18:15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire 1 of God. 18:16 When they have a dispute, 2 it comes to me and I decide 3 between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws.” 4
18:17 Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “What 5 you are doing is not good! 18:18 You will surely wear out, 6 both you and these people who are with you, for this is too 7 heavy a burden 8 for you; you are not able to do it by yourself. 18:19 Now listen to me, 9 I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, 10 and you bring 11 their disputes 12 to God;
1 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.
2 tn Or “thing,” “matter,” “issue.”
3 tn The verb שָׁפַט (shafat) means “to judge”; more specifically, it means to make a decision as an arbiter or umpire. When people brought issues to him, Moses decided between them. In the section of laws in Exodus after the Ten Commandments come the decisions, the מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishppatim).
4 tn The “decrees” or “statutes” were definite rules, stereotyped and permanent; the “laws” were directives or pronouncements given when situations arose. S. R. Driver suggests this is another reason why this event might have taken place after Yahweh had given laws on the mountain (Exodus, 165).
5 tn Heb “the thing.”
6 tn The verb means “to fall and fade” as a leaf (Ps 1:3). In Ps 18:45 it is used figuratively of foes fading away, failing in strength and courage (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 166). Here the infinitive absolute construction heightens the meaning.
7 tn Gesenius lists the specialized use of the comparative min (מ) where with an adjective the thought expressed is that the quality is too difficult for the attainment of a particular aim (GKC 430 §133.c).
8 tn Here “a burden” has been supplied.
9 tn Heb “hear my voice.”
10 tn The line reads “Be you to the people before God.” He is to be their representative before God. This is introducing the aspect of the work that only Moses could do, what he has been doing. He is to be before God for the people, to pray for them, to appeal on their behalf. Jethro is essentially saying, I understand that you cannot delegate this to anyone else, so continue doing it (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 219-20).
11 tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive; following the imperative it will be instruction as well. Since the imperative preceding this had the idea of “continue to be” as you are, this too has that force.
12 tn Heb “words”; KJV, ASV “the causes”; NRSV “cases”; NLT “questions.”