Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 7:47:
Uma: “But he didn’t permit him. It was his child named Salomo who later built the House of God.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “But the one who made a house for God was King Sulaiman.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However God did not permit David, because it was Solomon who built the house of God.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “But it was not David who built it but rather his child Solomon.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “God permitted that a house be built, but it was Solomom who was David’s son whom he permitted to build it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
The Hebrew, Latin and Greek that is transliterated as “Solomon” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “wise” referring to 1 Kings 3:12. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
As mentioned in the preceding verse, the word translated house may also mean “tent” and for that reason some commentators understand a contrast between what David asked and what Solomon built. These commentators would say that David asked to build God a temporary dwelling place, whereas Solomon built a permanent dwelling place, that is, a temple. If this conclusion is valid, then these two verses are a rebuttal on the part of Stephen against the very existence of the Jerusalem temple.
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
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