TRV
Translation
King James Version
Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
Complete Jewish Bible
‘Heaven is my throne,’ says Adonai,
‘and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house could you build for me?
What kind of place could you devise for my rest?
‘and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house could you build for me?
What kind of place could you devise for my rest?
Berean Standard Bible
‘Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or where will My place of repose be?
American Standard Version
The heaven is my throne, And the earth the footstool of my feet: What manner of house will ye build me? saith the Lord: Or what is the place of my rest?
World English Bible Messianic
‘heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me?’ says the Lord; ‘or what is the place of my rest?
Geneva Bible (1599)
Heauen is my throne, and earth is my footestoole: what house wil ye build for me, saith the Lord? or what place is it that I should rest in?
Young's Literal Translation
The heaven is My throne, and the earth My footstool; what house will ye build to Me? saith the Lord, or what is the place of My rest?
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In the KJVVerse 27,166 of 31,102
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Commentary on Acts 7 verses 42–50
42 ¶ Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
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.
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.
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;
46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
47 But Solomon built him an house.
48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
50 Hath not my hand made all these things?
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
Two things we have in these verses: -
I. Stephen upbraids them with the idolatry of their fathers, which God gave them up to, as a punishment for their early forsaking him in worshipping the golden calf; and this was the saddest punishment of all for that sin, as it was of the idolatry of the Gentile world that God gave them up to a reprobate mind. When Israel was joined to idols, joined to the golden calf, and not long after to Baal-peor, God said, Let them alone; let them go on (Act 7:42): Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven. He particularly cautioned them not to do it, at their peril, and gave them reasons why they should not; but, when they were bent upon it, he gave them up to their own hearts; lust, withdrew his restraining grace, and then they walked in their own counsels, and were so scandalously mad upon their idols as never any people were. Compare Deu 4:19 with Jer 8:2. For this he quotes a passage out of Amo 5:25. For it would be less invidious to tell them their own [character and doom] from an Old Testament prophet, who upbraids them,
1.For not sacrificing to their own God in the wilderness (Act 7:42): Have you offered to me slain beasts, and sacrifices, by the space of forty years in the wilderness? No; during all that time sacrifices to God were intermitted; they did not so much as keep the passover after the second year. It was God's condescension to them that he did not insist upon it during their unsettled state; but then let them consider how ill they requited him in offering sacrifices to idols, when God dispensed with their offering them to him. This is also a check to their zeal for the customs that Moses delivered to them, and their fear of having them changed by this Jesus, that immediately after they were delivered these customs were for forty years together disused as needless things.
2.For sacrificing to other gods after they came to Canaan (Act 7:43): You took up the tabernacle of Moloch. Moloch was the idol of the children of Ammon, to which they barbarously offered their own children in sacrifice, which they could not do without great terror and grief to themselves and their families; yet this unnatural idolatry they arrived at, when God gave them up to worship the host of heaven. See Ch2 28:3. It was surely the strongest delusion that ever people were given up to, and the greatest instance of the power of Satan in the children of disobedience, and therefore it is here spoken of emphatically: Yea, you took up the tabernacle of Moloch, you submitted even to that, and to the worship of the star of your god Remphan. Some think Remphan signifies the moon, as Moloch does the sun; others take it for Saturn, for that planet is called Remphan in the Syriac and Persian languages. The Septuagint puts it for Chiun, as being a name more commonly known. They had images representing the star, like the silver shrines for Diana, here called the figures which they made to worship. Dr. Lightfoot thinks they had figures representing the whole starry firmament, with all the constellations, and the planets, and these are called Remphan - "the high representation," like the celestial globe: a poor thing to make an idol of, and yet better than a golden calf! Now for this it is threatened, I will carry you away beyond Babylon. In Amos it is beyond Damascus, meaning to Babylon, the land of the north. But Stephen changes it, with an eye to the captivity of the ten tribes, who were carried away beyond Babylon, by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, Kg2 17:6. Let it not therefore seem strange to them to hear of the destruction of this place, for they had heard of it many a time from the prophets of the Old Testament, who were not therefore accused as blasphemers by any but the wicked rulers. It was observed, in the debate on Jeremiah's case, that Micah was not called to an account though he prophesied, saying, Zion shall be ploughed as a field, Jer 26:18, Jer 26:19.
II. He gives an answer particularly to the charge exhibited against him relating to the temple, that he spoke blasphemous words against that holy place, Act 7:44-50. He was accused for saying that Jesus would destroy this holy place: "And what if I did say so?" (saith Stephen) "the glory of the holy God is not bound up in the glory of this holy place, but that may be preserved untouched, though this be laid in the dust;" for, 1. "It was not till our fathers came into the wilderness, in their way to Canaan, that they had any fixed place of worship; and yet the patriarchs, many ages before, worshipped God acceptably at the altars they had adjoining to their own tents in the open air - sub dio; and he that was worshipped without a holy place in the first, and best, and purest ages of the Old Testament church, may and will be so when this holy place is destroyed, without any diminution to his glory." 2. The holy place was at first but a tabernacle, mean and movable, showing itself to be short-lived, and not designed to continue always. Why might not this holy place, though built of stones, be decently brought to its end, and give place to its betters, as well as that though framed of curtains? As it was no dishonour, but an honour to God, that the tabernacle gave way to the temple, so it is now that the material temple gives way to the spiritual one, and so it will be when, at last, the spiritual temple shall give way to the eternal one. 3. That tabernacle was a tabernacle of witness, or of testimony, a figure of good things to come, of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not men, Heb 8:2. This was the glory both of the tabernacle and temple, that they were erected for a testimony of that temple of God which in the latter days should be opened in heaven (Rev 11:19), and of Christ's tabernacling on earth (as the word is, Joh 1:14), and of the temple of his body. 4. That tabernacle was framed just as God appointed, and according to the fashion which Moses saw in the mount, which plainly intimates that it had reference to good things to come. Its rise being heavenly, its meaning and tendency were so; and therefore it was no diminution at all to its glory to say that this temple made with hands should be destroyed, in order to the building of another made without hands, which was Christ's crime (Mar 14:58), and Stephen's. 5. That tabernacle was pitched first in the wilderness; it was not a native of this land of yours (to which you think it must for ever be confined), but was brought in in the next age, by our fathers, who came after those who first erected it, into the possession of the Gentiles, into the land of Canaan, which had long been in the possession of the devoted nations whom God drove out before the face of our fathers. And why may not God set up his spiritual temple, as he had done the material tabernacle, in those countries that were now the possession of the Gentiles? That tabernacle was brought in by those who came with Jesus, that is, Joshua. And I think, for distinction sake, and to prevent mistakes, it ought to be so read, both here and Heb 4:8. Yet in naming Joshua here, which in Greek is Jesus, there may be a tacit intimation that as the Old Testament Joshua brought in that typical tabernacle, so the New Testament Joshua should bring in the true tabernacle into the possession of the Gentiles. 6. That tabernacle continued for many ages, even to the days of David, above four hundred years, before there was any thought of building a temple, Act 7:45. David, having found favour before God, did indeed desire this further favour, to have leave to build God a house, to be a constant settled tabernacle, or dwelling-place, for the Shechinah, or the tokens of the presence of the God of Jacob, Act 7:46. Those who have found favour with God should show themselves forward to advance the interests of his kingdom among men. 7. God had his heart so little upon a temple, or such a holy place as they were so jealous for, that, when David desired to build one, he was forbidden to do it; God was in no haste for one, as he told David (Sa2 7:7), and therefore it was not he, but his son Solomon, some years after, that built him a house. David had all that sweet communion with God in public worship which we read of in his Psalms before there was any temple built. 8. God often declared that temples made with hands were not his delight, nor could add any thing to the perfection of his rest and joy. Solomon, when he dedicated the temple, acknowledged that God dwelleth not in temples made with hands; he has not need of them, is not benefited by them, cannot be confined to them. The whole world is his temple, in which he is every where present, and fills it with his glory; and what occasion has he for a temple then to manifest himself in? Indeed the pretended deities of the heathen needed temples made with hands, for they were gods made with hands (Act 7:41), and had no other place to manifest themselves in than in their own temples; but the one only true and living God needs no temple, for the heaven is his throne, in which he rests, and the earth is his footstool, over which he rules (Act 7:49, Act 7:50), and therefore, What house will you build me, comparable to this which I have already? Or, what is the place of my rest? What need have I of a house, either to repose myself in or to show myself? Hath not my hand made all these things? And these show his eternal power and Godhead (Rom 1:20); they so show themselves to all mankind that those who worship other gods are without excuse. And as the world is thus God's temple, wherein he is manifested, so it is God's temple in which he will be worshipped. As the earth is full of his glory, and is therefore his temple (Isa 6:3), so the earth is, or shall be, full of his praise (Hab 3:3), and all the ends of the earth shall fear him (Psa 67:7), and upon this account it is his temple. It was therefore no reflection at all upon this holy place, however they might take it, to say that Jesus should destroy this temple, and set up another, into which all nations should be admitted, Act 15:16, Act 15:17. And it would not seem strange to those who considered that scripture which Stephen here quotes (Isa 66:1-3), which, as it expressed God's comparative contempt of the external part of his service, so it plainly foretold the rejection of the unbelieving Jews, and the welcome of the Gentiles that were of a contrite spirit into the church.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 42–50. Public domain.
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John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on Acts 17
"Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool." Nay, not even these are worthy of God, forasmuch as they are made, seeing they are creatures, the works of His hand. See how he leads them on by little and little (showing) that not even these are to be mentioned. And again the prophecy says openly, "What house will ye build Me?" etc.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on Acts 17
"Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in (places) made with hands." This was shown indeed already by what had been before said: but it is shown also by the voice of a prophet; "What house will ye build for Me? saith the Lord God. As saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build for me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?"
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Acts
Or what is the place of my rest? Not a golden or marble earthly dwelling place, but as the Prophet follows: Upon whom does my Spirit rest, if not upon the humble and quiet one, who trembles at my words (Isaiah LXVI)?
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Acts
Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. This is not to be understood carnally, as if God has members placed in heaven and on earth, as we do when we sit, but to indicate that he is within and above all, he claimed that heaven is his throne and the earth his footstool. To show that he encompasses everything, elsewhere he declares that he measures the heavens with his palm, and the earth he encloses with a handful. Spiritually, however, heaven suggests the saints, and the earth the sinners, because God inhabits and presides over the former while condemning and casting down the latter.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
In Acts 7:49, Stephen, in his powerful defense before the Sanhedrin, quotes from Isaiah 66:1-2 to assert God's absolute transcendence and uncontainable nature. This declaration directly challenges the prevailing Jewish emphasis on the Jerusalem Temple as the exclusive dwelling place of God, highlighting that the Creator of the universe cannot be confined or adequately housed by any structure made by human hands, no matter how grand. It underscores God's boundless sovereignty over all creation and His desire for a worship that extends beyond physical confines.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Acts 7:49 is a pivotal statement within Stephen's lengthy and impassioned sermon before the Jewish high council, a speech that ultimately led to his martyrdom. Following a sweeping historical review of Israel's relationship with God, Stephen culminates his argument by critiquing the Sanhedrin's misplaced focus on the physical Temple. He systematically demonstrates how God's presence was with His people throughout their history—from Abraham's nomadic life, through Moses in the wilderness, and even before the Temple's construction—often apart from a fixed, human-made sanctuary. This verse, immediately following Stephen's declaration that God does not dwell in temples made with hands, serves as a direct, prophetic indictment of their temple-centric theology, implying that their reverence for the physical structure had eclipsed their understanding of God's infinite nature and true spiritual worship.
Historical & Cultural Context: Stephen's words directly confronted the deeply ingrained religious and cultural norms of first-century Judaism, particularly the profound reverence for the Jerusalem Temple. For many Jews, the Temple was not merely a building but the very locus of God's presence on earth, the place where sacrifices were offered, and atonement was made. The Sadducees, who dominated the Sanhedrin, derived significant power and authority from their control over Temple operations. Stephen, a Hellenistic Jew, challenged this established order by asserting that God's presence was not limited to this sacred edifice. His argument, rooted in the prophets, implied that their focus on the physical structure had become a form of idolatry, overshadowing the spiritual reality of God's omnipresence and His desire for a living relationship. This challenge was perceived as blasphemy against the Temple and the Law, inciting the wrath of his accusers.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Stephen's speech and the book of Acts. Foremost is the theme of God's Transcendence and Omnipresence, asserting that God is infinitely greater than any human construct and cannot be contained by physical boundaries. It also highlights a Critique of Religious Formalism and Materialism in Worship, challenging the notion that God is more present or better served in a physical building than in the hearts and lives of His people. Stephen's argument, echoing prophetic traditions (such as Isaiah 66:1-2), emphasizes that true worship is not about the edifice but about the spirit and truth. Furthermore, the imagery reinforces Divine Sovereignty, portraying God as the supreme ruler over all creation, whose authority extends from the highest heavens to the lowest parts of the earth, as even King Solomon acknowledged when dedicating the first temple.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Stephen's quotation of Isaiah 66:1-2 is rich in literary devices that amplify its theological impact. The most prominent is Metaphor, where "Heaven is my throne" and "earth is my footstool" are not literal descriptions but symbolic representations of God's absolute sovereignty, universal dominion, and infinite power. The throne signifies ultimate authority, and the footstool implies complete subjugation and control, illustrating that all creation is subservient to His will. This imagery also employs Anthropomorphism, attributing human-like physical attributes (a throne, a footstool) to God to make His majestic and uncontainable nature comprehensible to human understanding, without literally confining Him. Furthermore, the verse employs Rhetorical Questions ("what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?"). These questions are not posed to elicit information but to make a forceful point: no human construction can contain or adequately house the infinite God. They challenge the listeners' assumptions and highlight the profound gap between human limitations and divine boundlessness. Finally, the entire passage functions as a direct Quotation/Allusion to the prophet Isaiah, lending prophetic authority and weight to Stephen's argument and demonstrating its continuity with Israel's sacred texts.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Acts 7:49 stands as a profound theological statement on God's transcendence and omnipresence, challenging any notion that the Creator can be confined to a physical structure. It asserts that God's dwelling is not limited by human architecture, but rather His sovereign presence fills the entire cosmos. This verse critiques a religious formalism that prioritizes physical temples over a spiritual relationship with God, emphasizing that true worship is not about location but about the heart and spirit. It foreshadows the New Covenant understanding where God's presence is primarily found not in buildings, but in the community of believers and in the individual hearts of those who follow Him.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Acts 7:49 serves as a timeless reminder that our worship and relationship with God are profoundly spiritual, transcending any physical location or ornate structure. While church buildings are valuable for community, fellowship, and teaching, this verse redirects our focus from the external to the internal. It challenges us to consider where we truly seek God's presence and how we define "sacred space." God's true dwelling is not in temples made with hands, but in the hearts of those who believe and in the gathered assembly of His people, the Church. This truth encourages us to cultivate a deep, personal devotion, recognizing God's omnipresence in every aspect of our lives – at home, at work, and in our daily interactions. It calls us to live lives that are continually offered as spiritual sacrifices, honoring God not just in designated places or times, but in every moment, allowing our entire existence to become a sanctuary for His Spirit.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does Stephen quote Isaiah 66:1-2 in his defense before the Sanhedrin?
Answer: Stephen quotes Isaiah 66:1-2 to challenge the Sanhedrin's prevailing temple-centric theology and to demonstrate that God's presence is not confined to the Jerusalem Temple. By citing this prophetic passage, Stephen emphasizes God's transcendence and omnipresence, arguing that the Creator of the universe cannot be contained by any human-made structure. This was a direct rebuke to the Jewish leaders who had placed excessive importance on the physical Temple, suggesting that their focus on the building had obscured their understanding of God's boundless nature and His desire for a spiritual relationship. Stephen's historical recounting in Acts 7 consistently highlights God's interaction with His people outside of a fixed temple, from Abraham to Moses, reinforcing this point.
Does this verse mean that physical church buildings are unnecessary or that gathering in them is wrong?
Answer: No, Acts 7:49 does not negate the value of physical church buildings or the practice of gathering for worship. Instead, it critiques the limitation of God's presence to a building and the idea that a physical structure is essential for God to be worshiped or for His presence to be felt. The verse primarily emphasizes God's transcendence and the spiritual nature of true worship. Church buildings serve important purposes for the Christian community: providing a place for corporate worship, teaching, fellowship, and outreach. However, the core message is that God's true dwelling is not in structures made by human hands, but in the hearts of believers (1 Corinthians 6:19) and among His gathered people, the Church, which is the spiritual temple.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Acts 7:49, with its declaration of God's uncontainable majesty, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While the Old Testament temple symbolized God's presence among His people, Jesus Himself is the true and ultimate Temple, the very dwelling place of God on earth. As John proclaims, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, literally "tabernacled" among humanity, embodying God's presence in a way no physical building ever could. Jesus's pronouncement, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," referring to the temple of His body, signifies the obsolescence of the physical temple as the primary locus of God's presence. Through Christ's sacrificial death and resurrection, a new and living way to God was opened, not through a building, but through His body. Moreover, in the New Covenant, God's Spirit now dwells within believers, making each Christian a "temple of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 6:19) and collectively forming the spiritual house of God (1 Peter 2:5). This means that God's "rest" is now found not in an earthly edifice, but in His redeemed people, culminating in the heavenly Jerusalem where there will be no temple, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. Thus, Acts 7:49 points forward to Christ as the ultimate revelation of God's presence, inaugurating an era of worship in spirit and truth, unbound by physical location.