Acts 7:42

But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Stephen addresses the Sanhedrin during his trial, recounting Israel’s wilderness rebellion to explain the council’s pattern of resisting God.

The words — ἔστρεψεν (estrepsen) and παρέδωκεν (paredōken) literally mean “turned away” and “delivered over,” denoting a judicial withdrawal of divine protection.

The thread — The quoted question appears in Amos 5:25, and the motif of God permitting idolatry as judgment runs through Ezekiel 20:39.

Why it lands — The text states that God actively handed Israel over to idol worship as a consequence of their ritual hypocrisy, requiring the reader to recognize that covenant loyalty demands exclusive devotion rather than empty ceremony.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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?

Cross-references

Amos 5:25 Did you bring Me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
Ezekiel 20:39 And as for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Lord GOD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you. But afterward, you will surely listen to Me, and you will no longer defile My holy name with your gifts and idols.
Jeremiah 19:13 The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled like that place, Topheth—all the houses on whose rooftops they burned incense to all the host of heaven and poured out drink offerings to other gods.”
Psalms 81:11 But My people would not listen to Me, and Israel would not obey Me.
Deuteronomy 4:19 When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
Job 31:26 if I have beheld the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
Isaiah 63:10 But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He turned and became their enemy, and He Himself fought against them.
Romans 1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity for the dishonoring of their bodies with one another.
Hebrews 3:15 As it has been said: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion.”
Joshua 24:20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, He will turn and bring disaster on you and consume you, even after He has been good to you.”