Exodus 22:28

“Thou shalt not revile the gods, etc.] Meaning not the idols of the Gentiles, which they reckon gods, and worship as such; which is the sense of Philo, and some others, particularly Josephus f708, who, to curry favour with the Roman emperors given to idolatry, has from hence inserted the following among the laws given to Moses; “let no man blaspheme the gods, which other cities think are such, nor rob strange sacred places, nor receive a gift dedicated to any deity;” but this cannot be the sense of the text, being contrary to (<051202>Deuteronomy 12:2,3) nor can it be thought that care should be taken, lest the honour of the Heathen deities should be detracted from; but civil magistrates, the…”

“gods--a word which is several times in this chapter rendered "judges" or magistrates. the ruler of thy people--and the chief magistrate who was also the high priest, at least in the time of Paul (Act 23:1-5). Next: Exodus Chapter 23”

“The gods - Heb. אלהים 'ělôhı̂ym. See Exodus 21:6 note. Many take it as the name of God (as in Genesis 1:1), and this certainly seems best to represent the Hebrew, and to suit the context. Curse the ruler ... - See Acts 23:5. return to 'Top of Page'”

“Thou shalt not revile the gods - That is, the judges and magistrates. Princes and magistrates are our fathers, whom the fifth commandment obligeth us to honour, and forbids us to revile. St. Paul applies this law to himself, and owns that he ought not to speak evil of the ruler of his people, no, not though he was then his most unrighteous persecutor, Act 23:5. Exodus 22:29”

“the gods: or, judges, Exo 22:8, Exo 22:9; Psa 32:6, Psa 82:1-7, Psa 138:1; Joh 10:34, Joh 10:35 nor curse: Exo 21:17; Sa1 24:6, Sa1 24:10, Sa1 26:9; Ecc 10:20; Act 23:3, Act 23:5; Rom 13:2-7; Tit 3:1, Tit 3:2; Pe1 2:17; Pe2 2:10; Jde 1:8 Exodus 22:29”

“"Thou shalt not despise God, and the prince among thy people thou shalt not curse." Elohim does not mean either the gods of other nations, as Josephus, Philo, and others, in their dead and work-holy monotheism, have rendered the word; or the rulers, as Onkelos and others suppose; but simply God, deity in general, whose majesty was despised in every break of the commandments of Jehovah, and who was to be honoured in the persons of the rulers (cf. Pro 24:21; Pe1 2:17). Contempt of God consists not only in blasphemies of Jehovah openly expressed, which were to be punished with death ( Lev 24:11.), but in disregard of His threats with reference to the oppression of the poorer members of His…”