John 10:34

Is it not written, &c.— The Jews divided the Old Testament in various manners; sometimes, as we have before observed, into the writings of Moses, the Psalms, and the prophets; and at other times only into the law and the prophets; comprehending by the prophets, only the writings of those who were properly so called; but under the law, not only the five books of Moses, but likewise the Psalms, Proverbs, and historical books. Our Lord alludes to this latter division; for the words are found in Psalms 82:6. I have said, Ye are gods. The Jewish magistrates were God's deputies in an especial manner, because the people whom they governed were his peculiar people, and because in many instances they were expressly called by him to undertake the fatigues of government, and had an afflatus, or inspiration of the Spirit, for that end. Thus the high-priests derived their dignity from God, and were possessed of the Urim and Thummim, by which they inquired of the Lord; and for any of the people to rebel against the sentence of the high-priest or judge, pronounced by Urim, was justlyreckoned rebellion against God, and punished with death, Deuteronomy 17:8. When Moses chose the seventy elders to assisthim in the distribution of justice, God put his Spirit upon them, and they prophesied, Numbers 17:13. Joshua, who succeeded Moses by divine appointment, is said to have been a man in whom the Spirit was, Numbers 27:18. Many of the judges were raised up by God, and had his Spirit; and when Saul was anointed king, the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied, 1 Samuel 6:10. See on Psalms 82:6.