Discovery BoxExodus 17:4 
Context17:4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What will I do with 1 this people? – a little more 2 and they will stone me!” 3
Exodus 36:5
Context36:5 and told Moses, “The people are bringing much more than 4 is needed for the completion 5 of the work which the Lord commanded us to do!” 6
1 tn The preposition lamed (ל) is here specification, meaning “with respect to” (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 49, §273).
2 tn Or “they are almost ready to stone me.”
3 tn The perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive almost develops an independent force; this is true in sentences where it follows an expression of time, as here (see GKC 334 §112.x).
4 tn The construction uses the verbal hendiadys: מַרְבִּים לְהָבִיא (marbim lÿhavi’) is the Hiphil participle followed (after the subject) by the Hiphil infinitive construct. It would read, “they multiply…to bring,” meaning, “they bring more” than is needed.
5 tn Heb “for the service” (so KJV, ASV).
6 tn The last clause is merely the infinitive with an object – “to do it.” It clearly means the skilled workers are to do it.
