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.

Yea {G2532}, ye took up {G353} the tabernacle {G4633} of Moloch {G3434}, and {G2532} the star {G798} of your {G5216} god {G2316} Remphan {G4481}, figures {G5179} which {G3739} ye made {G4160} to worship {G4352} them {G846}: and {G2532} I will carry {G3351} you {G5209} away {G3351} beyond {G1900} Babylon {G897}.

No, you carried the tent of Molekh
and the star of your god Reifan,
the idols you made so that you could worship them.
Therefore, I will send you into exile beyond Bavel.’

You have taken along the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

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.

Commentary

Acts 7:43 is a powerful condemnation of ancient Israel's persistent idolatry, delivered by Stephen during his defense before the Jewish Sanhedrin. This verse, a direct quote from the Old Testament prophet Amos 5:26-27, highlights how the Israelites, even after being delivered by God, repeatedly turned to the worship of pagan deities, leading to divine judgment.

Context

This verse is part of Stephen's long and impassioned sermon in Acts Chapter 7, where he recounts the history of Israel from Abraham to Solomon, emphasizing their cycles of disobedience and rebellion against God. Stephen argues that just as their ancestors rejected Moses and fell into idolatry, so too were his contemporary listeners rejecting Jesus, the ultimate prophet. He points out that their worship of idols was not an isolated incident but a deep-seated problem that provoked God's wrath and led to their exile.

Key Themes

  • Persistent Idolatry: The verse explicitly names "Moloch" and "Remphan" as false gods worshipped by Israel. This illustrates a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament: Israel's struggle with worshipping other gods despite God's clear commands.
  • Divine Judgment and Exile: The phrase "I will carry you away beyond Babylon" is a prophetic declaration of the consequences of their idolatry. It refers to the historical exiles, first by the Assyrians and later by the Babylonians, which served as God's severe punishment for their unfaithfulness.
  • Rejection of God's Covenant: Stephen uses this historical pattern of rebellion to underscore the current generation's rejection of Jesus, implying that their actions mirror the idolatry of their ancestors and will similarly invite judgment.

Linguistic Insights

The mention of Moloch refers to an Ammonite deity associated with horrific child sacrifice, a practice explicitly forbidden and abhorrent to God (e.g., Leviticus 18:21). Remphan, also known as Chiun in the Hebrew text of Amos, is widely identified with the Egyptian god Saturn or a star-god, signifying astral worship. The "star of your god Remphan" likely refers to an emblem or symbol used in their pagan rituals, highlighting the Israelites' adoption of foreign religious practices.

Practical Application

Acts 7:43 serves as a timeless warning against any form of idolatry, reminding believers that true worship belongs solely to God. While modern idolatry may not involve physical statues of Moloch or Remphan, it can manifest in placing anything—money, career, power, possessions, or even self—above God. Stephen's message encourages introspection: are there "figures" or desires in our lives that compete for the worship and devotion due only to God? This verse underscores the serious consequences of misplaced affections and calls for wholehearted devotion to the one true God.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Amos 5:26

    But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.

  • Amos 5:27

    Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name [is] The God of hosts.

  • Deuteronomy 5:8

    Thou shalt not make thee [any] graven image, [or] any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the waters beneath the earth:

  • Deuteronomy 5:9

    Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me,

  • Exodus 20:4

    Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth:

  • Exodus 20:5

    Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me;

  • Leviticus 20:2

    Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever [he be] of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth [any] of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
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