John Calvin Commentary Acts 7:45

"Which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered on the possession of the nations, that God thrust out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;" — Acts 7:45 (ASV)

Which they brought in. This serves to underscore the rebelliousness of the nation: while the tabernacle continued with them, and they carried it wherever they went, they still could not be kept within the bounds of God’s covenant, but instead adopted strange and profane rites—namely, declaring that God dwelt among them, even though they were so far distant from Him and they drove Him out of the inheritance which he had given them. It also served this purpose that God beautified the tabernacle with various miracles, for its worthiness was established by the victories the Jews had gained, as appears in various places in sacred history. Therefore, they must have been very disobedient, since they repeatedly turned away from that worship which was approved in so many ways.

Until the days of David. Although the ark of the Lord remained for a long time in Shiloh, it had no permanent place until the reign of David (1 Samuel 1:3). For it was unlawful for people to erect a place for it; rather, it was to be placed in the location that the Lord had shown, as Moses often says. Nor did David himself, after taking it from the enemies, dare to bring it to the threshing floor of Araunah until the Lord had declared by an angel from heaven that this was the place he had chosen (2 Samuel 24:16).

And Stephen, not without good reason, considers this a special benefit from God: that the place was shown to David where the Israelites should afterward worship God. As David rejoices in the Psalm, as over something noteworthy: I was glad when they said unto me, We will go into the house of the Lord; our feet shall be stable in thy courts, O Jerusalem, (Psalms 132:3). The priesthood was joined with the kingdom; therefore, the stability of the kingdom is shown by the ark having a permanent resting place.

Therefore, it is said that David desired this so earnestly that he bound himself with a solemn vow: that he would not enter his house, nor allow his eyes any sleep, nor his temples any rest, until he found a place for the Lord and a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. Furthermore, the place was shown to David, but it was granted to Solomon to build the temple (1 Kings 5:7).