Acts 7:27

27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a prince 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 for he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God was to give them saving health by his hand, but they had not understood.
26 And the next day he showed himself unto them as they strove and urged them to peace, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?
27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?
28 Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday?
29 Then Moses fled at this word and became a sojourner in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010