Acts 7:28

28 What wilt thou kyll me as thou dyddest the Egyptian yester daye?

Acts 7:28 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 7:28

Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday?
] That is, is it thy will? dost thou design to kill me? or, as in ( Exodus 2:14 ) "intendest" thou to kill me? In the Hebrew text it is, "wilt thou kill me, dost thou say?" that is, as Aben Ezra rightly interprets it, dost thou say so "in thine heart?" which is a much better observation than that of Jarchi's;

``from hence we learn, says he, that he slew him by the ineffable name:''

though this is the sense of some of their ancient doctors F3;

``"to kill me dost thou say?" it is not said, "dost thou seek?" but "dost thou say?" from whence you may learn, that the ineffable name was made mention of over the Egyptian, and he slew him.''

The word "yesterday" is added by Stephen, but with great truth and propriety, and is in the Septuagint version of ( Exodus 2:14 ) . The "as" here does not intend the manner of killing, whether by the fist or sword, or by pronouncing the word Jehovah, as Jarchi thinks, but killing itself, by whatsoever way; and the words were very spitefully said, on purpose to publish the thing, and to expose Moses to danger of life, as it did.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 Shemot Rabba, ib.

Acts 7:28 In-Context

26 And the next daye he shewed him selfe vnto the as they strove and wolde have set the at one agayne sayinge: Syrs ye are brethren why hurte ye one another?
27 But he that dyd his neghbour wronge thrust him awaye sayinge: who made ye a rular and a iudge amonge vs?
28 What wilt thou kyll me as thou dyddest the Egyptian yester daye?
29 Then fleed Moses at that sayenge and was a stranger in the londe of Madian where he begat two sonnes.
30 And when .xl. yeares were expired ther appered to him in the wyldernes of mounte Syna an angell of the Lorde in a flamme of fyre in a busshe.
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