Acts 7:44
in Acts 7Our 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Our 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.
KJV
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.
⋯
This verse in Acts 7
Commentary
11 notes on this verseOur fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony - The testimony was properly the two tables of stone, on which the ten commandments were written. Hence the ark which contained them is frequently called the ark of the testimony; and the whole tabernacle in this place.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
The tent of testimony, that is, of the commands of God, which was the tent of Moses shown by God on Mount Sinai. It was said to have been established by God so that they would have God as witness, because its explanation was on …
"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 he had seen." "But a Tabernacle," say you, "there was (the Tabernacle) 'of Witness.'" (Yes,) this is why it was: that they should have God for Witness: this was all. "According to the fashion," it says, "that was shown thee on the mount:" so that on the mount was the Original. And this Tabernacle, moreover, "in the wilderness," was carried about, and not locally fixed. And he calls it, "Tabernacle of witness:" i.e. (for witness) of the miracles, of the statutes. This is the reason why both it and those (the fathers) had no Temple.
Seest thou, how the holy place is there wherever God may be? For to this end also he says, "in the wilderness," to compare place with place. Then the benefit (conferred upon them): And our fathers that came after brought it in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David.
The Medieval Church2 voices
"The tabernacle of witness was with our fathers in the wilderness." They had it in order to have God as a witness. He calls it the tabernacle of testimonies, that is, of miracles and commandments. "As He who spoke to Moses commanded." The establishment of …
The tabernacle of testimony was with our fathers in the desert. Because they said he was acting against the holy place, here he shows that the Lord does not greatly esteem decorated stone but desires the splendor of heavenly souls. Where he wants it to …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness,.... The Ethiopic version adds, "of Sinai"; there it was that the tabernacle was first ordered to be built, and there it was built, and set up; which was a sort of a portable temple, in which Jehovah took up his residence, and which was carried from place to place: of it, and its several parts and furniture, there is a large account in Exo 25:
He applies this to those that prosecuted him, and sat in judgment upon him, sharply reproving them for their wickedness, by which they had brought upon themselves the ruin of their place and nation, and then could not bear to hear of it,
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
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].
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
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.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
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,” to the two tables of stone, or to the ark; all of which were “witnesses,” or “evidences” of God’s relation to them as their Lawgiver and guide, Exo 16:34; Exo 25:16, Exo 25:21; Exo 27:21; Exo 30:6, Exo 30:36; Exo 31:18, etc.; Num 1:50, Num 1:53. The two charges against Stephen were, that he had spoken blasphemy against Moses or his Law, and against the temple, Act 6:13-14. In the previous part of this defense 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 Act 7:44-46 and of the temple Act 7:47. According to the fashion ... - According to the pattern that was shown to him, by which it was to be made, Exo 25:9, Exo 25:40; Exo 26:30. As God showed him “a pattern,” it proved that the tabernacle had his sanction. Against that Stephen did not intend to speak.
The words behind it
24 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἡ | he | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σκηνὴ | skene | tabernacle | G4633 → | 20 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μαρτυρίου | marturiou | testimony | G3142 → | |
| ἦν | en | was | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| τοῖς | tois | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πατράσιν | patrasin | fathers | G3962 → | 410 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐρήμῳ, | eremo | wilderness, | G2048 → | 48 times |
| καθὼς | kathos | even as | G2531 → | 182 times |
| διετάξατο | dietaxato | had commanded | G1299 → | 16 times |
| ὁ | ho | the [One] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαλῶν | lalon | speaking | G2980 → | 294 times |
| τῷ | to | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Μωϋσῇ | mousea | to Moses | G3475 → | 78 times |
| ποιῆσαι | poiesai | to make | G4160 → | 569 times |
| αὐτὴν | auten | it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| κατὰ | kata | according to | G2596 → | 468 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τύπον | tupon | pattern | G5179 → | 15 times |
| ὃν | hon | that | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἑωράκει· | he'orakei | he had seen; | G3708 → | 60 times |
ἩThe
heG3588 →19766 times
σκηνὴtabernacle
skeneG4633 →20 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
μαρτυρίουtestimony
marturiouG3142 →
ἦνwas
enG1510 →2333 times
τοῖςthe
toisG3588 →19766 times
πατράσινfathers
patrasinG3962 →410 times
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
ἐρήμῳ,wilderness,
eremoG2048 →48 times
καθὼςeven as
kathosG2531 →182 times
διετάξατοhad commanded
dietaxatoG1299 →16 times
ὁthe [One]
hoG3588 →19766 times
λαλῶνspeaking
lalonG2980 →294 times
τῷ<the>
toG3588 →19766 times
Μωϋσῇto Moses
mouseaG3475 →78 times
ποιῆσαιto make
poiesaiG4160 →569 times
αὐτὴνit
autenG846 →5565 times
κατὰaccording to
kataG2596 →468 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
τύπονpattern
tuponG5179 →15 times
ὃνthat
honG3739 →1405 times
ἑωράκει·he had seen;
he'orakeiG3708 →60 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 8:5The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you…
it leads to
- Exodus 25:40
See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.
- Exodus 26:30
So you are to set up the tabernacle according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Colossians 2:17
These are a shadow of the things to come, but the body that casts it belongs to Christ.
- Hebrews 10:1
For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near…
- Exodus 27:8
Construct the altar with boards so that it is hollow. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain.
- Exodus 25:40
Through
Exodus 25:40See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.
it leads to
- Hebrews 8:5
The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you…
- Numbers 8:4
This is how the lampstand was constructed: it was made of hammered gold from its base to its blossoms, fashioned according to the pattern the LORD had shown Moses.
- Hebrews 8:5
Through
Hebrews 8:2and who ministers in the sanctuary and true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.
it leads to
- Exodus 33:7
Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it at a distance outside the camp. He called it the Tent of Meeting, and anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the Tent…
- Exodus 33:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies38
- Abraham
- Brit milah: circumcision on the eighth day
- Chaldea
- Circumcision of the Heart
- Egypt's Famine Years and the Land of Pharaoh
- Father, Forgive Them
Show the next 6 titles
Show the next 6 titles
- Types of Christ: Joseph and Joshua
- Joseph and the Tale of Two Brothers
- Joshua son of Nun
- Amos and the Courts at the Gate
- Love Your Enemies
- Mesopotamia
Show the next 6 titles
- Moses in the Bulrushes
- Mourning and Burial in Israel
- Outside the Camp
- Paul
- Prophet, Priest and King: The Threefold Office of Christ
- Scribes and the Sanhedrin
Show the next 6 titles
About Acts

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 17; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.
