206 Kenneth D. Litwak (Isa 2,18; cf Isa 10,11; 31,7). Reflecting the same ideas as we have already seen in Isaiah 40–48 (19), Isaiah predicts that Moab’s idols (ta; ceiropoivhta aujth'") will not help her (Isa 16,12). Similar statements are made for Egypt (Isa 19,1) and Babylon (Isa 21,9). Isaiah mocks those who build and worship idols, i.e., things made with or by hand, epoihsan ceiropoivhta (Isa 46,6). Daniel also uses this term for idols j v (cf. Dan 5,4; 5,23; 6,28). In almost every use of this term in the Scriptures of Israel, the term ceiropoivhto" that literally means “something made with hands or by hand” is used metaphorically for idols. Since there are temples for the gods, but the true God does not, indeed cannot, dwell in a hand-made temple, and the true God cannot be represented by an idol (ceiropoivhto"), the Athenians worship God ignorantly. No one familiar with the Scriptures of Israel would miss echoes of these common scriptural themes and Luke’s audience would surely have heard these scriptural echoes regarding items built with the hands, all of which are inappropriate or insufficient for God. c) God is the Giver, not the Recipient: Acts 17,25 Paul continues to echo scriptural traditions in Acts 17,25. God has need of nothing but has in fact given to all creatures life and breath and all things. Paul’s wording, didou;" pa'si zwh;n kai; pnoh;n kai; ta; panta, is similar to that of Isa 42,5, didou;" pnoh;n tw/' law/' tw/' ejp∆ aujth'" v kai; pneu'ma toi'" patou'sin aujthvn. Ps 50,7-13, which states that if God wanted something, he would take it himself and needs nothing from any human parallels conceptually Paul’s statement that God is neither served by men nor needs anything from them. The creation account in Genesis states that God gave the breath of life to the first human (Gen 2,7), and that forms part of the echoed tradition in Paul’s speech. Acts 17,24-25 thus echoes scriptural motifs throughout, even though they may be presented in a manner that is accessible to Paul’s Gentile audience (20). d) God is Sovereign over Humans: Acts 17,26 Continuing intertextual echoes of Scripture, Paul asserts in Acts 17,26 that God has made from one human all humans, and placed them on the earth. God has established time periods and boundaries for people. Paul’s statement echoes the thought of Genesis 2,7-8, which (19) Most uses of ceiropoihvto" appear in Isaiah, and in each instance in Isaiah the word refers to idols. See PAO, New Isaianic Exodus, 195. (20) See further J. JERVELL, Die Apostelgeschichte (Göttingen 1998) 447.