Exodus 18:18

18:18 You will surely wear out, ¹  both you and these people who are with you, for this is too ²  heavy a burden ³  for you; you are not able to do it by yourself.

Exodus 18:22

18:22 They will judge ⁴  the people under normal circumstances, ⁵  and every difficult case ⁶  they will bring to you, but every small case ⁷  they themselves will judge, so that ⁸  you may make it easier for yourself, ⁹  and they will bear the burden ¹⁰  with you.

Exodus 18:26

18:26 They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring ¹¹  to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves.

¹ 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.

² 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).

³ tn Here “a burden” has been supplied.

⁴ tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive, making it equivalent to the imperfect of instruction in the preceding verse.

⁵ tn Heb “in every time,” meaning “in all normal cases” or “under normal circumstances.” The same phrase occurs in v. 26.

⁶ tn Heb “great thing.”

⁷ tn Heb “thing.”

⁸ tn The vav here shows the result or the purpose of the instructions given.

⁹ 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.

¹⁰ tn Here “the burden” has been supplied.

⁷ tn This verb and the verb in the next clause are imperfect tenses. In the past tense narrative of the verse they must be customary, describing continuous action in past time.