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.
18. wear away ] The word usually means to fall and fade as a leaf (Psa 1:3); in Psa 18:45 rendered fade away (fig. of foes failing in strength and courage).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Thou wilt surely wear away – From decay and exhaustion.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. Thou wilt surely wear away] nabol tibbol, in wearing way, thou wilt wear away – by being thus continually employed, thou wilt soon become finally exhausted. And this people that is with thee; as if he had said, “Many of them are obliged to wait so long for the determination of their suit that their patience must be soon necessarily worn out, as there is no one to hear every cause but thyself.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Thou wilt surely waste and destroy thy health and strength by excessive labour of mind and body;
and this people, by tedious attendance and expectation ere their turn comes for the decision of their matters.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13-26. on the morrow . . . Moses satto judge the people, c.We are here presented with a specimenof his daily morning occupations and among the multifarious dutieshis divine legation imposed, it must be considered only a smallportion of his official employments. He appears in this attitude as atype of Christ in His legislative and judicial characters.
the people stood by Mosesfrom the morning unto the evening, &c.Governors in theEast seat themselves at the most public gate of their palace or thecity, and there, amid a crowd of applicants, hear causes, receivepetitions, redress grievances, and adjust the claims of contendingparties.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Thou wilt surely wear away,…. His natural strength and animal spirits, and so his flesh; he feared his constant application and attendance to business would impair his health, break his constitution, and bring him into a consumption. Moses was naturally of a strong and vigorous constitution; for, forty years after this, even to the time of his death, his natural force was not abated; or “fading thou wilt fade”, or, “falling thou wilt fall” r; in allusion to the leaves of trees in autumn, which fade, and wither, and fall:
both thou and this people that is with thee; it was tiresome to the people, as well as fatiguing to Moses, who, because of the multitude of cases, were obliged to wait a long time, some of them from morning to night, and yet could not get their suit to come and so were obliged to attend next day, and perhaps day after day. The Targum of Jonathan is,
“even thou also, Aaron and his sons, and the elders that are with them;”
and so Jarchi; but these do not seem to have been assisting to him at all, as appears by what follows:
for this thing is too heavy for thee: it was too great a burden upon his shoulders, what his strength was not equal to; for though his internal abilities were exceeding great, and he had a good will to the work, to serve God and his people, yet it was more, humanly speaking, than his bodily strength would admit of, or any mortal man could go through:
thou art not able to perform it thyself alone; and this Moses was sensible of himself afterwards, and says the same thing, De 1:9.
r “marcescendo marcesses”, Montanus; so Ainsworth; “cadendo cades”, Pagninus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
18. Wear away Hebrews, fading thou wilt fade . That is, as a leaf that withers and decays . Excessive labour and anxiety will send the strongest and holiest man into decline .
And this people The people as well as the judge would necessarily become weary and restless by long waiting and delay of judgment, and some, perhaps, would be tempted to go away and take the judgment into their own hands .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 18:18. Thou wilt surely wear away Thou wilt both consume thyself by too much fatigue, as well as the people, by this long and painful attendance, which they must necessarily give upon thee their sole judge.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Exo 18:18 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.
Ver. 18. Thou wilt surely wear away. ] Heb., Fading, thou wilt fade; as a leaf that wanteth moisture. Melancthon was wont to say, that none laboured so hard as travailing women, magistrates, and ministers. Politici et Ecelesiastici labores maximi sunt, saith Luther. Atterunt enim corpus, et tanquam ex imis medullis exhauriunt succum.
wilt surely wear away. Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6), “a wearing thou wilt wear”. See note on Gen 26:28.
Thou wilt surely wear away: Heb. Fading thou wilt fade, 2Co 12:15, Phi 2:30, 1Th 2:8, 1Th 2:9
thou art: Num 11:14-17, Deu 1:9-12, Act 6:1-4
Reciprocal: Exo 18:22 – they shall Exo 18:23 – God Deu 1:17 – the cause
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge