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And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God:
Exodus 18:15 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
  • BSB “Because the people come to me to inquire of God,” Moses replied.
  • NKJV And Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
  • NASB Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God.
  • NLT Moses replied, “Because the people come to me to get a ruling from God.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Moses explains that the people come to him to inquire of God. He served as the mediator of God's will.

Overview

Moses understands his role as bringing the people's matters before God and conveying his answers. This mediatorial function was central to his calling, but it had become overwhelming as the sole channel. Moses' role as mediator between God and the people anticipates the perfect mediation of Christ between God and humanity (1 Tim. 2:5).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 7

  • Num 15:34And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
  • Num 27:5And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.
  • Num 9:6And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:
  • Deut 17:8–13If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose;
  • Num 9:8And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you.
  • Lev 24:12–14And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them.
  • Exod 18:19–20Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Exodus videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Exodus 18:15YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ExodusMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.

How Exodus 18:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.