Why does Stephen recount Israel's whole history in Acts 7?
The provided context does not state why Stephen recounts Israel's history; it only shows he rehearses it, as Paul later does, tracing Abraham's seed, bondage in a strange land, and the 400-year period, clarifying it is a time benchmark, not a contradiction.
Les explains that Stephen is rehearsing the whole history of Israel, just as Paul does later in Acts. Stephen refers to Abraham's seed sojourning in a strange land and being brought into bondage and treated evil. He notes the time is 400 years, not 430, and clarifies this is not a contradiction but a benchmark of where they measure time. Les uses a map to illustrate Ur, the Euphrates, the Dead Sea, and Canaan, noting God told Abram to leave Ur for a land He would show him. The context does not provide an explicit reason for Stephen's recital.
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.