Acts 7:43

Ye took up. Rather, “and ye took up.” This verse is a quotation, with a few variations, from Amos 5:26 as it appears in the LXX, which at this point is quite different from the Masoretic Hebrew text. The passage connects Israel’s unacceptable worship and their devotion to idols. In their wanderings Israel should have “taken up” only the tabernacle of the Lord, but too often they also “took up” the tabernacle, or tent, housing a heathen image.

Moloch. The Greek form of the name of the god variously known in the OT as Molech, Milcom, Malcham (see on Lev. 18:21; 20:2; Jer. 7:31). In these texts the worship of Molech is sternly prohibited. But the prohibition was in vain (see 2 Kings 16:2, 3; 23:10; Jer. 7:31; 32:35; Eze. 23:37; etc.).

Remphan. Textual evidence is divided (cf. p. 10) among the readings Rhemphan, Rhempham, Rhempha, Rhompha, Rhaiphan, and Rhephan. The LXX of Amos 5:26, from which this verse is taken, has Rhaiphan, which appears to have been taken as equivalent to the Hebrew Kywn, or Kiyyun (KJV, “Chiun”), supposed by many scholars to be a Hebrew term for the planet Saturn of which Rhaiphan was the Coptic, or Egyptian, name. But no Egyptian word similar to the Greek term is known. However, Amos, whom Stephen quotes, clearly condemns star worship. Hence Stephen stands fully justified in condemning the ancient Jews as idolaters.

Beyond Babylon. In Amos 5:26, from which the present verse is quoted, both the Hebrew and the LXX give “Damascus.” Up to the time of Amos, Syria, represented by Damascus, had been a serious enemy of both Israel and Judah. The Babylonian captivity had not then taken place, but as Stephen looks back, it is Babylon that stands out as the archenemy of the Jews, and doubtless for that reason he, by inspiration, substituted “Babylon” for “Damascus.” In vs. 37-43 Stephen has pointed out the apostasies of the Hebrews, who turned against God by turning against Moses, and in Stephen’s own day turned against God by turning against Jesus.