English Standard Version
Exodus 22:28
28"You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
Exodus 22:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
- New International Version (NIV)“Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
- New Living Translation (NLT)“You must not dishonor God or curse any of your rulers.
Context of Exodus 22:28
26If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, 27for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate. "You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people. 29"You shall not delay to offer from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me. 30You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: seven days it shall be with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.
Read all of Exodus 22Exodus 22:28 word by word
אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֹ֣א תְקַלֵּ֑ל וְנָשִׂ֥יא בְעַמְּךָ֖ לֹ֥א תָאֹֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 22:28
- Exodus 22:8If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor's property.
- Psalms 32:6Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.
- Psalms 82:1God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:
- Psalms 138:1I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;
- John 10:34Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'?
- Exodus 21:17"Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.
- 1 Samuel 24:6He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord's anointed."
- 1 Samuel 26:9But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless?"
- Ecclesiastes 10:20Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.
- Acts 23:3Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?"
- Romans 13:2Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
- 1 Peter 2:17Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
- 2 Peter 2:10and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones,
- Jude 1:8Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.
Commentaries on Exodus 22:28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28Thou shalt not revile the gods - Most commentators believe that the word gods here means magistrates. The original is אלהים Elohim, and should be understood of the true God only: Thou shalt not blaspheme or make light of [תקלל tekallel ] God, the fountain of justice and power, nor curse the ruler of thy people, who derives his authority from God. We shall ever find that he who despises a good civil government, and is disaffected to that under which he…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28The 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.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-31These laws deal with different situations about social responsibility. They are not arranged in clear groups or categories. These laws show that every part of life relates to obedience to God. Obedience to God is not limited to worship. It includes daily actions and relationships (see study note on 21:1–23:19).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2828. 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 (Ac 23:1-5).Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 22:28
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries