And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God:
15. to inquire of God ] i.e. to obtain from Him a legal decision. In early times judgement was a sacred act; legal decisions were regarded as coming from God, the judge being his representative, or mouthpiece (cf. v. 16 end) 1 [160] , accordingly ‘God’ is sometimes used, where we should say ‘judge’ (see on Exo 21:6). Perhaps in very primitive times the decision was given by the sacred lot (cf. the use of the Urim and Thummim in 1Sa 14:41 LXX. [see Kennedy’s note in the Century Bible, or DB. iv. 839 b ]; and the ‘breastplate of judgement,’ ch. Exo 28:15): but the same view of the nature of judgement prevailed, even after this method of obtaining it was given up, or only resorted to exceptionally. To inquire of (or seek) God ( ) in later times, means often to seek Him generally, in prayer and worship; but it means also, particularly in the early language, to resort to Him for the sake of obtaining an oracle, either in answer to some particular question, or, as here, a legal decision (LXX, ): see Gen 25:22 the answer follows in v. 23), 1Sa 9:9, 1Ki 22:8 , 2Ki 3:11; 2Ki 8:8 ; 2Ki 22:13; 2Ki 22:18, Jer 21:2 (so, of inquiring of the dead, or of heathen gods, 1Sa 28:7, 2Ki 1:2, Deu 18:11, Isa 8:19 al.).
[160] So in Homer, are spoken of as received by kings from Zeus ( Il. i. 239 ); and cf. Sir Henry Maine, Ancient Law, ch. 1.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
To enquire of God – The decisions of Moses were doubtless accepted by the people as oracles. The internal prompting of the Spirit was a sufficient guidance for him, and a sufficient authority for the people.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. The people come unto me to inquire of God] To know the mind and will of God on the subject of their inquiries. Moses was the mediator between God and the people; and as they believed that all justice and judgment must come from him, therefore they came to Moses to know what God had spoken.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. Of the mind and will of God, both as to his worship and service and as to their mutual duties to one another. 1Sa 9:9.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Moses said unto his father in law,…. In answer to his question; and there were two things, as Aben Ezra observes, he did to the people, and for which they came to him; the one is observed in this verse, and the other in the next:
because the people come unto me to inquire of God; of his mind and will in certain cases, and of his statutes and laws, as the following verse shows; what they should observe, and according to which they should conduct themselves: they came to inquire what God would have them to do; and, in doubtful cases, what was his will and pleasure, and to desire Moses to inform them; and if the things were of such a nature that he could not easily and readily do it, then to inquire of God for them, which in later times was done by Urim and Thummim.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
15. And Moses said unto his father-in-law. Moses replies ingenuously, as if on a very praiseworthy matter, like one unconscious of any fault; for he declared himself to be the minister of God, and the organ of His Spirit. Nor, indeed, could his faithfulness and integrity be called in question. He only erred in overwhelming himself with too much labor, and not considering himself privately, nor all the rest publicly. Yet a useful lesson may be gathered from his words. He says that disputants come “to inquire of God,” and that he makes them to know the statutes of God and His laws. Hence it follows that this is the object of political government, that God’s tribunal should be erected on earth, wherein He may exercise the judge’s office, to the end that judges and magistrates should not arrogate to themselves a power uncontrolled by any laws, nor allow themselves to decide anything arbitrarily or wantonly, nor, in a word, assume to themselves what belongs to God. Then, and then only, will magistrates acquit themselves properly:. when they remember that they are the representatives ( vicarios) of God. An obligation is here also imposed upon all private individuals, that they should not rashly appeal to the authority or assistance of judges, but should approach them with pure hearts, as if inquiring of God; for whosoever desires anything else except to learn from the mouth of the magistrate what is right and just, boldly and sacrilegiously violates the place which is dedicated to God.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(15, 16) Moses assigns two reasons for his conduct.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. The people come unto me to inquire of God They recognised Moses as their divinely chosen lawgiver and judge, and his decision in any given case would be of the nature of a divine oracle . If we understand that this event occurred soon after the first Sinaitic legislation, it has a force not otherwise so apparent . See especially note on next verse .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 18:15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:
Ver. 15. To inquire of God. ] For a divine sentence is in the mouth of the Judge: therefore also the place of judicature is called the holy place. Ecc 8:10 Let those that go to law inquire of God, and rest in his will.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
to inquire: Exo 18:19, Exo 18:20, Lev 24:12-14, Num 15:34, Num 27:5
Reciprocal: Exo 18:26 – the hard causes Num 9:6 – they came 2Ch 34:21 – inquire
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 18:15. The people came to inquire of God And happy was it for them that they had such an oracle to consult. Moses was faithful both to him that appointed him, and to them that consulted him, and made them know the statutes of God, and his laws His business was not to make laws, but to make known Gods laws: his place was but that of a servant.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
18:15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of {g} God:
(g) That is, to know God’s will, and to have justice executed.