In the biblical context, lawgivers are individuals appointed by God to establish, communicate, and enforce His divine laws and commandments among His people. The role of a lawgiver is pivotal in guiding the moral, spiritual, and social conduct of the community, ensuring that the people live in accordance with God's will.

Moses as the Primary Lawgiver

Moses is the quintessential lawgiver in the Bible. He is chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage and to deliver the Law, which is foundational to the covenant between God and His people. The Law, often referred to as the Mosaic Law, is given at Mount Sinai and includes the Ten Commandments, as well as various civil, ceremonial, and moral laws. In Exodus 24:12, God instructs Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there, so that I may give you the stone tablets with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction."

Moses' role as a lawgiver is further emphasized in Deuteronomy 4:44-45: "This is the law Moses set before the Israelites. These are the testimonies, statutes, and ordinances that Moses proclaimed to them after they had come out of Egypt."

Other Biblical Lawgivers

While Moses is the primary lawgiver, other figures in the Bible also play significant roles in establishing and interpreting God's laws:

1. Joshua: As Moses' successor, Joshua is tasked with leading the Israelites into the Promised Land and ensuring adherence to the Law. Joshua 1:7-8 underscores the importance of the Law: "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go."

2. Samuel: As a prophet and judge, Samuel is instrumental in guiding Israel during a transitional period. He emphasizes obedience to God's commandments and warns against the consequences of disobedience (1 Samuel 12:14-15).

3. David: Although primarily known as a king, David contributes to the understanding and application of God's laws through his psalms, which often reflect on the beauty and righteousness of the Law (Psalm 19:7-11).

4. Ezra: A scribe and priest, Ezra plays a crucial role in the post-exilic period by re-establishing the Law among the returning exiles. Ezra 7:10 states, "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel."

The Law in the New Testament

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is seen as the fulfillment of the Law. He affirms the importance of the Law while also providing a deeper understanding of its spiritual intent. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus declares, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

The Apostle Paul further elaborates on the role of the Law in light of Christ's redemptive work. In Romans 3:31, he writes, "Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law."

Conclusion

Lawgivers in the Bible serve as vital instruments through which God communicates His will and establishes His covenant with His people. Their legacy is seen in the enduring influence of the Law on both Jewish and Christian traditions, shaping the ethical and spiritual framework of believers throughout history.

The Antiquity of Moses Proved by Greek Writers.
... too, as have no reference to our worship, that you may know that, of all your teachers,
whether sages, poets, historians, philosophers, or lawgivers, by far ...
/.../justins hortatory address to the greeks/chapter ix the antiquity of moses.htm

Conclusion.
... Again, and yet again, I beseech you: be good lawgivers [1720] to one another; continue
faithful counsellors of one another; take away from among you all ...
/.../barnabas/the epistle of barnabas /chapter xxi conclusion.htm

Prophets More Ancient than Greek Writers.
... the reign of Darius. But even the lawgivers themselves are all found to
have legislated subsequently to that period. For if one ...
/.../theophilus/theophilus to autolycus/chapter xxiii prophets more ancient than.htm

For These Reasons There was Plainly Wanting a Divine Revelation,
... were so fully persuaded that the great rules for the conduct of human life must
receive their authority from heaven, that their chief lawgivers thought it not ...
/.../vii proposition vii for these.htm

The Third Kingdom
... He does all this, sometimes by His immediate presence, and sometimes through the
agency of His inspired organs"lawgivers and generals, priests and prophets ...
/.../berkhof/new evangelism and other papers/the third kingdom.htm

The Real Nature and Purpose of the Old Testament
... The early narratives preserve the traditions of its origin; the lawgivers endeavored
to define its terms and the obligations that rested upon the people; the ...
/.../the origin and permanent value of the old testament/ii the real nature and.htm

Eternal Punishment not a Mere Threat.
... not so, God does not exist; or, if He exists, He cares not for men, and neither
virtue nor vice is anything, and, as we said before, lawgivers unjustly punish ...
/.../chapter ix eternal punishment not a.htm

Christ Compared with Socrates.
... For whatever either lawgivers or philosophers uttered well, they elaborated
by finding and contemplating some part of the Word. ...
/.../chapter x christ compared with socrates.htm

Reasons for Addressing the Greeks.
... is to be after the termination of this life, and which is announced not only by
our forefathers according to God, to wit the prophets and lawgivers, but also ...
/.../chapter i reasons for addressing the.htm

Plato's Knowledge of God's Eternity.
... For Diodorus says that he was the first of all lawgivers; the letters which belong
to the Greeks, and which they employed in the writing of their histories ...
/.../chapter xxv platos knowledge of gods.htm

Lawgivers (2 Occurrences)
...Lawgivers (2 Occurrences). Judges 5:9 My heart 'is' to the lawgivers of Israel,
Who are offering themselves willingly among the people, Bless ye Jehovah! (YLT). ...
/l/lawgivers.htm - 7k

Zebulun (46 Occurrences)
... The scribe who wielded it was the associate and assistant of the `lawgivers.'"
(Sayce). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ZEBULUN. ...
/z/zebulun.htm - 29k

Law-givers (2 Occurrences)
Law-givers. Lawgivers, Law-givers. Lawgiver's . Multi-Version Concordance ...
(BBE). Lawgivers, Law-givers. Lawgiver's . Reference Bible.
/l/law-givers.htm - 7k

Law-giver (5 Occurrences)
Law-giver. Lawgiver, Law-giver. Lawgivers . Multi-Version Concordance Law-giver
(5 Occurrences). ... (BBE). Lawgiver, Law-giver. Lawgivers . Reference Bible
/l/law-giver.htm - 7k

Governor (78 Occurrences)
... British and American) "chieftain") in Judah (Zechariah 9:7; Zechariah 12:5 f).
(2) choqeq (Judges 5:9; Judges 5:14, the King James Version margin"or lawgivers...
/g/governor.htm - 48k

Drawing (60 Occurrences)
... After thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples. Out of Machir came down lawgivers, And
out of Zebulun those drawing with the reed of a writer. (YLT). ...
/d/drawing.htm - 26k

Reed (41 Occurrences)
... After thee, Benjamin, among thy peoples. Out of Machir came down lawgivers, And
out of Zebulun those drawing with the reed of a writer. (YLT). ...
/r/reed.htm - 29k

Job (60 Occurrences)
... a little-known region Southeast of Palestine, on the borders of Edom; a place remote
from the ways of thinking peculiar to Israelite lawgivers, priests and ...
/j/job.htm - 62k

Education (4 Occurrences)
... During this period it was that writings of poets, lawgivers, prophets and sages
were brought together into one sacred collection of scrolls, known later as the ...
/e/education.htm - 40k

What is the meaning of the term “Shiloh”? Is it a Messianic prophecy? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Judeo-Christian ethic? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible mean by "an eye for an eye"? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus