Revised Literal Translation

Exodus 18:17-23

17And Moses’מֹשֶׁ֖הmo.ShehH4872father in lawחֹתֵ֥ןcho.TenH2859saidוַיֹּ֛אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559unto him, The thingהַדָּבָ֔רha.da.VarH1697that thou doestעֹשֶֽׂה׃'o.SehH6213isnot goodטוֹב֙tOvH2896.

18Thou wilt surelyנָבֹ֣לna.VolH5034wear awayתִּבֹּ֔לti.BolH5034,both thou, and this peopleהָעָ֥םha.'AmH5971that iswith thee: for this thingהַדָּבָ֔רha.da.VarH1697istoo heavyכָבֵ֤דkha.VedH3515for thee; thou art not ableתוּכַ֥לtu.KhalH3201to performעֲשֹׂ֖הוּ'a.So.huH6213it thyself alone.

19Hearkenשְׁמַ֤עshe.Ma'H8085now unto my voiceבְּקֹלִי֙be.ko.LiH6963,I will give thee counselאִיעָ֣צְךָ֔'i.'A.tze.khaH3289,and Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimH430shall beH1961with thee: Be thou for the peopleלָעָ֗םla.'AmH5971to God-wardמ֚וּל הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔יםmul ha.'E.lo.HimH430 H4136,that thou mayest bringוְהֵבֵאתָ֥ve.he.ve.TaH935the causesהַדְּבָרִ֖יםha.de.va.RimH1697unto Godהָאֱלֹהִֽים׃ha.'E.lo.HimH430:

20And thou shalt teachוְהִזְהַרְתָּ֣הve.hiz.har.TahH853 H2094them ordinancesהַחֻקִּ֖יםha.chu.KimH2706and lawsהַתּוֹרֹ֑תha.to.RotH8451,and shalt shewוְהוֹדַעְתָּ֣ve.ho.da'.TaH3045them the wayהַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ha.De.rekhH1870wherein they must walkH3212,and the workהַֽמַּעֲשֶׂ֖הha.ma.'a.SehH4639that they must doיַעֲשֽׂוּן׃ya.'a.SunH6213.

21Moreover thou shalt provideתֶחֱזֶ֣הte.che.ZehH2372out of all the peopleהָ֠עָםHa.'omH5971ableחַ֜יִלCha.yilH2428menאַנְשֵׁי־'an.shei-H582,such as fearיִרְאֵ֧יyir.'EiH3373Godאֱלֹהִ֛ים'E.lo.HimH430,menאַנְשֵׁ֥י'an.SheiH582of truthאֱמֶ֖ת'e.MetH571,hatingשֹׂ֣נְאֵיSo.ne.'eiH8130covetousnessבָ֑צַעVa.tza'H1215;and placeוְשַׂמְתָּ֣ve.sam.TaH7760such over them, to berulersשָׂרֵ֤יsa.ReiH8269of thousandsאֲלָפִים֙'a.la.FimH505, andrulersשָׂרֵ֣יsa.ReiH8269of hundredsמֵא֔וֹתme.'otH3967,rulersשָׂרֵ֥יsa.ReiH8269of fiftiesחֲמִשִּׁ֖יםcha.mi.ShimH2572,and rulersוְשָׂרֵ֥יve.sa.ReiH8269of tensעֲשָׂרֹֽת׃'a.sa.RotH6235:

22And let them judgeוְשָׁפְט֣וּve.sha.fe.TuH8199the peopleהָעָם֮ha.'AmH5971at all seasonsעֵת֒'etH6256: and it shall be, thatevery greatהַגָּדֹל֙ha.ga.DolH1419matterהַדָּבָ֤רha.da.VarH1697they shall bringיָבִ֣יאוּya.Vi.'uH935unto thee, but every smallהַקָּטֹ֖ןha.ka.TonH6996matterהַדָּבָ֥רha.da.VarH1697they shall judgeיִשְׁפְּטוּ־yish.pe.tu-H8199:so shall it be easierוְהָקֵל֙ve.ha.KelH7043for thyself, and they shall bearוְנָשְׂא֖וּve.na.se.'UH5375the burden with thee.

23If thou shalt doתַּעֲשֶׂ֔הta.'a.SehH6213this thingהַדָּבָ֤רha.da.VarH1697,and Godאֱלֹהִ֔ים'E.lo.HimH430commandוְצִוְּךָ֣ve.tzi.ve.KhaH6680thee so,then thou shalt be ableוְיָֽכָלְתָּ֖ve.ya.khal.TaH3201to endureעֲמֹ֑ד'a.ModH5975,and all this peopleהָעָ֣םha.'AmH5971shall also goיָבֹ֥אya.Vo'H935to their placeמְקֹמ֖וֹme.ko.MoH4725in peaceבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ve.sha.LomH7965.

Read all of Exodus 18

Commentaries on Exodus 18