What's easily missed is that "Joshua" (Jesus in Greek) is used here not just as a historical figure, but as a subtle echo of the Savior's name, linking the conquest of Canaan to a greater conquest. Stephen highlights that the Tabernacle, representing God's presence, was brought into the land while the nations were still being displaced, underscoring that God's people entered their inheritance through divine action, not just their own strength.
Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. But it was Solomon who built a house for him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Stephen is recounting the history of God's presence with Israel, emphasizing that the Tabernacle, not a temple, was the initial dwelling place God appointed. He explains that after the Israelites received the Tabernacle from Moses, their descendants brought it into the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership, dispossessing the Canaanite nations. This continued until the time of David, who then desired to build a more permanent house for God.
Did you catch that? Stephen uses the name 'Jesus' here, but he's actually talking about the Old Testament hero Joshua! What's the big deal?
The Echo of a Savior
Stephen is making a powerful connection in his defense. He refers to the conquest of Canaan by Joshua, but uses the Greek form of his name, which is the same as the name Jesus.
The Ark of the Covenant wasn't always settled. It traveled for centuries! What does this movement tell us about God and His people?
More Than a Building
Stephen traces the journey of the Tabernacle, God's dwelling place among His people, from the wilderness into the Promised Land, and eventually to the time of David.
Ask a follow-up
God 'drove out' the nations. What does this forceful language reveal about God's plan and His people's role?
Divine Sovereignty and Human Action
Stephen's description of God driving out the nations is significant. It underscores God's ultimate authority and His active role in fulfilling His promises.
Understand the original words
exōthēsen · Greek Verb
The act of driving out or displacing inhabitants from a land. In the context of Israel, it is the act of claiming the Promised Land under God’s authorization as judgment upon the wicked nations.
charin · Greek Noun
Divine grace, graciousness, or acceptance granted by God to an individual. It implies God's benevolent choice to look upon a person with kindness.
Theō Iakōb · Hebrew/Greek Proper Noun Phrase
Refers to God in His role as the God of the covenant, specifically referencing the patriarch Jacob/Israel. It emphasizes God's personal connection to the history and promises made to the ancestors of Israel.
skēnōma · Greek Noun
A residence or home; in the OT/NT, often used to refer to the Temple or Tabernacle as the place where God's presence dwells among His people.
Stephen emphasizes that the Tabernacle, a symbol of God's presence, accompanied Israel from the wilderness into the Promised Land under Joshua, remaining a central point of worship until David's time, highlighting that God's presence wasn't initially tied to a permanent stone structure.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Israelites enter Canaan under Joshua
Following Moses' death, Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land, conquering and dispossessing the native Canaanite peoples as God had commanded.
c. 1400 BC - 1010 BC
Tabernacle in the Promised Land
The Tabernacle, the portable sanctuary of God's presence, is set up in Canaan and moves with the tribes, serving as the central place of worship during the period of conquest and the early tribal settlements.
c. 1010 BC
David establishes Jerusalem as capital
King David captures Jerusalem and brings the Ark of the Covenant to the city, intending to build a permanent Temple for God, though he is not permitted to do so.
c. 1000 BC
Solomon begins Temple construction
David's son, Solomon, begins the construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem, fulfilling David's desire for a permanent dwelling for God's presence.
This passage describes the Israelites, led by Joshua (Jesus in Greek), crossing the Jordan River and entering the Promised Land, mirroring the 'bringing in' of the Tabernacle mentioned in Acts 7:45 as they dispossessed the nations.
2 Samuel 7:1-2This passage shows King David desiring to build a permanent house for God, which directly follows the period mentioned in Acts 7:45 ('unto the days of David') and sets the stage for Solomon's temple.
Psalm 78:55-56This Psalm recounts God giving the land of Canaan to Israel and driving out the nations, echoing Stephen's narrative in Acts 7:45 about God dispossessing the Gentiles before His people and the Tabernacle.
Hebrews 4:8This verse also uses the Greek form of Joshua's name ('Jesus') when referring to his leadership in bringing the people into the promised land, directly paralleling the usage in Acts 7:45 and highlighting the theme of God's provision and guidance.
ellicottActs 7:45: "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;"
(45) Brought in with Jesus. —This is, of course, as in Hebrews 4:8 , the “Joshua” of the Old Testament. It would, perhaps, have been better, as a general rule, to have reproduced the Hebrew rather than the Greek form of Old Testament names in the English version of the New. On the other hand, there is, in this i…
calvinActs 7:44-50: "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."
- Our fathers had the testimony of witness in the wilderness, like as he had appointed, speaking to Moses, that he should make it according to the form which he had seen: 45. Which tabernacle our fathers which succeeded brought with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, which God drove out before the face…
What's easily missed is that "Joshua" (Jesus in Greek) is used here not just as a historical figure, but as a subtle echo of the Savior's name, linking the conquest of Canaan to a greater conquest. Stephen highlights that the Tabernacle, representing God's presence, was brought into the land while the nations were still being displaced, underscoring that God's people entered their inheritance through divine action, not just their own strength.
Stephen is recounting the history of God's presence with Israel, emphasizing that the Tabernacle, not a temple, was the initial dwelling place God appointed. He explains that after the Israelites received the Tabernacle from Moses, their descendants brought it into the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership, dispossessing the Canaanite nations. This continued until the time of David, who then desired to build a more permanent house for God.
Stephen is recounting the history of God's presence with Israel, emphasizing that the Tabernacle, not a temple, was the initial dwelling place God appointed. He explains that after the Israelites received the Tabernacle from Moses, their descendants brought it into the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership, dispossessing the Canaanite nations. This continued until the time of David, who then desired to build a more permanent house for God.
"Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God o…" — What's easily missed is that "Joshua" (Jesus in Greek) is used here not just as a historical figure, but as a subtle echo of the Savior's name, linking the conquest of Canaan to a greater conquest. S…
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Last reviewed October 2026
