Lawgiver

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Isaiah 33:22 James 4:12 Genesis 49:10 Numbers 21:18 Psalm 60:7 Psalm 108:8 Deuteronomy 33:21  Isaiah 33:22 James 4:12 Psalm 9:21 2 7:89 nomotheteo   Exodus 24:12 Psalm 24:8 24:12 Psalm 26:11 Psalm 83:7 Psalm 118:1 Deuteronomy 17:10 Hebrews 7:11 John 7:19  John 1:17 Galatians 3:19

Christ is sometimes regarded as the “second Moses” or “second lawgiver,” though the New Testament does not expressly identify Him as such. Rather the New Testament designates Christ as the One who fulfills the law ( Matthew 5:17 ) or is the end of the law ( Romans 10:4; compare  Romans 7:4-6;  Romans 8:3-4 ). Christ does however set a new standard for judgment ( Matthew 5:21 ) and gives a new commandment ( John 13:34;  John 14:15 ,John 14:15, 14:21;  John 15:10 ,John 15:10, 15:12; 1John 2:3-4, 1 John 2:7-8 ).

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Lawgiver The word is found six times in the AV [Note: Authorized Version.] of the OT (  Genesis 49:10 ,   Numbers 21:18 ,   Deuteronomy 33:21 ,   Psalms 60:7;   Psalms 108:8 ,   Isaiah 33:22 ). The Heb. mÄ•chôqçq , which it translates, is from a root meaning to ‘cut’ or ‘engrave,’ and hence to ‘enact’ a law, afterwards to be engraved on the public archives. The Heb. word appears to have two meanings: (1) ‘ruler’; so in   Deuteronomy 33:21 , where RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] gives ‘ruler,’ and in   Isaiah 33:22 , where the parallelism shows the meaning ‘Jehovah is our judge, Jehovah is our lawgiver.’ (2) ‘Ruler’s staff’; so in   Genesis 49:10 , where the word is parallel to ‘sceptre,’ and in   Psalms 60:7;   Psalms 108:8 , where the RV [Note: Revised Version.] renders it ‘Judah is my sceptre.’

In the NT the word ‘lawgiver’ (Gr. nomothetçs ) is found once only (  James 4:12 ); there it is applied to God as ‘the lawgiver and judge,’ who is regarded as the Supreme Source of all law. Other passages (  Hebrews 7:11 ,   Romans 9:4 ) where kindred Gr. words are used, have a reference to the law of Moses, or, to be more exact, the law of Israel.

T. A. Moxon.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: Νομοθέτης (Strong'S #3550 — Noun Masculine — nomothetes — nom-oth-et'-ace )

"a lawgiver" (see Law , A, No. 2, and B. No. 1), occurs in  James 4:12 , of God, as the sole "Lawgiver;" therefore, to criticize the Law is to presume to take His place, with the presumption of enacting a better law.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

This in the first place refers to God; but in human affairs He is pleased to delegate His authority to the rulers, and Judah is twice mentioned as God's lawgiver.  Genesis 49:10;  Numbers 21:18;  Deuteronomy 33:21;  Psalm 60:7;  Psalm 108:8;  Isaiah 33:22;  James 4:12 .

King James Dictionary

LAW'GIVER, n. law and give. One who makes or enacts a law a legislator.

Webster's Dictionary

(n.) One who makes or enacts a law or system of laws; a legislator.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

lô´giv - ẽr ( מחקק , meḥōḳēḳ  ; νομοθέτμς , nomothétēs ): There are two words, one Hebrew and one Greek, which are translated "lawgiver." The former occurs 7 times in the Old Testament, and in the King James Version in every case except   Judges 5:14 is thus translated. In the Revised Version (British and American) it bears the translation "lawgiver" but twice (  Deuteronomy 33:21;  Isaiah 33:22 ), though in the other passages ( Genesis 49:10;  Numbers 21:18;  Judges 5:14;  Psalm 60:7;  Psalm 108:8 ) this meaning is retained in the margin. The Greek word occurs in the New Testament but once ( James 4:12 ), where it has a meaning that is almost the exact equivalent of the Hebrew word in  Isaiah 33:22 . In both passages God is declared to be the "lawgiver," and in the New Testament passage is so called because He has the power to rule and judge, to save and destroy. Man is denied the authority to judge because he is not the lawgiver. God is the lawgiver, and therefore possesses the right to pronounce judgment (compare Isa, supra). The word, however, implies more than mere legislative function; it also connotes the idea of ruling. Isaiah makes this very plain, since he adds to the statement that God is our judge and lawgiver the further declaration that He is also king. This meaning adheres in the very history of the word. It is based upon the monarchical conception in which the legislative, judicial and administrative functions are all vested in one person. In James the two terms "lawgiver and judge" express the idea of God's absolute sovereignty. The verb nomotheteı́n occurs in  Hebrews 7:11;  Hebrews 8:6 , but it does not extend beyond the meaning "to enact laws."

The Hebrew word is restricted to poetic passages, and except in  Isaiah 33:22 is applied to a tribal or kingly ruler. Moses is pre-eminently the lawgiver in Jewish and Christian circles, but it should be noted that in the Scriptures of neither is he given this title. The primary meaning of the verb from which meḥōḳēḳ is derived is "to cut," "to carve," and a derived meaning is "to ordain." The meaning of the participle meḥōḳēḳ is based upon this last. It means (1) the symbol which expresses the lawmaker's authority, that is, the commander's staff; and (2) the person who possesses the authority ( Deuteronomy 33:21 ). It has the first of these meanings in  Numbers 21:18;  Psalm 60:7;  Psalm 108:8 , and probably in  Genesis 49:10 , though here it may have the second meaning. The parallelism, however, seems to require an impersonal object to correspond to scepter, and so the reading of the text (The Revised Version) is to be preferred to that of the margin (Skinner, at the place). In  Deuteronomy 33:21;  Judges 5:14;  Isaiah 33:22 , it means the person who wielded the symbol of authority, that is the prescriber of laws. In a primitive community this would be a military commander. In  Genesis 49:10 the "ruler's staff" is the symbol of kingly authority (Driver), and this verse consequently implies the supremacy of Judah which came in with the Davidic kingdom. This word contains no reference to the Messiah. In   Numbers 21:18 there is an allusion to the custom of formally and symbolically opening fountains under the superintendence and at the instruction of the leader of the tribe. Such a custom seems to have been in vogue till comparatively modern times. Gray cites Budde in the New World for March, 1895, and Muir's Mohamet and Islam , 343 f. In  Judges 5:14 the word means "military commander," as the context shows. This is the meaning also in   Deuteronomy 33:21 , where it is affirmed that Gad obtained a position worthy of its warlike character. Targum, Vulgate, Peshitta, and some moderns have seen here a reference to the grave of Moses, but Nebo was in Reuben and not in Gad.