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Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Exodus 18:15

The people came to enquire 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 God's laws: his place was but that of a servant.

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See also Exodus 18:15 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Exodus 18:15. _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 be...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    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...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 18 MOSES AND JETHRO _ 1. The coming of Jethro (Exodus 18:1)_ 2. Moses' and Jethro's communion (Exodus 18:6) 3. Jethro's advice (Exodus 18:13) 4. Moses' action ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    MOSES AS JUDGES EXODUS 18:13 (should begin a new paragraph) J, Exodus 18:14 a E, Exodus 18:14 b J, Exodus 18:15 E,...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    MOSES SAT TO JUDGE THE PEOPLE— Rather, which the context clearly proves to be the meaning, _to administer justice to the people._ The word שׁפט _shapat,_ says Cocceius, denotes, at large, all _regulat...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    THE TEXT OF EXODUS TRANSLATION 18 Now Je-thro, the priest of Mid-i-an, Mo-ses-' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Mo-ses, and for Is-ra-el his people, how that Je-ho-vah had brought Is...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND IT CAME TO PASS ON THE MORROW, THAT MOSES SAT TO JUDGE THE PEOPLE: AND THE PEOPLE STOOD BY MOSES FROM THE MORNING UNTO THE EVENING._ On the morrow ... Moses ... We are here presented with a spec...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE VISIT OF JETHRO 1. On the name JETHRO, see Exodus 2:16, and on MIDIAN, Exodus 2:15....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    TO ENQUIRE OF GOD] This phrase is explained by the words that follow at the end of the next v., I DO MAKE _THEM_ KNOW THE STATUTES OF GOD, AND HIS LAWS: cp. 1 Samuel 9:9. Already we see that the decis...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    EXODUS: ISRAEL BECOMES A NATION THE *ISRAELITES LEAVE EGYPT EXODUS CHAPTER S 1 TO 18 _HILDA BRIGHT AND KITTY PRIDE_ CHAPTER 18 JETHRO’S VISIT – VERSES 1-12 V1 Jethro was the father of Moses’ w...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    Moses assigns two reasons for his conduct....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֥אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֖ה לְ חֹתְנֹ֑ו כִּֽי ־יָבֹ֥א

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    MOSES APPOINTS RULERS TO JUDGE ISRAEL Exodus 18:13 Jethro's frank acknowledgment of God's supremacy and lovingkindness was extremely beautiful. Oh, for more wisdom to discern, and humble reverence to...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here we have an interesting interruption of the main narrative. Jethro arrests our attention and compels recognition of certain facts which we are liable to forget, as also were the Israelites of old....

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    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....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Reader, carry on in your mind the typical representation here made of the Lord Jesus, remember those sweet scriptures, John 14:6; John 14:6....

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    There is hardly a book of the Old Testament that stands out in more decided contrast with the book of Genesis than the one which follows it most closely. And this is the more striking, because God emp...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    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 th...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Up to this all was grace, though there were dependence and conflict. The murmurs of the people had only served to shew the riches of the grace of God, who displayed His sovereignty in giving them all...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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 thi...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _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 t...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Iethro bringeth to Moses his wife and two sonnes. 7 Moses entertaineth him. 13 Iethros counsell is accepted. 27 Iethro departeth. 1 WHEN [NOTE: Leviticus 2:16.] Iethro the Priest of Midian, Mose...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    JETHRO'S ADVICE TO MOSES...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Moses said unto his father-in-law, Because the people come unto me to inquire of God. Moses was God's ambassador to the people, God's visible representative, and so the people came to him for divi...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    FIFTH SECTION The journey through the wilderness to Sinai. Want of water. Marah. Elim. The Wilderness of Sin. Quails. Manna. Rephidim (Massah and Meribah). The Amalekites. Jethro and his advice, a hu...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    MOSES RECEIVING JETHRO (vs.1-12) Apparently Moses took his wife Zipporah and Gershom, his son, to Egypt when he returned there at God's call (ch.4:24-26). Likely his second son Eliezer, was born in E...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    13-27 Here is the great zeal and the toil of Moses as a magistrate. Having been employed to redeem Israel out of the house of bondage, he is a further type of Christ, that he is employed as a lawgive...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary 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. 1 SAMUEL 9:9....

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    We here arrive at the close of a very marked division of the book of Exodus. We have seen God, in the exercise of His perfect grace, visiting and redeeming His people; bringing them forth out of the l...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Exodus 18:15 Moses H4872 said H559 (H8799) father-in-law H2859 (H8802) people H5971 come H935 (H8799) inquire...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    JETHRO ADVISES MOSES ON HOW TO JUDGE THE PEOPLE AND MOSES ACTS ON HIS ADVICE (EXODUS 18:13). a On the next day Moses acts as judge for Israel and the people stand around him from morning until evenin...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Moses joined by his wife and children. Judges selected to solve the problems of the people. CHARACTERS: God, Moses, Aaron, Jethro, Zipporah, Gershom, Eliezer. CONCLUSION: Telling of God's...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Exodus 18:5. _Jethro came to Moses at the mount of God._ Horeb and Sinai, where God resided in glory, wrought miracles, and published his law. It would seem that Jethro stayed with Moses till the law...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Moses sat to Judge the people._ LESSONS 1. God’s providence joins work to sacrifice, and His servants do unite them. 2. The morrow brings its own work from God unto His servants, not every day the...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 18:1 JETHRO, THE PRIEST OF MIDIAN, MOSES’ FATHER-IN-LAW (see Exodus 3:1;...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EXODUS—NOTE ON EXODUS 18:13 Jethro upholds Moses’ role as the one through whom Israel would KNOW THE STATUTES OF GOD AND HIS LAWS (v. Exodus 18:16). He helps Moses f

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Exodus 18:27. Moses let his father-in-law depart.] The departure of Jethro may or may not have taken place prior to the law-giving from Sinai. It is quite possible, as Kalisch suggest...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JETHRO'S ADVICE TO MOSES, AND ITS ADOPTION. The office of ruler in ancient times, whether exercised by a king, a prince, or a mere chieftain, was always understood to include within it the...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now when Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law (Exodus 18:1), But the same Hebrew word could be translated "brother-in-law", for we remember earlier, he was called "Reuel"; the father-in-...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    to enquire Exodus 18:19 Exodus 18:20 Leviticus 24:12 Numbers 15:34...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    GIVING THE GLORY TO GOD Exodus 18:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS How fittingly does our chapter open: "When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and f...

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