Acts 7 · Verse 44

Acts 7:44

Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.
Acts 7:44, King James Version

Acts 7:44 in other translations

BSBOur fathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the wilderness. It was constructed exactly as God had directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.
WEB“Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern that he had seen;
ASVOur fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he appointed who spake unto Moses, that he should make it according to the figure that he had seen.
YLT‘The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, according as He did direct, who is speaking to Moses, to make it according to the figure that he had seen;
DARBYOur fathers had the tent of the testimony in the wilderness, as he that spoke to Moses commanded to make it according to the model which he had seen;
BBEOur fathers had the Tent of witness in the waste land, as God gave orders to Moses to make it after the design which he had seen.
WebsterOur fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking to Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.

What does Acts 7:44 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 7:42-50

42-50. gave them up--judicially. as ... written in the book of the prophets--the twelve minor prophets, reckoned as one: the passage is from Am 5:25. have ye offered to me ... sacrifices?--The answer is, Yes, but as if ye did it not; for "neither did ye offer to Me only, nor always, nor with a perfect and willing heart" [Bengel].

Read the full comment on Acts 7:42-50 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 44. The tabernacle of witness. The tent or tabernacle which Moses was commanded to make. It was called a tabernacle of witness, or of testimony, because it was the visible witness or proof of God's presence with them; the evidence that he to whom it was devoted was their protector and guide. The name is given either to the tent, or to the two tables of stone, or to the ark; all of which were witnesses or evidence, of God's relation to them as their Lawgiver and Guide, Ex 16:34, 25:16,21, 27:21, 30:6,36, 31:18 Nu 1:50,53. The two charges against Stephen were that he had spoken blasphemy against Moses, or his law, and against the temple, Acts 6:13,14. In the previous part of this defence he had shown his respect for Moses and his law. He now proceeds to show that he did not design to speak with disrespect of the temple, or the holy places of their worship. He therefore expresses his belief in the Divine appointment of both the tabernacle Acts 7:44-46 and of the temple, Acts 7:47.

According to the fashion, etc. According to the pattern that was shown to him, by which it was to be made, Ex 25:9,40; Ex 26:30. As God showed him a pattern, it proved that the tabernacle had his sanction. Against that Stephen did not intend to speak.

(+) "witness" "Testimony" (1) "speaking" "who spake" (a) "that he should make" Ex 25:40, 26:30, Heb 8:5

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness - That is, the tabernacle in which the two tables of stone written by the finger of God were laid up, as a testimony that he had delivered these laws to the people, and that they had promised to obey them. As one great design of St. Stephen was to show the Jews that they placed too much dependence on outward privileges, and had not used the law, the tabernacle, the temple, nor the temple service, for the purpose of their institution, he labors to bring them to a due sense of this, that conviction might lead to repentance and conversion. And he farther shows that God did not confine his worship to one place, or form. He was worshipped without any shrine in the times of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc. He was worshipped with a tabernacle, or portable temple, in the wilderness. He was worshipped also in the fixed temple projected by David, but built by Solomon. He asserts farther that his infinite majesty cannot be confined to temples, made by human hands; and where there is neither tabernacle nor temple, (in any part of his vast dominions), he may be worshipped acceptably by the upright in heart. Thus he proves that neither tabernacle nor temple are essentially requisite for the true worship of the true God. Concerning the tabernacle to which St. Stephen here refers, the reader is requested to consult the notes on Exo 25:8, etc., and the subsequent chapters. Speaking unto Moses - Ὁ λαλων, Who spake, as in the margin; signifying the angel of God who spake to Moses, or God himself. See Exo 25:40.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Acts 7:42-50

Stephen upbraids the Jews with the idolatry of their fathers, to which God gave them up as a punishment for their early forsaking him. It was no dishonour, but an honour to God, that the tabernacle gave way to the temple; so it is now, that the earthly temple gives way to the spiritual one; and so it will be when, at last, the spiritual shall give way to the eternal one. The whole world is God's temple, in which he…

Read the full comment on Acts 7:42-50 →

Acts 7:44 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἩHēTheG3588
σκηνὴskēnētabernacleG4633
τοῦtouof theG3588
μαρτυρίουmarturioutestimonyG3142
ἦνēnwasG1510
ἐνenamongG1722
τοῖςtoistheG3588
πατράσινpatrasinfathersG3962
ἡμῶνhēmōnof usG3165
ἐνeninG1722
τῇtēatheG3588
ἐρήμῳ,erēmōwilderness,G2048
καθὼςkathōseven asG2531
διετάξατοdietaxatohad commandedG1299
ὁhothe [One]G3588
λαλῶνlalōnspeakingG2980
τῷtō<the>G3588
ΜωϋσῇMōusēato MosesG3475
ποιῆσαιpoiēsaito makeG4160
αὐτὴνautēnitG846
κατὰkataaccording toG2596
τὸνtontheG3588
τύπονtuponpatternG5179
ὃνhonthatG3739
ἑωράκει·he'ōrakeihe had seen;G3708

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Acts 7:44

  • Exodus 25:40

    And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.

  • Exodus 38:21

    This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.

  • Hebrews 8:5

    Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

  • Hebrews 8:2

    A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

  • Exodus 26:30

    And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.

  • Exodus 25:8-9

    And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.

  • Numbers 1:50-53

    But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle. And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts. But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.

  • 1 Chronicles 28:19

    All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.

  • Numbers 18:2

    And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.

  • 2 Chronicles 24:6

    And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses the servant of the Lord, and of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?

  • 1 Chronicles 28:11

    Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat,

  • Joshua 18:1

    And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the tabernacle.
Ex 38:21; Nu 1:50-53; 9:15; 10:11; 17:7,8; 18:2; Jos 18:1; 2Ch 24:6
speaking. or, who spake. that he.
Ex 25:40; 26:30; 1Ch 28:11,19; Heb 8:2,5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Acts 7:43

    Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

  • Acts 7:44

    Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.

  • Acts 7:45

    Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;

Read all of Acts 7

Acts 7:44 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Tuvieron nuestros padres el tabernáculo del testimonio en el desierto, como había ordenado Dios, hablando á Moisés que lo hiciese según la forma que había visto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Nos pères avaient le tabernacle du témoignage dans le désert, comme avait ordonné celui qui avait dit à Moïse de le faire selon le modèle qu’il avait vu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Unsere Väter hatten die Hütte des Zeugnisses in der Wüste, wie der, welcher zu Moses redete, befahl, sie nach dem Muster zu machen, das er gesehen hatte;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Tabernaculum testimonii fuit cum patribus nostris in deserto, sicut disposuit illis Deus loquens ad Moysen, ut faceret illud secundum formam quam viderat.