Acts 7:27

27 But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

Acts 7:27 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 7:27

But he that did his neighbour wrong
Who seems to be the same person whom Moses had defended the day before; and, according to the Jews, must be Dathan F1: the same

thrust him away;
from them, when he went to part them, and persuade them to be good friends:

saying, who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
which was very ungrateful, if he was the man he had delivered the day before; and very impertinent, since he did not take upon him to rule and judge, but only to exhort and persuade to peace and brotherly love: the language suits with the spirit of Dathan or Abiram; ( Numbers 16:3 Numbers 16:12 Numbers 16:13 ) This is thought to be said to him by way of contempt of him, as being a very young man: the words are thus commented on in one of the ancient commentaries of the Jews F2,

``R. Judah says, Moses was twenty years of age at that time: wherefore it was said to him, thou art not yet fit to be a prince and a judge over us, seeing one of forty years of age is a man of understanding. And R. Nehemiah says, he was forty years of age; (See Gill on Acts 7:23) and it was said to him, truly thou art a man, but thou art not fit to be a prince and a judge over us: and the Rabbans say, he said to him, art thou not the son of Jochebed, though they call thee the son of Bithiah? and dost thou seek to be a prince and a judge over us? it is known concerning thee what thou didst to the Egyptian.''


FOOTNOTES:

F1 Targum Jon. in Exod. ii. 14. Debarim Rabba, sect. 2. fol. 237. 1.
F2 Shemot Rabba, ib.

Acts 7:27 In-Context

25 He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn't understand.
26 "The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at shalom again, saying, 'Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one to another?'
27 But he who did his neighbor wrong pushed him away, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
28 Do you want to kill me, as you killed the Mitzrian yesterday?'
29 Moshe fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midyan, where he became the father of two sons.
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.