The Meaning of Acts 7:43 Explained

Acts 7:43

KJV: 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.

YLT: and ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan -- the figures that ye made to bow before them, and I will remove your dwelling beyond Babylon.

Darby: Yea, ye took up the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, the forms which ye made to do homage to them; and I will transport you beyond Babylon.

ASV: And ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, And the star of the god Rephan, The figures which ye made to worship them: And I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Acts 7:43 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 7:30-46 - Stephen's Defense: Disobedience In The Wilderness
The angel who appeared in the bush that burned with fire was the angel of God's presence, who saved the Israelites and bare them and carried them all the days of old. See Isaiah 63:9. Who could this be save our Lord Himself? Only He could speak of Himself as I am. Remember the use our Lord made of that present tense, as carrying with it evidence that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all of them living, though centuries had passed since their bodies had been deposited in Machpelah's cave. See Luke 20:38. It is very helpful to note that reference to the hand of the angel in Acts 7:35; Acts 7:38. It reminds us of Acts 11:21. Would that, in our service for God, we were always conscious of the co-operating hand of the Savior!
The prophet referred to in Acts 7:37 is, of course, our Lord, and the parallel between Him and Moses is very apparent during our Lord's human ministry-for meekness, for reference in all things to the sending of God, for the work they did, as negotiating the Law from Sinai and the Mount of Beatitudes. But the difference in their posthumous ministry is emphasized in Hebrews 3:1-6. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 7

1  Stephen, permitted to answer to the accusation of blasphemy,
2  shows that Abraham worshipped God rightly, and how God chose the fathers,
20  before Moses was born, and before the tabernacle and temple were built;
37  that Moses himself witnessed of Christ;
44  and that all outward ceremonies were ordained to last but for a time;
51  reprehending their rebellion, and murdering of Christ, whom the prophets foretold
54  Whereupon they stone Stephen to death,
59  who commends his soul to Jesus, and humbly prays for them

Greek Commentary for Acts 7:43

The tabernacle of Moloch [την σκηνην του Μολοχ]
Or tent of Moloch which they took up after each halt instead of the tabernacle of Jehovah. Moloch was the god of the Amorites to whom children were offered as live sacrifices, an ox-headed image with arms outstretched in which children were placed and hollow underneath so that fire could burn underneath. [source]
The star of the god Rephan [το αστρον του τεου ομπα]
Spelled also Romphan and Remphan. Supposed to be Coptic for the star Saturn to which the Egyptians, Arabs, and Phoenicians gave worship. But some scholars take the Hebrew Kiyyoon to mean statues and not a proper name at all, “statues of your gods” carried in procession, making “figures” Attic future of μετοικισω — metoikisō from μετοικιζω — metoikizō Beyond Babylon The Hebrew and the lxx have “beyond Damascus.” An adverbial preposition (επ εκεινα — ep' ekeina with μερη — merē understood) used in the old Greek and the lxx with the ablative case and meaning “beyond.” Here only in the N.T. in quotation from Amos 5:27. [source]
I will carry [μετοικιω]
Attic future of μετοικισω — metoikisō from μετοικιζω — metoikizō [source]
Beyond Babylon [επεκεινα αβυλωνος]
The Hebrew and the lxx have “beyond Damascus.” An adverbial preposition (επ εκεινα — ep' ekeina with μερη — merē understood) used in the old Greek and the lxx with the ablative case and meaning “beyond.” Here only in the N.T. in quotation from Amos 5:27. [source]
Tabernacle of Moloch []
The portable tent-temple of the god, to be carried in procession. Moloch was an Ammonite idol to whom children were sacrificed. According to Rabbinical tradition, his image was hollow, heated from below, with the head of an ox and outstretched arms, into which children were laid, their cries being stifled by the beating of drums. [source]
Remphan []
The texts vary between Remphan, Rephan, and Romphan. It is supposed to be the Coptic name for Saturn, to which the Arabs, Egyptians, and Phoenicians paid divine honors. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 7:43

Acts 7:44 The tabernacle of the testimony [η σκηνη του μαρτυριου]
Probably suggested by the mention of “the tabernacle of Moloch” (Acts 7:43). See note on Matthew 17:4 for discussion of skēnē (from skia shadow, root σκηνη — ska to cover). This first sanctuary was not the temple, but the tent in the wilderness. “Stephen passes on from the conduct of the Israelites to his other argument that God is not necessarily worshipped in a particular spot” (Page). [source]
Romans 5:14 A figure [τυπος]
See note on Acts 7:43; note on 1 Thessalonians 1:7; note on 2 Thessalonians 3:9; and note on 1 Corinthians 10:6 for this word. Adam is a type of Christ in holding a relation to those affected by the headship in each case, but the parallel is not precise as Paul shows. [source]
1 Corinthians 10:6 Were our examples [τυποι ημων εγενητησαν]
More exactly, examples for us (objective genitive ημων — hēmōn not subjective genitive, of us). The word τυποι — tupoi (our types) comes from τυπτω — tuptō to strike, and meant originally the mark of a blow as the print of the nails (John 20:25), then a figure formed by a blow like images of the gods (Acts 7:43), then an example to be imitated (1 Peter 5:3; 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 3:9), or to be avoided as here, and finally a type in a doctrinal sense (Romans 5:14; Hebrews 9:24). [source]
1 Thessalonians 1:7 An ensample [τυπον]
So B D, but Aleph A C have τυπους — tupous (plural). The singular looks at the church as a whole, the plural as individuals like υμας — humās Τυπος — Tupos is an old word from τυπτω — tuptō to strike, and so the mark of a blow, print as in John 20:25. Then the figure formed by the blow, image as in Acts 7:43. Then the mould or form (Romans 6:17; Acts 23:25). Then an example or pattern as in Acts 7:44, to be imitated as here, Philemon 3:17, etc. It was a great compliment for the church in Thessalonica to be already a model for believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Our word type for printers is this same word with one of its meanings. Note separate article with both Macedonia (τηι Μακεδονιαι — tēi Makedoniāi) and Achaia (τηι Αχαιαι — tēi Achaiāi) treated as separate provinces as they were. [source]
Hebrews 8:2 The true tabernacle [τῆς σκηνῆς τῆς ἀλυθινῆς]
Explanatory of τῶν ἁγίων . The form of expression is emphatic: the tabernacle, the genuine one, as compared with the tabernacle in the wilderness. For ἀλιθινός realgenuine, see on John 1:9. Σκηνή atent. For different shades of meaning, comp. Matthew 17:4; Luke 16:9; Acts 7:43. In this epistle always of the tabernacle in the wilderness. [source]
1 Peter 5:3 Examples [τύποι]
Peter uses three different terms for a pattern or model: ὑπογραμμός , a writing-copy (1 Peter 2:21); ὑπόδειγμα , for which classical writers prefer παράδειγμα , an architect's plan or a sculptor's or painter's model (2 Peter 2:6); τύπος (see on 1 Peter 3:21), of which our word type is nearly a transcript. The word primarily means the impression left by a stroke ( τύπτω , to strike)Thus John 20:25, “the print of the nails.” Used of the stamp on coin; the impression of any engraving or hewn work of art; a monument or statue; the figures of the tabernacle of Moloch and of the star Remphan (Acts 7:43). Generally, an image or form, always with a statement of the object; and hence the kindred meaning of a pattern or model. See Acts 23:25; Romans 5:14; Philemon 3:17; Hebrews 8:5. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 7:43 mean?

And You took up the tabernacle - of Moloch the star of the god of you Rephan the images that you made to worship them I will remove you beyond Babylon
καὶ ἀνελάβετε τὴν σκηνὴν τοῦ Μολὸχ τὸ ἄστρον τοῦ θεοῦ [ὑμῶν] Ῥαιφάν τοὺς τύπους οὓς ἐποιήσατε προσκυνεῖν αὐτοῖς μετοικιῶ ὑμᾶς ἐπέκεινα Βαβυλῶνος

ἀνελάβετε  You  took  up 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ἀναλαμβάνω  
Sense: to take up, raise.
σκηνὴν  tabernacle 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: σκηνή  
Sense: tent, tabernacle, (made of green boughs, or skins or other materials).
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Μολὸχ  of  Moloch 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Μολόχ  
Sense: the name of the idol god of the Ammonites, to which human victims, particularly young children were offered in sacrifice.
ἄστρον  star 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἄστρον  
Sense: a group of stars, a constellation.
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
θεοῦ  god 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
[ὑμῶν]  of  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
Ῥαιφάν  Rephan 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Ῥαιφάν 
Sense: the name of an idol worshipped secretly by the Israelites in the wilderness.
τύπους  images 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: τυπικῶς 
Sense: the mark of a stroke or blow, print.
οὓς  that 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
ἐποιήσατε  you  made 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 2nd Person Plural
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
προσκυνεῖν  to  worship 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: προσκυνέω  
Sense: to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence.
μετοικιῶ  I  will  remove 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: μετοικίζω  
Sense: to transfer settlers.
ἐπέκεινα  beyond 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπέκεινα  
Sense: beyond.
Βαβυλῶνος  Babylon 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: Βαβυλών  
Sense: a very large and famous city, the residence of the Babylonian kings, situated on both banks of the Euphrates.