Acts 7 47

Acts 7:47 kjv

But Solomon built him an house.

Acts 7:47 nkjv

But Solomon built Him a house.

Acts 7:47 niv

But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

Acts 7:47 esv

But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

Acts 7:47 nlt

But it was Solomon who actually built it.

Acts 7 verses

Acts 7 47 Meaning

Acts 7:47 states that "But Solomon built Him a house." This verse, part of Stephen's extensive defense, refers to King Solomon's construction of the first Temple in Jerusalem, dedicated to the worship of God. It highlights a pivotal moment in Israel's history when God's dwelling place transitioned from the mobile Tabernacle to a fixed, grand edifice, while also setting the stage for Stephen's subsequent point about God not being confined to man-made structures.

Acts 7 47 Context

Acts 7:47 is part of Stephen's monumental speech to the Sanhedrin, which spans from Acts 7:2-53. This discourse reviews the history of Israel, from Abraham to Solomon, focusing on God's progressive revelation and Israel's consistent disobedience. Stephen systematically builds an argument demonstrating that God's presence was never exclusively confined to the Temple in Jerusalem. He first highlights God's appearances to Abraham in Mesopotamia, then the wilderness Tabernacle's mobility and divine origin. Verse 47 specifically contrasts Solomon's building of a 'house' for God with David's desire (Acts 7:46), setting up the powerful culmination in verse 48, where Stephen explicitly states that "the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands." This challenged the rigid temple-centric theology of the Jewish leadership, who believed God was confined to, or best honored within, their physical Temple structure, and found their identity heavily tied to it. Stephen's argument prepares the audience to understand God's omnipresence and the eventual shift from a physical temple to a spiritual dwelling in Christ and His followers.

Acts 7 47 Word analysis

• But (Greek: de): This conjunction serves as a mild adversative or transition. Here, it signifies a logical continuation but also introduces a subtle shift from David's desire (v. 46) to Solomon's action. It subtly hints at the different natures of David's longing for God's presence and Solomon's actual construction of a physical house.
• Solomon (Greek: Solomon): Refers to the son of King David, known for his wisdom, wealth, and particularly, his role in constructing the first permanent Temple in Jerusalem. His name literally means "peaceful." Stephen introduces Solomon as the one who completed the long-held aspiration for a fixed sanctuary.
• built (Greek: oikodomēsen, aorist active indicative of oikodomēō): This verb means "to build a house" or "to construct." The aorist tense indicates a completed action in the past, emphasizing the definitive physical act of construction. The word implies human agency and labor, preparing the contrast with God's transcendence in the subsequent verse.
• him (Greek: autō, dative case of autos): Refers to God. The dative case implies "for Him" or "in honor of Him." It signifies the intention behind the building – that it was purposed for God, though Stephen will qualify the efficacy of such a physical structure in truly containing God.
• a house (Greek: oikon, accusative of oikos): This word primarily means "a house" or "a dwelling." In this context, it unequivocally refers to the Temple in Jerusalem, understood by the Jewish people as God's specific dwelling place on Earth. The use of "house" (singular) emphasizes it as a single, monumental edifice, distinct from the portable tabernacle. It can also signify a "household" or "family," which, in the broader theological context of the Temple, pointed to the dwelling of God among His people, the family of Israel.

Words-group analysis:

• "But Solomon built Him a house": This phrase directly attributes the construction of the Temple to Solomon, emphasizing human initiative and accomplishment. It stands in contrast to the Tabernacle, whose specific design and construction were divinely ordained and detailed. While Solomon built, God transcended. Stephen acknowledges this historical fact, even as he pivots to undermine the exclusive sacredness ascribed to the man-made structure. The significance here lies in drawing a clear line from a human King building a structure for God, setting up the logical flow that follows: "but the Most High does not dwell in structures made by human hands" (Acts 7:48).

Acts 7 47 Bonus section

Stephen's precise phrasing regarding Solomon building "a house" for God aligns with the Chronicler's theology, which emphasizes the temple's significance more so than the Deuteronomistic history (Books of Kings). Yet, Stephen takes this Chronicler perspective and elevates it with an overarching theological truth about God's transcendence, effectively using the historical fact to demonstrate a more profound, eschatological reality of God's dwelling not in brick and mortar but spiritually. This foreshadows the shift from a localized worship center to the omnipresent Spirit of God and ultimately, the dwelling of God within the community of believers—the church as the living Temple. The deliberate mentioning of David's desire first in verse 46, before Solomon's action in verse 47, emphasizes the divinely sanctioned but ultimately humanly limited nature of even the holiest Old Covenant structures.

Acts 7 47 Commentary

Acts 7:47 serves as a crucial historical pivot within Stephen's speech, connecting the wilderness Tabernacle era to the more familiar Temple era. Stephen acknowledges the fulfillment of David's desire and God's prophecy regarding Solomon's role in building the Temple. By stating "But Solomon built him a house," Stephen confirms the widely accepted Jewish understanding of the Temple's origin. However, this seemingly innocuous statement is pregnant with tension. The "house" built by Solomon, though grand and revered, was nonetheless "made by human hands" (implied, and directly stated in v. 48).

This verse, therefore, subtly sets the stage for a profound theological challenge to his audience. It prepares for the declaration that God is not confined to such a structure, despite its glory and significance in Israelite history. Stephen highlights that God's presence had been manifested in diverse places and forms long before the Temple, from Abraham's sojourn to the portable Tabernacle. Thus, the Temple, while important, was never meant to be the ultimate or exclusive locus of God's presence. The historical accuracy of Solomon's achievement is acknowledged only to be transcended by a higher truth about God's omnipresent and uncontainable nature, leading towards the spiritual understanding of God's dwelling in the New Covenant through Christ. This subtle yet powerful reinterpretation was perceived as an assault on their cherished Temple-centric faith, igniting their rage against Stephen.