King James Version

What Does Exodus 22:28 Mean?

“Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. gods: or, judges”

Context

If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down:

For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.

Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. gods: or, judges

Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me. the first: Heb. thy fulness liquors: Heb. tear

Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.

Read full chapter →

Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(28) **Thou shalt not revile the gods.—**The LXX. And Vulgate give the passage this sense; and so it was understood, or at any rate expounded, by Philo (*De Vit. Mos. *ii. 26) and Josephus (*Ant. Jud. *iv. 8, § 10), who boasted that the Jews abstained from reviling the gods of the nations. But the practice of the most pious Israelites in the best times was different (1Kings 18:27; Psalm 115:4-8; Psalm 135:15-18; Isaiah 41:29; Isaiah 44:9-20; Jeremiah 10:11-15, &c.). The gods of the heathen were uniformly, and with the utmost scorn. “reviled.” It has been suggested that the true meaning of *elohim *in this place is “judges” (Rosenmüller, Zunz, Herxheimer); but to have that sense, the word requires the article. It is best, therefore, to translate by “God,” as is done by De Wette, Knobel, Keil, Kalisch, Canon Cook, &c., and to understand the entire passage as intended to connect the sin of cursing a ruler with that of reviling God, the ruler being regarded as God’s representative.

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Exodus. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Exodus 22:28 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.