Exodus 18:19

18:19 Now listen to me, ¹  I will give you advice, and may God be with you: You be a representative for the people to God, ²  and you bring ³  their disputes ⁴  to God;

Exodus 21:13

21:13 But if he does not do it with premeditation, ⁵  but it happens by accident, ⁶  then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

Exodus 23:33

23:33 They must not live in your land, lest they make you sin against me, for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare ⁷  to you.”

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¹ tn Heb “hear my voice.”

² 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).

³ 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.

⁴ tn Heb “words”; KJV, ASV “the causes”; NRSV “cases”; NLT “questions.”

⁵ tn Heb “if he does not lie in wait” (NASB similar).

⁶ tn Heb “and God brought into his hand.” The death is unintended, its circumstances outside human control.

⁷ tn The idea of the “snare” is to lure them to judgment; God is apparently warning about contact with the Canaanites, either in worship or in business. They were very syncretistic, and so it would be dangerous to settle among them.