Moses, The First Judge in Scripture
Dr. Michelle Knight—associate professor Old Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School—is on the Holy Curiosity Podcast talking about Moses’s role as a judge.
Just a few days ago, my husband, Aaron, and I were discussing how rarely we think of Moses in this way. We often picture him as the great leader of Israel, the deliverer who led God’s people out of Egypt, or the prophet who spoke with God on Mount Sinai. But in reality, Moses was also the first judge mentioned in Scripture.
Michelle helped us zoom out to see the broader role of judges in the Bible. Their job was more than just settling disputes—they were community leaders, spiritual guides, and mediators of God’s will.
Moses: The First Judge
The concept of judges first appears in Exodus when we meet Moses. Every day, from morning until night, crowds would gather around him, seeking guidance. They came to Moses because they recognized that he had a unique connection with God. He was the one who discerned God’s will best, and when the law did not provide clear answers to their problems, Moses stepped in.
Michelle explained it this way:
“The law is so helpful for helping us see reality in a certain way, but it’s not exhaustive. The people would come to Moses and say, ‘We’re having a dispute. We can’t sort this out among ourselves. Can you help us?’ And they specifically say they are coming to him for a word from God.”
Moses wasn’t just deciding legal cases—he was acting as a spiritual leader, bringing God’s wisdom to bear on everyday life. But as we quickly see, this job was too big for one man.
Jethro’s Wise Advice
In Exodus 18, Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, saw what was happening and stepped in with a crucial piece of advice.
“This isn’t sustainable,” Jethro told Moses. “You need help.”
Jethro proposed that Moses appoint other leaders to share the burden. These men would act as judges, handling the smaller cases while Moses focused on the bigger issues. This delegation of leadership introduced the first system of judges in Israel, a structure that would continue throughout the Old Testament.
Judges in Israel’s History
As Michelle pointed out, judges played a significant role in Israelite society. They worked alongside priests, officials, and elders to ensure that the people lived according to God’s ways. Judges were not merely legal authorities; they were spiritual leaders who discerned God’s will in difficult situations.
“The Levitical priests seem to be the ones that sort of train them in the Torah and those sorts of things,” Michelle explained. “But the judge, right alongside them, is helping handle specific problems.”
By the time we reach the Book of Judges, the role of judges had evolved. No longer just mediators of disputes, they became the leaders who stepped in during national crises—often military leaders raised up by God to deliver Israel from oppression. Figures like Deborah, Gideon, and Samson took on this role, serving as both warriors and spiritual guides.
A Different Kind of Judge
Today, when we hear the word judge, we often picture someone in a black robe, wielding a gavel in a courtroom. I picture the judges in the popular TV show, The Good Wife.
Michelle noted how different this was from the biblical reality:
“When we hear that they’re going to decide a case, we immediately shift into our modern mindset, expecting a courtroom setting. But in the biblical world, judges functioned differently. They were one of several types of community leaders responsible for ensuring that people had what they needed to walk in God’s ways.”
Their role was flexible, often overlapping with priests, prophets, and elders. The lines between these roles were sometimes blurry, but their ultimate purpose was clear: to guide God’s people and bring them back to Him.
Why Moses as a Judge Matters
Understanding Moses as a judge helps us see his leadership more fully. He wasn’t limited to a lawgiver or a prophet—he was a mediator, a shepherd, and a guide. His role foreshadowed the judges who would come after him, but even more importantly, it pointed toward the ultimate judge: Jesus.
Jesus, like Moses, came to bring justice and to lead people back to God. But while Moses appointed judges to share the burden, Jesus bore the full weight of justice on the cross. He is the final and perfect Judge, bringing not just temporary relief but eternal deliverance.
Listen to More on Holy Curiosity
I invite you to dive deeper by listening to my full discussion with Dr. Michelle Knight on Holy Curiosity. She brings incredible insight into Moses' leadership and the role of judges throughout Scripture.
Be sure to check out her book, The Prophet’s Anthem: The Song of Deborah and Barak in the Narrative of Judges, to enjoy more of her scholarship.
🎧 Subscribe, listen, and review the episode here → www.katarmstrong.com/podcast
Stay curious, y’all.
