translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: EXO

label: NET translator note

text: This clause beginning with כִּי ( 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 , 81, §490.


text: Heb “he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity (also in the following verse).


text: The referent (Moses) and the verb have been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Now is given the etymological explanation of the name of Moses’ other son, Eliezer ( אֱלִיעֶזֶר , ’ eli ’ ezer ), which means “my God is a help.” The sentiment that explains this name is אֱלֹהֵי אָבִי בְּעֶזְרִי (’ elohe ’ avi bÿ ’ ezri , “the God of my father is my help”). The preposition in the sentiment is the bet ( ב ) essentiae (giving the essence – see GKC 379 §119. i ). Not mentioned earlier, the name has become even more appropriate now that God has delivered Moses from Pharaoh again. 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 Israel win the battle ( 1 Sam 7:12 ).


text: Heb “his”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: This is an adverbial accusative that defines the place (see GKC 373-74 §118. g ).


text: A rare word, “weariness” of the hardships.


text: Heb “found them.”


text: Here “how” has been supplied.


text: The word חָדָה ( khada ) 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 ( Exodus , 215-16).


text: This is a common form of praise. The verb בָּרוּךְ ( barukh ) 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.


text: Heb “from under the hand of the Egyptians.”


text: The end of this sentence seems not to have been finished, or it is very elliptical. In the present translation the phrase “he has destroyed them” is supplied. Others take the last prepositional phrase to be the completion and supply only a verb: “[he was] above them.” U. Cassuto ( Exodus , 216) takes the word “gods” to be the subject of the verb “act proudly,” giving the sense of “precisely ( כִּי , ki ) in respect of these things of which the gods of Egypt boasted – He is greater than they ( עֲלֵיהֶם , ‘alehem ).” He suggests rendering the clause, “excelling them in the very things to which they laid claim.”


text: The verb is “and he took” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB). 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).


text: The word לֶחֶם ( lekhem ) here means the sacrifice and all the foods that were offered with it. The eating before God was part of covenantal ritual, for it signified that they were in communion with the Deity, and with one another.


text: Heb “and it was/happened on the morrow.”


text: Heb “what is this thing.”


text: The form is לִדְרֹשׁ ( lidrosh ), 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.


text: Or “thing,” “matter,” “issue.”


text: The verb שָׁפַט ( shafat ) means “to judge”; more specifically, it means to make a decision as an arbiter or umpire. When people brought issues to him, Moses decided between them. In the section of laws in Exodus after the Ten Commandments come the decisions, the מִשְׁפָּטִים ( mishppatim ).


text: The “decrees” or “statutes” were definite rules, stereotyped and permanent; the “laws” were directives or pronouncements given when situations arose. S. R. Driver suggests this is another reason why this event might have taken place after Yahweh had given laws on the mountain ( Exodus , 165).


text: Heb “the thing.”


text: 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.


text: 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 ).


text: Here “a burden” has been supplied.


text: Heb “hear my voice.”


text: 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, Exodus , 219-20).


text: The form is the perfect tense with the vav ( ו ) 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.


text: Heb “words”; KJV, ASV “the causes”; NRSV “cases”; NLT “questions.”


text: The perfect tense with the vav ( ו ) continues the sequence of instruction for Moses. He alone was to be the mediator, to guide them in the religious and moral instruction.


text: 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.


text: 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.


text: The construction uses the independent pronoun for emphasis, and then the imperfect tense “see” ( חָזָה , khazah ) – “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, Exodus , 220.


text: The expression is אַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל (’ anshe khayil , “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 who will have the needs of the community in mind.


text: The description “fearers of God” uses an objective genitive. It describes them as devout, worshipful, obedient servants of God.


text: The expression “men of truth” ( אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת , ’ anshe ’ emet ) indicates that these men must be seekers of truth, who know that the task of a judge is to give true judgment (U. Cassuto, Exodus , 220). The word “truth” includes the ideas of faithfulness or reliability, as well as factuality itself. It could be understood to mean “truthful men,” men whose word is reliable and true.


text: Heb “haters of bribes.” Here is another objective genitive, one that refers to unjust gain. To hate unjust gain is to reject and refuse it. Their decisions will not be swayed by greed.


text: Heb “over them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


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


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


text: Heb “great thing.”


text: Heb “thing.”


text: The vav here shows the result or the purpose of the instructions given.


text: 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.


text: Here “the burden” has been supplied.


text: The form is a Piel perfect with vav ( ו ) consecutive; it carries the same nuance as the preceding imperfect in the conditional clause.


text: The perfect tense with vav ( ו ) consecutive now appears in the apodosis of the conditional sentence – “if you do this…then you will be able.”


text: Heb “to stand.” B. Jacob ( Exodus , 501) suggests that there might be a humorous side to this: “you could even do this standing up.”


text: Literally “this people.”


text: The verb is the simple imperfect, “will go,” but given the sense of the passage a potential nuance seems in order.


text: Heb “his place.”


text: 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.


text: The idiom “listen to the voice of” means “obey, comply with, heed.”


text: 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.


text: The verb וַיְשַׁלַּח ( vayshallakh ) has the same root and same stem used in the passages calling for Pharaoh to “release” Israel. Here, in a peaceful and righteous relationship, Moses sent Jethro to his home.


text: Heb “he”; the referent (Jethro) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: 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 381 §119. s ).