¹sn This chapter forms the transition to the Law. There has been the deliverance, the testing passages, the provision in the wilderness, and the warfare. Any God who can do all this for his people deserves their allegiance. In chap. 18 the Lawgiver is giving advice, using laws and rulings; but then he is given advice to organize the elders to assist. Thus, when the Law is fully revealed, a system will be in place to administer it. The point of the passage is that a great leader humbly accepts advice from other godly believers to delegate responsibility. He does not try to do it all himself; God does not want one individual to do it all. The chapter has three parts: vv. 1-12 tell how Jethro heard and came and worshiped and blessed; then vv. 13-23 have the advice of Jethro, and then vv. 24-27 tell how Moses implemented the plan and Jethro went home (rather than stay and try to run it!). See further E. J. Runions, “Exodus Motifs in 1 Samuel 7 and 8,” EvQ 52 (1980): 130-31; and also see for another idea T. C. Butler, “An Anti-Moses Tradition,” JSOT 12 (1979): 9-15.
²tn Heb “and he heard.”
³tn This clause beginning with yK (ki) answers the question of what Jethro had heard; it provides a second, explanatory noun clause that is the object of the verb— “he heard (1) all that God had done… (2) that he had brought….” See R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, §490.!
⁴sn This is an interesting report that Jethro has heard, for the claim of God that he brought Israel out of bondage in Egypt will be the foundation of the covenant stipulations (Exod 20).
⁵tn Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity (also in the following verse).
⁶tn Now is given the etymological explanation of the name of Moses’ other son, Eliezer (rz#u#yl!a$ [‘eli’ezer]), which means “my God is a help.” The sentiment that explains this name is yr!z+u#B= yb!a* yh@la$ (‘elohe ‘abi b^e’ezri), “the God of my father is my help.” The preposition in the sentiment is the bet essentiae (giving the essence—see GKC §119.i). The word for “help” is a common word in the Bible, first introduced as a description of the woman in the Garden. It means to do for someone what he or she cannot do for himself or herself. Samuel raised the “stone of help” (Ebenezer) when Yahweh “helped them” win the battle (1 Sam 7:12).
⁷sn The verb “delivered” is an important motif in this chapter (see its use in vv. 8, 9, and 10 with reference to Pharaoh).
⁸tn This is an adverbial accusative that defines the place (see GKC §118.g).
⁹sn The mountain of God is Horeb, and so the desert here must be the Sinai desert by it. But chap. 19 suggests that they left Rephidim to go the 24 miles to Sinai. It may be that this chapter fits in chronologically after the move to Sinai, but was placed here thematically. Kaiser defends the present location of the story by responding to other reasons for the change given by Lightfoot, but does not deal with the travel locations (W. C. Kaiser, Jr, “Exodus,” in EBC 411).
¹⁰sn It seems that this verse is out of place, since the report has already been given that they came to the desert. The verb, therefore, should be given a past perfect translation, “and he had said (possibly by message)….”
¹¹tn The LXX solves the problem by taking the pronoun “I” as the particle “behold” and reads it this way: “one said to Moses, ‘Behold, your father-in-law has come….’”
¹²sn This is more than polite oriental custom. Jethro was Moses’ benefactor, father-in-law, and a priest. He paid much respect to him. Now he could invite Jethro into his home (see B. Jacob, 496).
¹³tn Heb “[each] man his fellow.”
¹⁴tn Heb “concerning their [his] welfare (<olv*l= [l^esalom]).”
¹⁵tn A rare word, “weariness” of the hardships.
¹⁶tn Heb “found them.”
¹⁷tn “how” has been supplied.
¹⁸tn The word hdj (hada) is rare, occurring only in Job 3:6 and Ps 21:6, although it is common in Aramaic. The LXX translated it “he shuddered.” U. Cassuto suggests that that rendering was based on the midrashic interpretation in b. Sanhedrin 94b, “he felt cuts in his body”—a wordplay on the verb (pp. 215-16).
¹⁹tn This is a common form of praise. The verb EwrB* (baruk) is the Qal passive participle of the verb. Here must be supplied a jussive, making this participle the predicate: “May Yahweh be blessed.” The verb essentially means “to enrich”; in praise it would mean that he would be enriched by the praises of the people.
²⁰tn The end of this sentence seems not to have been finished, or it is very elliptical. Here “he has destroyed them” is added. Others take the last prepositional phrase to be the completion and supply only a verb: “[he was] above them.” Cassuto takes the word “gods” to be the subject of the verb “act proudly,” giving the sense of “precisely (ki) in respect of these things of which the gods of Egypt boasted—He is greater than they (‘alehem).” He suggests rendering the clause, “excelling them in the very things to which they laid claim” (p. 216).
²¹tn The verb is actually “and he took.” It must have the sense of getting the animals for the sacrifice. The Syriac, Targum and Vulgate have “offered.” But Cody argues because of the precise wording in the text Jethro did not offer the sacrifices but received them (A. Cody, “Exodus 18,12: Jethro Accepts a Covenant With the Israelites,” Bib 49 (1968): 159-61).
²²sn Jethro brought offerings as if he were the one who had been delivered. The “burnt offering” is singular, to honor God first. And then the other sacrifices were intended for the invited guests to eat (a forerunner of the peace offering). See B. Jacob, 498.
²³tn The word <j#l# (lehem) here means the sacrifice and all the foods that were offered with it. The eating before God was part of the covenantal ritual, for it signified that they were in communion with the Deity, and with one another.
²⁴tn Heb “and it was/happened on the morrow.”
²⁵sn This is a simple summary of the function of Moses on this particular day. He did not do this every day, but it was time now to do it. The people would come to solve their difficulties, or to hear instruction from Moses on decisions to be made. The tradition of sitting in Moses seat is drawn from this passage.
²⁶tn Heb “what is this thing.”
²⁷sn This question, “what are you doing for the people,” is qualified by the next two questions. By 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.
²⁸tn The form is vrd+l! (lidros), the Qal infinitive construct giving the purpose. To inquire of God would be to seek God’s will on a matter, to obtain a legal decision on a matter, or to settle a dispute. As a judge Moses is speaking for God; but as the servant of Yahweh Moses’ words will be God’s words. The psalms would later describe judges as “gods” because they made the right decisions based on God’s Law.
²⁹tn Or “dispute.”
³⁰tn The verb Fpv (sapat) means “to judge”; more specifically, it means to make a decision as an arbiter or umpire. When people brought issues to him, he decided between them. In the section of Law in Exodus after the Ten Commandments are the Mishp^etim, the decisions.
³¹tn The “decrees” or “statutes” were definite rules, stereotyped and permanent; the “laws” were directives or pronouncements given when situations arose. Driver suggests this is another reason why this event might have taken place after Yahweh had given laws on the mountain (p. 165).
³²tn 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 (Driver, 166). Here the infinitive absolute construction heightens the meaning.
³³tn Gesenius lists the specialized use of the comparative min where with an adjective the thought expressed is that the quality is too difficult for the attainment of a particular aim (GKC §133.c).
³⁴tn Heb “hear my voice.”
³⁵tn 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, pp. 219-20).
³⁶tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav 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.
³⁷tn Heb “words.”
³⁸tn The perfect tense with the vav continues the sequence of instruction for Moses. He alone was to be the mediator, to guide them in the religious and moral instruction.
³⁹tn The verb and its following prepositional phrase form a relative clause, modifying “the way.” The imperfect tense should be given the nuance of obligatory imperfect—it is the way they must walk.
⁴⁰tn This last part is parallel to the preceding: “work” is also a direct object of the verb “make known,” and the relative clause that qualifies it also uses an obligatory imperfect.
⁴¹tn The construction uses the independent pronoun for emphasis, and then the imperfect tense “see” (hzj [haza])— “and you will see from all….” Both in Hebrew and Ugaritic expressions of “seeing” are used in the sense of choosing (Gen 41:33). See U. Cassuto, 220.
⁴²tn The expression is ly]j^-yv@n+a^ (‘anse hayil), “capable men.” The attributive genitive is the word used in expressions like “mighty man of valor.” The word describes these men as respected, influential, powerful people, those looked up to by the community as leaders, and those that will have the needs of the community in mind. They will be morally and physically worthy.
⁴³tn The description “fearers of God” now uses an objective genitive. To describe these men in this way is to describe them as devout, worshipful, and obedient servants of God.
⁴⁴tn The expression “men of truth” (tm#a$ yv@n=a^ [‘anse ‘emet]) indicates that these men must be seekers of truth, who know that the task of a judge is to give true judgment (Cassuto, 220). The word “truth” includes the ideas of faithfulness or reliability, as well as truth itself. It could be understood to mean “truthful men,” men whose word is reliable and true.
⁴⁵tn Heb “haters of bribes.” The word refers to unjust gain. Here is another objective genitive. To hate unjust gain is to reject and refuse it. Their decisions will not be swayed by personal gain.
⁴⁶tn Heb “over them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
⁴⁷sn It is not clear how this structure would work in a judicial setting. The language of “captains of thousands,” etc., is used more for military ranks. There must have been more detailed instruction involved here, for each Israelite would have come under four leaders with this arrangement, and perhaps difficult cases would be sent to the next level. But since the task of these men would also be for instruction and guidance, the breakdown would be very useful. Deut 1:9, 13 suggest that the choice of these people was not simply Moses’ alone.
⁴⁸tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav consecutive, making it equivalent to the imperfect of instruction in the preceding verse.
⁴⁹tn “in every time” means in all normal cases.
⁵⁰tn Heb “great thing.”
⁵¹tn Heb “thing.”
⁵²tn The vav here shows the result or the purpose of the instructions given.
⁵³tn The expression ;yl#um@ lq@hw+ (w^ehaqel me’aleyka) means literally “and make it light off yourself.” The wordplays against the word for “heavy” used earlier—since it was a heavy or burdensome task Moses must lighten the load.
⁵⁴tn “the burden” has been supplied.
⁵⁵tn The form is the Piel perfect with the vav consecutive; it carries the same nuance as the preceding imperfect in the conditional clause. Driver says the meaning of the verb here is with the sense “approve and sanction” doing this.
⁵⁶tn The perfect tense with the vav consecutive ow appears in the apodosis of the conditional sentence— “if you do this…then you will be able.”
⁵⁷tn Heb “to stand.”
sn B. Jacob suggests that there might be a humorous side to this: “you could even do this standing up” (p. 501).
⁵⁸tn Literally “this people.”
⁵⁹tn The verb is the simple imperfect, “will go,” but given the sense of the passage a potential nuance seems in order.
⁶⁰tn Heb “in peace.”
sn See further T. D. Weinshall, “The Organizational Structure Proposed by Jethro to Moses (Ex. 18:17),” Public Administration in Israel and Abroad 12 (1972): 9-13; and H. Reviv, “The Traditions Concerning the Inception of the Legal System in Israel: Significance and Dating,” ZAW 94 (1982): 566-75.
⁶¹tn The idiom “listen to the voice of” means “obey, comply with, heed.”
⁶²tn This, and the verb in the next clause, are imperfect tenses. In the past tense narrative of the verse they must be customary, continuous action in past time.
⁶³tn The verb jL^v^y+w~ (waysallah) is the same verb and same stem used for the passages calling for Pharaoh to “release” Israel. Here, in a peaceful and righteous relationship, Moses sent Jethro to his home.
⁶⁴tn The prepositional phrase included here Gesenius classifies as a pleonastic dativus ethicus to give special emphasis to the significance of the occurrence in question for a particular subject (GKC §119.s).
⁶⁵sn This chapter makes an excellent message on spiritual leadership of the people of God. Spiritually responsible people are to be selected to help in the work of the ministry (teaching, deciding cases, meeting needs), so that there will be peace, and so that leaders will not be exhausted. Probably capable people are more ready to do that than leaders are ready to relinquish control. But leaders have to be willing to take the risk, to entrust the task to others. Here Moses is the model of humility, receiving correction and counsel from Jethro. And Jethro is the ideal adviser, for he has no intention of remaining there to run the operation.