Exodus 18:18 kjv

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.

Exodus 18:18 nkjv

Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself.

Exodus 18:18 niv

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 esv

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.

Exodus 18:18 nlt

"You're going to wear yourself out ? and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself.

Exodus 18 verses

Exodus 18 18 Meaning

Exodus 18:18 conveys Jethro's clear-sighted warning to Moses that his current method of solo governance and judgment over the entire Israelite population is unsustainable and harmful. It asserts that both Moses and the people will become utterly exhausted due to the overwhelming nature of the task. The verse directly states the practical impossibility of Moses fulfilling such a demanding role by himself, highlighting the inherent limits of even a divinely chosen leader when faced with an excessive burden. It emphasizes the need for wise delegation and shared responsibility in leadership to prevent burnout and ensure effective administration of justice.

Exodus 18 18 Context

Exodus chapter 18 details Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, visiting Moses in the wilderness. He witnesses Moses acting as the sole judge and arbiter for all the disputes of the Israelite people, who came to him "from morning till evening" (Exo 18:13). Jethro perceives this system as unsustainable and offers crucial advice, beginning with the direct observation and warning presented in verse 18. This pivotal moment leads to the implementation of a decentralized judicial system, where wise and God-fearing men are appointed as leaders over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, allowing Moses to focus on more complex matters and instructing the people in God's statutes and laws (Exo 18:21-26). Historically, the Israelite population in the wilderness was immense, making it humanly impossible for one person, however capable, to effectively administer justice for everyone on their own.

Exodus 18 18 Word analysis

• You will surely wear yourself out (נָבֹל תִּבֹּל, navol tibbol):
  • Hebrew: The phrase is an emphatic infinitive absolute followed by the imperfect verb from the root נבל (nabal).
  • Meaning: To "wither, fade, decay, fall down, wear out." The reduplication intensifies the action, signifying "you will utterly wither," "you will surely faint," "you will totally wear out." It paints a picture of extreme exhaustion leading to physical and mental ruin.
  • Significance: Jethro's warning is not just about fatigue but complete incapacitation. This emphasizes the severe, detrimental impact of overworking oneself in leadership, even in serving God's people. It is a loving, direct confrontation of an unsustainable pattern.
• both you and these people (גַּם־אַתָּה גַּם־הָעָם הַזֶּה, gam-attah gam-ha'am hazzeh):
  • Hebrew: gam means "also" or "both...and." attah is "you" (singular, referring to Moses). ha'am hazzeh is "this people."
  • Meaning: The burden impacts not only the leader but also those being served.
  • Significance: Moses' solo efforts caused exhaustion not only for himself but also for the people who had to stand waiting for justice all day, causing their weariness and frustration. This highlights the collateral damage of inefficient and overly centralized leadership. Effective leadership considers the well-being of the led as much as the leader.
• who are with you (אֲשֶׁר עִמָּךְ, asher 'immakh):
  • Meaning: Those who depend on and interact directly with Moses.
  • Significance: Reinforces the practical scope of the problem. It refers to the massive population waiting for their turn before Moses.
• for the task is too heavy for you (כִּי כָבֵד מִמְּךָ הַדָּבָר, ki khaved mimmekha haddavar):
  • Hebrew: ki ("for" or "because"). khaved (כָּבֵד) means "heavy, burdensome." mimmekha is "from you," implying "too heavy for you." haddavar (הַדָּבָר) literally "the word" or "the thing," but contextually means "the matter" or "the task."
  • Meaning: The responsibility or workload is overwhelmingly disproportionate to Moses' capacity.
  • Significance: This phrase provides the reason for the predicted exhaustion. It’s not about Moses’ lack of spiritual power or commitment, but the sheer volume and complexity of the davar (every single legal and interpersonal matter). It underscores the practical limit of human capacity.
• you cannot do it alone (לֹא־תוּכַל עֲשֹׂתוֹ לְבַדֶּךָ, lo'-tuchal asoto levaddekha):
  • Hebrew: lo' (no, not). tuchal (תוּכַל) "you are able" (from root יָכֹל, yakol, to be able). asoto "to do it." levaddekha (לְבַדֶּךָ) "by yourself," "alone" (from root בָדָד, badad, alone).
  • Meaning: Moses utterly lacks the inherent capacity to fulfill this task on his own.
  • Significance: This is the definitive, unequivocal statement of incapacity, despite Moses' divine calling. It serves as a fundamental principle: God's work, especially with large numbers of people, is often designed for distributed effort, not solely dependent on one individual. It highlights the importance of shared leadership and delegation as a practical necessity rooted in human limitation.

• "You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people who are with you": This grouping emphasizes the reciprocal negative impact. Moses' solo work is detrimental to both the leader's well-being and the served community's efficiency and morale. It underlines that unhealthy leadership practices have systemic consequences.
• "for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.": These two clauses present the undeniable reason and conclusion. The "heaviness" of the davar (task/matter) necessitates that it cannot be managed "alone." It's a statement about the practical and systemic unfeasibility of solo responsibility for a massive undertaking. This highlights the wisdom in establishing proper structures for justice and administration.

Exodus 18 18 Bonus section

The advice given by Jethro in this chapter, initiated by verse 18's strong warning, has been seen as a prototype for effective hierarchical administration, not only within government but also within church structures and organizations. It demonstrates a key aspect of God's wisdom: that divine work often requires practical, human organization and wise counsel to be effectively sustained. This is one of the earliest biblical accounts where a problem of capacity and workload is addressed not by miraculously empowering a single individual to handle more, but by strategically distributing responsibilities, indicating that God works through both divine power and human wisdom and organizational structure. It also underscores that even God-anointed leaders benefit from and need external, even secular, wisdom and counsel when that counsel aligns with practical, God-honoring principles.

Exodus 18 18 Commentary

Exodus 18:18 serves as a profound biblical lesson on the principles of wise leadership, delegation, and human limitation. Jethro, despite being Moses' father-in-law and an outsider to the Abrahamic covenant at the time, demonstrates Spirit-led wisdom in observing Moses' unsustainable pattern of individual responsibility for all judicial matters of a nation. His blunt assessment that Moses "will surely wear himself out" (an emphatic declaration of total exhaustion or ruin) underscores the physical, mental, and spiritual toll of bearing an impossible burden. This burden extends beyond Moses to "the people," who suffered from prolonged waits and delayed justice.

The core message is that the "task is too heavy," emphasizing the objective, quantitative nature of the problem, not a failure of Moses' character or divine anointing. Even a man highly favored and powerfully used by God has human limitations. Thus, the direct conclusion, "you cannot do it alone," is a critical principle. It teaches that while God calls individuals to lead, He does not intend for them to carry all burdens unilaterally, especially concerning administrative justice for a vast community. This verse becomes foundational for understanding the importance of delegated authority, empowering others, and establishing structured systems for governance, all to ensure efficiency, well-being, and sustained service to God. It highlights that reliance on others and structured leadership is not a sign of weakness but of wisdom, preserving the leader, serving the people better, and honoring the magnitude of God's work.