Exodus 18:18 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.

◄ Exodus 18:18 ►

Parallel Verses

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.

English Standard Version
You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it 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.

King James Bible
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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can't do it alone.

International Standard Version
You will certainly wear yourself out, both you and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You cannot do it by yourself.

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.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou are spent with foolish labour, both thou and this people that is with thee: the business is above thy strength, thou alone canst not bear it.

Darby Bible Translation
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.

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.

Cross References

Exodus 18:17
And Moses' father in law said to him, The thing that you do is not good.

Numbers 11:14
I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.

Numbers 11:17
And I will come down and talk with you there: and I will take of the spirit which is on you, and will put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you bear it not yourself alone.

Deuteronomy 1:9
And I spoke to you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone:

Deuteronomy 1:12
How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

Jump to Previous

Able Alone Completely Exhausted Handle Heavy Perform Quite Strength Surely Task Thyself Used Wear Wilt Work Yourselves

Jump to Next

Able Alone Completely Exhausted Handle Heavy Perform Quite Strength Surely Task Thyself Used Wear Wilt Work Yourselves

Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

18:13-27 Here is the great zeal and the toil of Moses as a magistrate. Having been employed to redeem Israel out of the house of bondage, he is a further type of Christ, that he is employed as a lawgiver and a judge among them. If the people were as quarrelsome one with another as they were with God, no doubt Moses had many causes brought before him. This business Moses was called to; it appears that he did it with great care and kindness. The meanest Israelite was welcome to bring his cause before him. Moses kept to his business from morning to night. Jethro thought it was too much for him to undertake alone; also it would make the administration of justice tiresome to the people. There may be over-doing even in well-doing. Wisdom is profitable to direct, that we may neither content ourselves with less than our duty, nor task ourselves beyond our strength. Jethro advised Moses to a better plan. Great men should not only study to be useful themselves, but contrive to make others useful. Care must be taken in the choice of the persons admitted into such a trust. They should be men of good sense, that understood business, and that would not be daunted by frowns or clamours, but abhorred the thought of a bribe. Men of piety and religion; such as fear God, who dare not to do a base thing, though they could do it secretly and securely. The fear of God will best fortify a man against temptations to injustice. Moses did not despise this advice. Those are not wise, who think themselves too wise to be counselled.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

17. Moses' father-in-law said unto him, The thing … is not good—not good either for Moses himself, for the maintenance of justice, or for the satisfaction and interests of the people. Jethro gave a prudent counsel as to the division of labor [Ex 18:21, 22], and universal experience in the Church and State has attested the soundness and advantages of the principle.