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The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:18
The thing … is not good—i.e; not expedient, and so not the right thing to do. It is a man's duty to have regard to his health, and not unnecessarily overtask his strength.
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:18
Thou wilt surely wear away. Literally, "Wasting thou wilt waste away," Thy strength, i.e; will not long hold out, if thou continuest this practice. Both thou, and this people. The people's strength and patience will als…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:19
The eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee. Men may make a channel for the stream, but they cannot make the stream. Water-power is a grand natural agency; but it is by means of human agency that it may be…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:19
I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee. Rather—"And may God be with thee!" May God incline thine heart to accept my counsel and act upon it. Be thou for the people to God-ward, etc. "Continue," i.e; as at…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:20
Thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws. Or, "statutes and laws," as in Exodus 18:16. It is not quite clear how these differ. Some regard "statutes" as connected with religion, and laws as regulations with respect to…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:21
The necessary qualifications of such as are to exercise the office of judges. Few positions in life are more important than that of the judge. Not only are the lives and liberties of individual citizens at his disposal,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:21
Able men. Literally, "men of might"—i.e; of capacity or ability—men competent for the office of judge; who are further defined to be, such as possess the three qualities of piety, veracity, and strict honesty, or incorr…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:22
Let them judge the people at all seasons. Instead of occasional court-days, on which Moses sat from morning to evening hearing causes, judgments were to be given continually by the rulers of tens, fifties, etc; the accu…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:23
And God command thee so. Jethro does not suppose that Moses will take his advice without further consultation. He assumes that the matter will be laid by Moses before God, and God's will learnt concerning it. The entire…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:24
So Moses hearkened. Moses took the advice tendered him, not immediately, but after the law had been given at Sinai, and the journeying was about to be resumed. See Deuteronomy 1:9-15.
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:25
Moses chose able men. It appears from Deuteronomy 1:13, that instead of selecting the men himself, which would have been an invidious task, Moses directed their nomination by the people, and only reserved to himself the…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:26
At all seasons. See the comment on Exodus 18:22. The hard causes they brought unto Moses. It must have been left to the discretion of the judges to determine whether a cause was hard or easy, a great or a little matter.…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:27
Moses let his father-in-law depart. Literally, "dismissed him," "sent him away." This single expression is quite enough to prove that the Hobab, whom Moses made strenuous efforts to keep with him after Sinai was left, i…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:27
Jethro's departure. I. JETHRO DEPARTS AFTER A MOST SATISFACTORY VISIT. That visit was made not perhaps without some anxiety and doubt as to the results, but still under the clear dictation of duty. Therefore, it would h…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:27
EXPOSITION DEPARTURE OF JETHRO. The time of Jethro's departure, and indeed of his entire visit, has been matter of controversy. Kurtz is of opinion that Jethro waited till the news of Israel's victory over Amalek reache…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 18:27
Jethro the model of a friendly adviser. A man's friends often hesitate to offer advice, from the fear of its being ill received. Jethro showed himself superior to this weakness, and risked being rebuffed for officiousne…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 19:1-8
Moses was called up the mountain, and was employed as the messenger of this covenant. The Maker and first Mover of the covenant, is God himself. This blessed charter was granted out of God's own free grace. The covenant…
The Covenant of Sinai. (b. c. 1491.)
THE COVENANT OF SINAI. (B. C. 1491.) Here is, I. The date of that great charter by which Israel was incorporated. 1. The time when it bears date (Exodus 19:1)—in the third month after they came out of Egypt. It is compu…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:1-15
Covenant before law. "Now, therefore, if ye will obey," etc.—Exodus 19:5, Exodus 19:6. This subject might well be introduced by:— 1. Showing how exactly the topography of Sinai (i.e; the plain of Er Rahah, Ras Sufsafeh,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:1-2
ISRAEL AT SINAI,—PREPARATIONS FOR THE GIVING OF THE LAND. EXPOSITION THE JOURNEY TO MOUNT SINAI. From Rephidim in the Wady Feiran, where they had discomfited Amalek (Exodus 17:8-13), the Israelites moved towards Sinai,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:1
In the third month. The month Sivan, corresponding nearly with our June. When the children of Israel were gone forth. Rather, "after the children of Israel had gone forth," or "after the departure of the children of Isr…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:1-2
Localities shaped to suit God's moral purposes. It is scarcely possible to read the descriptions of the Sinaitic localities by modern travellers, who pointedly note their exact adaptation to the scenes transacted among…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:1-6
The Lord and his people. I. WHO THE PEOPLE OF GOD ARE. 1. The children of the promise, "the house of Jacob," etc; the household of faith. 2. They who have experienced deliverance and known God's love: "Ye have seen what…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 19:2
They were departed from Rephidim. See the comment on Exodus 17:1, and compare Numbers 33:15. There Israel en-camped before the mountain. The bulk of the tents were no doubt pitched in the plain, Er-Rahah; but this may n…