The next day Jethro saw how Moses was occupied from morning till evening in judging the people, who brought all their disputes to him, that he might settle them according to the statutes of God. על עמד: as in Genesis 18:8. The people came to Moses "to seek or inquire of God" (Genesis 18:15), i.e., to ask for a decision from God: in most cases, this means to inquire through an oracle; here it signifies to desire a divine decision as to questions in dispute. By judging or deciding the cases brought before him, Moses made known to the people the ordinances and laws of God. For every decision was based upon some law, which, like all true justice here on earth, emanated first of all from God. This is the meaning of Genesis 18:16, and not, as Knobel supposes, that Moses made use of the questions in dispute, at the time they were decided, as good opportunities for giving laws to the people. Jethro condemned this plan (Genesis 18:18.) as exhausting, wearing out (נבל lit., to fade away, Psalm 37:2), both for Moses and the people: for the latter, inasmuch as they not only got wearied out through long waiting, but, judging from Genesis 18:23, very often began to take the law into their own hands on account of the delay in the judicial decision, and so undermined the well-being of the community at large; and for Moses, inasmuch as the work was necessarily too great for him, and he could not continue for any length of time to sustain such a burden alone (Genesis 18:18). The obsolete form of the inf. const. עשׂהוּ for עשׂתו is only used here, but is not without analogies in the Pentateuch. Jethro advised him (Genesis 18:19.) to appoint judged from the people for all the smaller matters in dispute, so that in future only the more difficult cases, which really needed a superior or divine decision, would be brought to him that he might lay them before God. "I will give thee counsel, and God be with thee (i.e., help thee to carry out this advice): Be thou to the people האלהים מוּל, towards God," i.e., lay their affairs before God, take the place of God in matters of judgment, or, as Luther expresses it, "take charge of the people before God." To this end, in the first place, he was to instruct the people in the commandments of God, and their own walk and conduct (הזהיר with a double accusative, to enlighten, instruct; שדרך the walk, the whole behaviour; מעשׂה particular actions); secondly, he was to select able men (חיל אנשׁי men of moral strength, 1 Kings 1:52) as judges, men who were God-fearing, sincere, and unselfish (gain-hating), and appoint them to administer justice to the people, by deciding the simpler matters themselves, and only referring the more difficult questions to him, and so to lighten his own duties by sharing the burden with these judges. מעליך הקל (Genesis 18:22) "make light of (that which lies) upon thee." If he would do this, and God would command him, he would be able to stand, and the people would come to their place, i.e., to Canaan, in good condition (בּשׁלום). The apodosis cannot begin with וצוּך, "then God will establish thee," for צוּה never has this meaning; but the idea is this, "if God should preside over the execution of the plan proposed."

Exodus 18:20 Parallel Commentaries

teach

Exodus 18:16 When they have a matter, they come to me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God...

Deuteronomy 4:1,5 Now therefore listen, O Israel, to the statutes and to the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that you may live...

Deuteronomy 5:1 And Moses called all Israel, and said to them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day...

Deuteronomy 6:1,2 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you...

Deuteronomy 7:11 You shall therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command you this day, to do them.

Nehemiah 9:13,14 You came down also on mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right judgments, and true laws...

the way

1 Samuel 12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you...

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go: I will guide you with my eye.

Psalm 143:8 Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning; for in you do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk...

Isaiah 30:21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk you in it, when you turn to the right hand...

Jeremiah 6:16 Thus said the LORD, Stand you in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein...

Jeremiah 42:3 That the LORD your God may show us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.

Micah 4:2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob...

1 Thessalonians 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brothers, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus...

work

Deuteronomy 1:18 And I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do.

Ezekiel 3:17 Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you: and, see, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.

Mark 13:34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work...

2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ...