The Meaning of Exodus 18:14 Explained

Exodus 18:14

KJV: And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?

YLT: and the father-in-law of Moses seeth all that he is doing to the people, and saith, 'What is this thing which thou art doing to the people? wherefore art thou sitting by thyself, and all the people standing by thee from morning till evening?'

Darby: And Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did with the people, and said, What is this thing which thou art doing with the people? why dost thou sit alone, and all the people are standing by thee from morning to evening?

ASV: And when Moses father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand about thee from morning unto even?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when Moses'  father in law  saw  all that he did  to the people,  he said,  What [is] this thing  that thou doest  to the people?  why sittest  thou thyself alone, and all the people  stand  by thee from morning  unto even? 

What does Exodus 18:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 18:13-27 - Moses Appoints Rulers To Judge Israel
Jethro's frank acknowledgment of God's supremacy and lovingkindness was extremely beautiful. Oh, for more wisdom to discern, and humble reverence to acknowledge the divine goodness wherever we encounter it. His advice also was most sagacious. It is far better to set a thousand people to work than attempt to do the work of a thousand. The greatest and most useful men are those who know how to devolve on others work for which these are quite competent, while they concentrate themselves on matters of the highest moment, which the others cannot undertake. Thus character is created. It is the highest service of all to bring men's requests and causes to God, and then to show them the way in which they should walk and the work they should do. In the best sense this is what Jesus does for us all. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 18

1  Jethro brings his wife and two sons to Moses
7  Moses entertains him, and relates the goodness of the Lord
9  Jethro rejoices, blesses God, and offers sacrifice
13  He gives good counsel, which is accepted
27  Jethro departs

What do the individual words in Exodus 18:14 mean?

So when saw father-in-law Moses' - all that he did for the people and he said what [is] thing this that you are doing for the people why do sit alone and all the people stand before you from morning until evening
וַיַּרְא֙ חֹתֵ֣ן מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֵ֛ת כָּל־ אֲשֶׁר־ ה֥וּא עֹשֶׂ֖ה לָעָ֑ם וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מָֽה־ הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתָּ֤ה עֹשֶׂה֙ ؟ לָעָ֔ם מַדּ֗וּעַ יוֹשֵׁב֙ לְבַדֶּ֔ךָ וְכָל־ הָעָ֛ם נִצָּ֥ב עָלֶ֖יךָ מִן־ בֹּ֥קֶר עַד־ ؟ עָֽרֶב

וַיַּרְא֙  So  when  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
חֹתֵ֣ן  father-in-law 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חָתַן 
Sense: to become a son-in-law, make oneself a daughter’s husband.
מֹשֶׁ֔ה  Moses' 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
אֵ֛ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לָעָ֑ם  for  the  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר  and  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מָֽה־  what  [is] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
הַדָּבָ֤ר  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הַזֶּה֙  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עֹשֶׂה֙  are  doing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
؟ לָעָ֔ם  for  the  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מַדּ֗וּעַ  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מַדּוּעַ  
Sense: why?, on what account?, wherefore?.
יוֹשֵׁב֙  do  sit 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
לְבַדֶּ֔ךָ  alone 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּדָד  
Sense: isolation, withdrawal, separation.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הָעָ֛ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
נִצָּ֥ב  stand 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הֻצַּב 
Sense: to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish.
עָלֶ֖יךָ  before  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בֹּ֥קֶר  morning 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
؟ עָֽרֶב  evening 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶרֶב  
Sense: evening, night, sunset.

What are the major concepts related to Exodus 18:14?

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