Exodus 18:18 - Forerunner Commentary

Exodus 18:18

16 When they have ^aa difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.”

17 So Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing that you do is not good.

18 Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; ^ayou are not able to perform it by yourself.

19 Listen now to my voice; I will give you¹ counsel, and God will be with you: Stand ^abefore God for the people, so that you may ^bbring the difficulties to God.

20 And you shall ^ateach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and ^bthe work they must do.

21 Moreover you shall select from all the people ^aable men, such as ^bfear God, ^cmen of truth, ^dhating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

22 And let them judge the people at all times. ^aThen it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So it will be easier for you, for ^bthey will bear the burden with you.

23 If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their ^aplace in peace.”

24 So Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.

25 And ^aMoses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.

26 So they judged the people at all times; the ^ahard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves.

27 Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and ^ahe went his way to his own land.

Verse Comparison: Exodus 18:18

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Exodus 18:19 >>

American Standard Version
Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for the thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

Amplified® Bible
You will surely wear out both yourself and this people with you, for the thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it all by yourself.

Contemporary English Version
You and the people who come to you will soon be worn out. The job is too much for one person; you can't do it alone.

Darby English Version
Thou wilt be quite exhausted, both thou and this people that is with thee; for the thing is too heavy for thee: thou canst not perform it alone.

Good News Bible
You will wear yourself out and these people as well. This is too much for you to do alone.

King James Version
Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.

New American Standard Bible
"You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

New International Version
You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.

New King James Version
Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
" You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who dwell with you, for the task proves too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.

Revised Standard Version
You and the people with you will wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you; you are not able to perform it alone.

Young's Literal Translation
thou dost surely wear away, both thou, and this people which `is' with thee, for the thing is too heavy for thee, thou art not able to do it by thyself.

New English Translation
You will surely wear out,¹ both you and these people who are with you, for this is too² heavy a burden³ for you; you are not able to do it by yourself.

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Exodus 18:19 >>