecy in real time.
- Centuries passed, yet God’s word never stalled (Joshua 21:45).
- The “now” also looks forward; what God is doing in the present guarantees He will keep every remaining promise (Deuteronomy 7:9).
the LORD your God has made you- Growth did not come by Israel’s ingenuity but by divine initiative (Exodus 1:7, “the Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly”).
- The verbs emphasize God’s personal involvement—He “has made” them, echoingPsalm 100:3, “It is He who has made us, and we are His.”
- Dependence on the Lord remains the pattern; any current blessing traces back to His covenant faithfulness (Psalm 115:14).
as numerous as the stars in the sky- Direct fulfillment of the promise to Abraham: “Look toward the heavens and count the stars… so shall your offspring be” (Genesis 15:5; 22:17).
- Moses had already noted this expansion inDeuteronomy 1:10, and later writers celebrate it (Nehemiah 9:23).
- The imagery calls to mind both vastness and heavenly identity: Israel is to reflect God’s glory amid the nations (Philippians 2:15).
summaryDeuteronomy 10:22 traces God’s faithfulness from a family of seventy to a nation likened to the stars. Every clause spotlights His sovereign hand: guiding Jacob to Egypt, guarding a small clan, and growing them into a multitude. The verse confirms that what God promises, He performs, inviting present-day trust in the same unfailing covenant-keeping Lord.
(22)
Thy fathers went down.--The simple and natural form of this allusion conveys a strong impression of the truth of the facts. If the marvellous increase of Israel in the time allowed by the sacred narrative presents a difficulty, we must remember that the Bible consistently represents the multiplication as the
fulfilment of a Divine promise,and not purely natural. But the testimony of the First Book of Chronicles must not be overlooked. The genealogy of Judah, given in the second and fourth chapters of that book, discloses a very extensive multiplication, a good deal of which must lie within the period of the sojourning in Egypt. The family of Hezron is particularly to be noticed. Of a certain descendant of Simeon it is written (
1Chronicles 4:27), "And Shimei had
sixteen sons and six daughters;but his brethren had not many children,
neither did all their family multiply like to the children of Judah."(!) Modern calculations are perhaps not quite adequate to deal with such a rate of increase as this. (See also the Note on
Deuteronomy 32:8.)
Verse 22. - Among other marvelous acts toward Israel, was one done in Israel itself; they, whoso fathers went down to Egypt only seventy in number (Genesis 46:26, 27), had, notwithstanding the cruel oppression to which they were subjected there, grown to a nation numberless as the stars (cf.Genesis 22:17;Deuteronomy 1:10;Nehemiah 9:23).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Your fathers
אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ(’ă·ḇō·ṯe·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1:Father
went down
יָרְד֥וּ(yā·rə·ḏū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3381:To come or go down, descend
to Egypt,
מִצְרָ֑יְמָהּ(miṣ·rā·yə·māh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4714:Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa
seventy
בְּשִׁבְעִ֣ים(bə·šiḇ·‘îm)
Preposition-b | Number - common plural
Strong's 7657:Seventy (a cardinal number)
in all,
נֶ֔פֶשׁ(ne·p̄eš)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5315:A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion
and now
וְעַתָּ֗ה(wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258:At this time
the LORD
יְהוָ֣ה(Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel
your God
אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ(’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 430:gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative
has made
שָֽׂמְךָ֙(śā·mə·ḵā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7760:Put -- to put, place, set
you as numerous
לָרֹֽב׃(lā·rōḇ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7230:Multitude, abundance, greatness
as the stars
כְּכוֹכְבֵ֥י(kə·ḵō·wḵ·ḇê)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3556:A star, a prince
in the sky.
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם(haš·šā·ma·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064:Heaven, sky
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OT Law: Deuteronomy 10:22 Your fathers went down into Egypt (Deut. De Du)
