Exodus 18:17–24
Moses' father-in-law warns he will wear himself out and advises sharing the load
Study it word by word17Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you are doing is not good.
18You will surely wear yourself out, both you and this people that is with you; for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.
19Now listen to my voice; I will advise you, and may Elohim be with you! You be the representative for the people before Elohim, and you bring the cases to Elohim.
20Teach them the statutes and the instructions, and make known to them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.
21And you shall look for, from all the people, capable men, who fear Elohim, men of truth, who hate unjust gain; and place them over them as chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens.
22Let them judge the people at all times; and every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves; so make it lighter for yourself, and they will bear the load with you.
23If you do this thing and Elohim so commands you, you will be able to endure, and also all this people will go to their place in peace.”
24Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.
In its context
15Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to inquire of Elohim.
16When they have a matter, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the statutes of Elohim and his instructions.”
…
25Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, chiefs of hundreds, chiefs of fifties, and chiefs of tens.
26They judged the people at all times; the difficult matter they would bring to Moses, but every small matter they would judge themselves.
Its words in the original
- יֹּאמֶרyomer· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- חֹתֵןchoten· intermarry
Become related through marriage; intermarry, become a son-in-law.
- מֹשֶׁהmoshe· Moses
Moses, the man God called to bring Israel out of Egypt and through whom he gave the Law. His name sounds like "draw out" (Exodus 2:10).
- טוֹבtov· good
Good in the widest sense: pleasant, beautiful, useful, right, of good quality. As a noun, "good", "good things", "well-being".
- דָּבָרdavar· word, matter, thing
Word; what is said. Also "matter" or "thing": what is spoken about, an affair, an event.
- עֹשֶׂהose· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- נָבֹלnavol· wither; act foolishly
Wither like a leaf; from there wear out, fail. In other passages, act foolishly or treat with contempt (Deuteronomy 32:15).
- עָםam· people
People: a human group joined by kinship, history and destiny. "My people", said by God, is Israel. Also the people as a crowd, or troops.
- כָבֵדchaved· heavy, severe
Heavy. Figuratively, grievous, severe; also great, abundant.
- תוּכַלtuchal· be able, can
Be able, can; also prevail, overcome.
- בַדֶּvade· alone, apart; pole
Alone, apart; "besides". The same word (in another sense) means "pole", like the ones for carrying the ark, or a branch.
- שְׁמַעshema· hear, listen, obey
Hear, listen. In the Bible listening truly includes paying heed; so it often means "obey". In the causative form, make heard, proclaim.
- קֹלִkoli· voice, sound
Voice or sound: what is heard, from a person, an animal or a thing (thunder, steps).
- אִיעָצְiats· advise, counsel
Advise; also decide or plan something.
- יהִיyhi· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- מוּלmul· in front of, opposite
In front of, opposite.
- הֵבֵאתָheveta· come, go in, bring
Come, arrive, go in, enter. In the causative form, "bring" or "carry in". "Go in to" a woman is to have marital relations with her.
- הִזְהַרְתָּהhizharta· warn, teach; shine
Warn, teach by giving warning. In other places, shine.
- חֻקִּיםchukim· statute, allotted portion
What is fixed: an allotted portion, a rule, a statute; a limit.
- תּוֹרֹתtorot· instruction, law
"Torah": instruction, teaching that gives direction; hence "law". Later it is the name of the five books of Moses. This translation uses "instruction", and "law" when the body of laws is meant.
- הוֹדַעְתָּhodata· know
Know. Not only having a fact: it is knowing by experience and closely; also recognize, care for, make known. So Hebrew also uses it for the intimate union of a man and his wife ("he knew his wife").
- דֶּרֶךְderech· way
Way, road, journey. Figuratively, the way one lives or acts.
- יֵלְכוּyelchu· go, walk
Go, walk, depart; in the causative form, lead or bring.
- מַּעֲשֶׂהmaase· work, deed
Work, labor; what someone does or makes; a deed.
- תֶחֱזֶהtecheze· see, look
See, look closely; used above all for what a prophet sees in a vision. Also look for and choose (Exodus 18:21).
- אַנְשֵׁיanshe· man, husband, each
Man, male; with a possessive, husband. Also "each one", "anyone". It is "ish", distinct from "adam" (human being); it is used for the man in contrast with the woman ("ishah").
- חַיִלchayil· strength; wealth, army
Strength, ability; depending on the passage, wealth, an army, or valor.
- יִרְאֵיyire· fearing, God-fearing
Fearing; above all, one who reveres God and therefore obeys him.
- אֱמֶתemet· faithfulness, truth
Truth, firmness. Said of a person or of God, faithfulness: he can be trusted because he keeps his word. It often goes with "loyal love".
- שֹׂנְאֵיsone· hate
Hate. In Hebrew it ranges from the hatred of an enemy to simply "loving less". "Those who hate you" are enemies.
- בָצַעvatsa· gain, profit
Gain, profit; often gain got by wrongdoing.
- שַׂמְתָּsamta· put, set
Put, place, set; appoint, establish; make something into something.
- שָׂרֵיsare· chief, official
Chief, a person in command: prince, captain, official, leader.
- אֲלָפִיםalafim· thousand
Thousand.
- מֵאוֹתmeot· hundred
Hundred.
- חֲמִשִּׁיםchamishim· fifty
Fifty.
- עֲשָׂרֹתasarot· ten
Ten.
- שָׁפְטוּshaftu· judge
Judge: decide who is in the right and do him justice; also punish. Also rule, govern.
- עֵתet· time
Time, moment, season; "now".
- גָּדֹלgadol· great
Great in size, number, age or importance; also "the elder" of two; "high priest" is "great priest".
- קָּטֹןkaton· small, younger
Small; the younger or lesser of two, in size, age or importance.
- הָקֵלhakel· be light, curse
Be light or of little account. Said of waters, go down. Said of people, treat with contempt; in the intensive form, curse.
- נָשְׂאוּnasu· lift, carry, bear
Lift up, carry, bear. "Bear sin" is to suffer its consequences; said of God, "taking away" sin is forgiving it. "Lift up the eyes" is to look.
- צִוְּtsiv· command
Command, give an order; give charge to someone.
- עֲמֹדamod· stand
Stand; stay, remain, endure. "Stand before" someone is to serve him or be in his presence. In another form of the verb, set up, place, appoint.
- מְקֹמmekom· place
Place, spot; the space someone or something occupies; also a home or a holy place.
- שָׁלוֹםshalom· peace, well-being
"Shalom": peace in a wide sense; not only the absence of war, but being whole and well: health, safety, good relations. It is also the Hebrew greeting.