The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 89

EXPOSITION. Vers. 13---26.-JETHRO'S ADVICE TO MOSES, reflection, Moses accepted this course !IS the AND ITS ADOPTION. The office of ruler in best open to him under the circumstances, nod ancient times, whether exercised by a king, a established a multiplicity of judges, under a prince, or a mere chieftain, was always under- system which will be discussed in the com- stood to include within it the office of judge. ment on verse 25. In the Greek ideal of the origin of kingly Ver. 13.---0n the morrow. The dnv after government (Herod. i. 96), the able discharge J ethro's arrival. Moses eat to judge the peo- of judicial functions marks the individual out ple. Moses, i. e., took his seat in 11D accustomed for sovereignty. The successors of Moses, like place, probably at the door of his tent, and was understood to be ready to hear and decide the chief rulers of Carthage, bore the title of causes. The people stood by Moses. A crowd "Judges" (shoph,,tim, wffet,,s). Moses, it ap- of complainants soon collected, and kept Moses pears, had from t.he time when he was accepted employed incessantly from the morning, wheo as leader by the people ( eh. iv. 29-31 ), re- he had taken his seat, until the evening, i.e., garded himself as bound to hear and decide until nightfall. It is conjectured that muny complaints may have a.risen out of the di vision all the causes and complaintB which a.rose of the spoil of the Amalekites. among the entire Israelite people. He had Ver. 14.-Why eittest thou thyself a.lone net delegated his authority to any one. This etc. A perverse ingenuity has discovered thtLt can scarcely have been because the idea had the emphatic words in this passage are "sittrst'' not occurred to him, for the Egyptian kings and "stand," J ethru having blamed Moses for humiliating the people by requiring them to ordinarily aecided causes by judges nominated stand up while he himself sut ! But the con- ad hoe. Perhaps he had distrusted the ability text makes it abundantly clear that what of his countrymen-so recently slaves-to dis- Jethro really blames, is Moses sitting alone charge such delicate functions. At any rate, and judging the whole people single-bandl'd. he had reserved the duty wholly to himself Ver. 15.-And Moses said .... Beca11Se the people come unto me, to inquire of God. 'fo (vcr. 18). This course appeared to Jethro inquire of God is certainly not n mere •· j,uidi- unwise. No man could, he thought, in the ca.l phrase," meaning to consult a judge ( Ktt- case of so great a nation, singly discharge such lisch), nor, on the other hand, is it necessarily an office with satisfaction to himself and others. "tu consult God through an oracle." It rnn- llfoses would "wear himself away" with the not, however, mean less than to seek a decisicin from some one regarded as entitled to speak fatigue ; and he would exhaust the patience of for God; nod it is certainly assigned by Moses the people through inability to keep pace with as the reason why he judged u.11 the causes the number of cases that necessarily arose. himself, and did not devolve the duty upon Jethro therefore recommended the appoint- others. Thev could uot be supposed to know ment of subordinate judges, and the reservation the miud of God as he knew it. Jethro, how- ever, points out, thll.t it is one t.hing to lay by Moses of not.hing but the right to decide down principlt•s, ll.Ud another to apply thc111. such cases ns these judges should, on account Moses 111igh( reserve (he legisla(i\'c fundiou- of their diflicult.y, refer to him (vcr. 22) On thc incukalion of priuciplcs-lu himself, auJ 92 THE BOOK OF EXODUS. [en. xvm. 13-26. --- ------------------------------- 10 still. "be for the people to Godward" (ver. they must do. The speciol task which each 18); but be might find "able men" among has to perform individually. the congregation, quite capable of applying Ver. 21.-Able men. Literally, "men of the principles. and delegate to them the judicial might"--i.e., of capacity or ability-men com- function (vers. 21, 22). petent for the office of judge; who a.re fwther Yer. 16.-Ijudge . . . and I do make them defined to be, such as possess the three qualibcs know the statutes of God. As the Israelites of piety, veracity, and strict hone.sty, or incor- were, up to this time, without any code of ruptness. J etbro's conception of the true ju- written laws, Moses took the opportunity fur- dicial character leaves little to be de.sired. If nished by such cases as came before him, to among every ten Israelites there was one such lay down principles of law. and enjoin them person, the moral condition of the nation can- upon the people ; thus making them to know not have been so much depressed by the the statutes of God and bis eternal unwritten Egyptian servitude as is sometimes repre- laws. Such a practice would not have been sented. Place such over them to be rulers of necessary aft er the giving of the law on Mount thousands, etc. A decimal organisation natu- Sinai : and its existence at the time of J ethro's rally presents itself to men's minds as the visit helps to fix that visit as occurring before simplest in a. simple state of society, and was the gi,·ing of the law. probably already in use among the Arab tribes Yer. 18.-The thing . . . is not good--i.e., with whom Jethro was familiar. The gradu- not expedient, and so not the right thing to ated series-rulers of tens, of fifties, of hun- do. It is a man ·s duty to have regard to his dreds, and of thousands, implies a power of health, and not unnecessarily overt.ask his three-fold appeal, from the "ruler of ten" to strength. the "ruler of fifty "-from him to the "ruler Ver. 18.-Thou wilt enrely wear away. of a. hundred "-and from him to the "ruler of Literally, "Wasting thou wilt waste away," a thousand." Whether there was an appeal 'l'hy strength, i.e., will not long hold out, if from the last-named to Moses, is doubtful. thou continuest this practice. Both thou, e.nd Probably there was not; Moses deciding those this people. The people's strength and patience cases only which the "rulers of thousands" ...-ill also fail, if, owing to the number of the re.served for him as being specially difficult or compl.a.ints, they have--some of them-to wait important. all day at the tribunal before they can obtain Ver. 22.-Let them judge the people at all a decision. sea.sons. Instead of occasional court-days, on Ver. 19.-l will give thee collIISel, e.nd God which Moses sat from morning to evening shall be with thee. Rather-" And may God bearing causes, judgments were to be givcu be with thee I " May God incline thine continually by the rulers of tens, fifties, etc., heart to accept my counsel and act upon it. the accumulation of untried causes being thus Be thou for the people to God-ward, etc. avoided, and punishment following promptly "Continue," i.e., as at present, to be the inter- on the committal of an offence. The elabor- mediary between God and the people-still be ately minute organisation was only suited for the whole and sole source of legislative power the period of the wanderings, and was of a. (,•er. 20 ), and still be the fount and origin of semi-military character, such as might have judicial authority; but commit the actual su.ited an army on the march When the decision of the lighter causes to others chosen Israelites became settled dwellers in Palestine, by thyself for the office (vers. 21, 22). The such a multiplicity of judges was unnecessary, sel'aration of the legislative and judicial func- and was discontinued. So shall it be easier. tions was well known in Egypt, where the Literally, "So make it easier." Coml'are kings alone made new l1iws (Herod. ii. 109, ver. 18. 136, 177, etc.), but causes were ordlllllJ'ily Ver. 23.-And God command thee so. determined by a. body of judges. Bring the Jethro does not suppose that Moses will take causes unto God. In difficult cases, Moses his advice without further consultation. He actuallv laid the cause before God, and ob- assumes that the matter will be laid by Mcses to.ined •directions from God as to the manner before God, and God's will learnt concerning in which he was to decide it. See Num. it. The entire narrative supposes that there xx-vii. 5-11. was some established means by which the Ver. 20.-Thou ehalt tea.eh them ordinances Israelite leader could refer a. matter to Jehovah and laws. Or, "statutes and laws," as in and obtain a. decision upon it. This con ver. 16. It is not quite clear how these differ. scarcely have been as yet the Urim and Sr,me regard '· statutes " as connected with Tbwnmim. Probably Moses held frequent n,I igion, and laws e.~ regulations with respect communication with Jehovah by means of iu civil and social matters. Othen; explain waking visions. Thou eha.lt be able to en- 1 Ji,- first as ·• specific " and the second as dure-i.e., "the work will not be too much .. ge11eral ena1ctmenis." The way wherein for thee-thou wilt be able to bear it." Thie they must walk. TLe general line of conduct people shall also go to their place in peaoe. wlrn:L all ,ue l,ouud to pursue. The work that The "place" intended would st•em lo l>d 011. xvur. 14-23.] 'l'IIE BOOK OF EXODUS. 93