Exodus 18:14

18:14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this ¹  that you are doing for the people? ²  Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”

Exodus 18:22

18:22 They will judge ³  the people under normal circumstances, ⁴  and every difficult case ⁵  they will bring to you, but every small case ⁶  they themselves will judge, so that ⁷  you may make it easier for yourself, ⁸  and they will bear the burden ⁹  with you.

¹ tn Heb “what is this thing.”

² sn This question, “what are you doing for the people,” is qualified by the next question. Sitting alone all day and the people standing around all day showed that Moses was exhibiting too much care for the people – he could not do this.

³ tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive, making it equivalent to the imperfect of instruction in the preceding verse.

⁴ tn Heb “in every time,” meaning “in all normal cases” or “under normal circumstances.” The same phrase occurs in v. 26.

⁵ tn Heb “great thing.”

⁶ tn Heb “thing.”

⁷ tn The vav here shows the result or the purpose of the instructions given.

⁸ tn The expression וְהָקֵל מֵעָלֶיךָ (vÿhaqel me’aleykha) means literally “and make it light off yourself.” The word plays against the word for “heavy” used earlier – since it was a heavy or burdensome task, Moses must lighten the load.

⁹ tn Here “the burden” has been supplied.