Exodus 18:15

15 Moses answered him. He said, "The people come to me to find out what God wants them to do.

Exodus 18:15 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 18:15

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.

Exodus 18:15 In-Context

13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve the people as their judge. They stood around him from morning until evening.

14 His father-in-law saw everything Moses was doing for the people. So he said, "Aren't you trying to do too much for the people? You are the only judge. And all of these people are standing around you from morning until evening."

15 Moses answered him. He said, "The people come to me to find out what God wants them to do.

16 Anytime they don't agree, they come to me. I decide between them. I tell them about God's rules and laws."

17 Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing isn't good.