Acts 7:27

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us?

American Standard Version (1901)

But he that did his neighbor wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

Bible in Basic English

But the man who was doing wrong to his neighbour, pushing him away, said, Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

Douay-Rheims 1899

But he that did the injury to his neighbour thrust him away, saying: Who hath appointed thee prince and judge over us?

Free Bible Version

But the man who had started the fight pushed Moses away. ‘Who put you in charge over us? Are you our judge now?’ he asked.

Geneva Bible 1599

But he that did his neighbour wrong, thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a prince, and a iudge ouer vs?

King James (Authorized) Version

But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

Plain English Version

But the man that started the fight pushed Moses away. He said, ‘Nobody said that you can be our boss or our judge.

Translation for Translators

But the man who was injuring the other man pushed Moses away and said to him, ‘◄No one appointed you (sg) to rule and judge us (exc)!/Do you (sg) think someone appointed you (sg) to rule and judge us (exc)?► [RHQ]

Unlocked Literal Bible

But the one who had wronged his neighbor pushed him away, and said, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?

Noah Webster Bible

But he that did his neighbor wrong, thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

World English Bible

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

Young's Literal Translation

and he who is doing injustice to the neighbour, did thrust him away, saying, Who set thee a ruler and a judge over us?

Context

The Rejection and Flight of Moses

²⁶The next day he came upon two Israelites who were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why are you mistreating each other?’²⁷But the man who was abusing his neighbor pushed Moses aside and said, ‘Who made you ruler and judge over us? ²⁸Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’

Summary

In Acts 7:27, Stephen recounts the story of Moses intervening in a conflict between two Hebrews, trying to reconcile them as brothers. However, the one in the wrong rejects Moses' intervention, revealing the rejection of Moses' leadership and authority. This rejection foreshadows the greater rejection of Jesus as the ultimate Deliverer and Savior by the people of Israel. The verse serves as a reminder of the tendency of humanity to resist God's chosen messengers and the consequences of rejecting God's appointed leaders.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

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 (a): 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; Num 16:3 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 (b), "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 Act 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.'' (a) Targum Jon. in Exod. ii. 14. Debarim Rabba, sect. 2. fol. 237. 1. (b) Shemot Rabba, ib.