Keluaran 15:15

15:15 Then the chiefs of Edom will be terrified, ¹ 

trembling will seize ²  the leaders of Moab,

and the inhabitants of Canaan will shake.

Keluaran 18:15

18:15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire ³  of God.

Keluaran 18:20

18:20 warn ⁴  them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk ⁵  and the work they must do. ⁶ 

[15:15]  ¹ tn This is a prophetic perfect.

[15:15]  ² tn This verb is imperfect tense.

[18:15]  ³ tn The form is לִדְרֹשׁ (lidrosh), the Qal infinitive construct giving the purpose. To inquire of God would be to seek God’s will on a matter, to obtain a legal decision on a matter, or to settle a dispute. As a judge Moses is speaking for God, but as the servant of Yahweh Moses’ words will be God’s words. The psalms would later describe judges as “gods” because they made the right decisions based on God’s Law.

[18:20]  ⁴ tn The perfect tense with the vav (ו) continues the sequence of instruction for Moses. He alone was to be the mediator, to guide them in the religious and moral instruction.

[18:20]  ⁵ tn The verb and its following prepositional phrase form a relative clause, modifying “the way.” The imperfect tense should be given the nuance of obligatory imperfect – it is the way they must walk.

[18:20]  ⁶ tn This last part is parallel to the preceding: “work” is also a direct object of the verb “make known,” and the relative clause that qualifies it also uses an obligatory imperfect.