Exodus 22:28 - Exposition

Law against reviling God, or rulers . It has been proposed to render Elohim here either

1 . "God;" or

2 . "The gods;" or

3 . "Judges."

The last of these renderings is impossible, since Elohim in the sense of "judges" always has the article. The second, which is adopted by the Septuagint and the Authorised Version, seems precluded by the constant practice of the most religious Jews, prophets and others, to speak with contempt and contumely of the false gods of the heathen. The passage must therefore be understood as forbidding men to speak evil of God. (Compare Le 24:15, 16.) Nor curse the ruler of thy people . Rather, "one exalted among thy people." The term is generally used of the heads of families ( Numbers 3:24 , Numbers 3:30 , Numbers 3:35 , etc.) and tribes ( Numbers 7:10 , Numbers 7:18 , Numbers 7:24 ,, etc.) in the Pentateuch. Later, it is applied to kings ( 1 Kings 11:34 ; Ezekiel 12:10 ; Ezekiel 45:7 , etc.). Our translators generally render it by "prince."