And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.
God told Abraham straight up: 'Your descendants are going to end up living as strangers in a foreign country, and the people there will make them slaves and treat them terribly for four hundred years.'
God was honest with Abraham from the start, your family's story is going to get really hard before it gets better.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Acts, Stephen is delivering a speech to the Sanhedrin, recounting key events from Israel's history to highlight God's faithfulness. This verse specifically echoes God's prophecy to Abraham in Genesis 15, where He foretold that Abraham's descendants would live as strangers in a foreign land, endure slavery, and face mistreatment for 400 years, which historically refers to the Israelites' oppression in Egypt. This context underscores God's sovereign plan unfolding through generations.
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