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Act 7:6. Δὲ, but) The antithesis between the promise and the time of its fulfilment, which was to be waited for[46]-ὍΤΙ ἜΣΤΑΙ ΤῸ ΣΠΈΡΜΑ ΑὐΤΟῦ ΠΆΡΟΙΚΟΝ ἘΝ Γῇ ἈΛΛΟΤΡΊᾼ, ΚΑῚ ΔΟΥΛΏΣΟΥΣΙΝ ΑὐΤῸ ΚΑῚ ΚΑΚΏΣΟΥΣΙΝ, ἜΤΗ ΤΕΤΡΑΚΌΣΙΑ· ΚΑῚ ΤῸ ἜΘΝΟς-ἘΓῺ) Gen 15:13-14, LXX., ὍΤΙ ΠΆΡΟΙΚΟΝ ἜΣΤΑΙ ΤῸ ΣΠΈΡΜΆ ΣΟΥ ἘΝ Γῇ ΟὐΚ ἸΔῖᾼ, ΚΑῚ ΔΟΥΛΏΣΟΥΣΙΝ ΑὐΤΟῪς ΚΑῚ ΚΑΚΏΣΟΥΣΙΝ ΑὐΤΟῪς ΚΑῚ ΤΑΠΕΙΝΏΣΟΥΣΙΝ ΑὐΤΟῪς, ΤΕΤΡΑΚΌΣΙΑ ἜΤΗ. ΤῸ ΔῈ ἜΘΝΟς-ἘΓΏ.-ἈΛΛΟΤΡΊᾼ, a strange) Egypt was not then named. Comp. the ᾧ ἐὰν, “to whomsoever they shall be in bondage,” in Act 7:7.-κακώσουσιν) This clause, which has been omitted by some, is required by the fact itself (concerning which presently) and by the accent in Gen 15:13.-ἜΤΗ ΤΕΤΡΑΚΌΣΙΑ, four hundred years) These years are to be referred not only to the Egyptian bondage (which began long after the death of Joseph and of his brethren, when the people multiplied, Act 7:15, etc.), but to the whole sojourn in the strange land, [viz. from the birth of Isaac up to the departure out of Egypt.-V. g.] Four hundred years in the case of a people, and forty years in the case of a man, constitute a memorable period; even in the case of Israel and Moses. Moreover by this very number it was indicated that the joyful dwelling in the land of Canaan afterwards would be much longer in continuance.
[46] Thus δὲ here, not ἀλλὰ in ver. 5, forms the antithesis. So ABCEe and many MSS. of Vulg. read καὶ ἐπηγγείλατο, not ἀλλὰ ἐπ. Dd Vulg. Amiat. and Iren., however, read ἀλλʼ.-E. and T.