This verb means to defend, help, or come to someone's aid, especially in battle. In Acts 7:24, Moses 'defended' the oppressed Hebrew by striking the Egyptian. Classical Greek used it extensively for warding off danger, defending, or aiding someone under attack. The multilingual glosses (Spanish 'defendió', French 'défendre') confirm this protective action. Stephen's speech casts Moses as defender-deliverer whose initial attempt at justice Israel rejected, foreshadowing Jesus' similar rejection despite coming to save.