- Exodus 18:13
וַיְהִי מִמׇּחֳרָת וַיֵּשֶׁב מֹשֶׁה לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת־הָעָם וַיַּעֲמֹד הָעָם עַל־מֹשֶׁה מִן־הַבֹּקֶר עַד־הָעָרֶב׃
Next day, Moses sat as magistrate among the people, while the people stood about Moses from morning until evening.
Targum Onkelos
וַהֲוָה בְּיוֹמָא דְּבָתְרוֹהִי וִיתֵיב מֹשֶׁה לִמְדָּן יָת עַמָּא וְקָם עַמָּא עִלָּווֹהִי דְּמֹשֶׁה מִן צַפְרָא עַד רַמְשָׁא׃
It was on the following day [that] Moshe sat to judge the people and the people stood around Moshe from morning until evening.
- Exodus 18:14
וַיַּרְא חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה אֵת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־הוּא עֹשֶׂה לָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר מָה־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹשֶׂה לָעָם מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב לְבַדֶּךָ וְכׇל־הָעָם נִצָּב עָלֶיךָ מִן־בֹּקֶר עַד־עָרֶב׃
But when Moses’ father-in-law saw how much he had to do for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing to the people? Why do you act alone, while all the people stand about you from morning until evening?”
Targum Onkelos
וַחֲזָא חֲמוּהִי דְּמֹשֶׁה יָת כָּל דְּהוּא עָבֵיד לְעַמָּא וַאֲמַר מָא פִתְגָמָא הָדֵין דְּאַתְּ עָבֵיד לְעַמָּא מָדֵין אַתְּ יָתֵיב בִּלְחוֹדָךְ וְכָל עַמָּא קָיְמִין עִלָּוָךְ מִן צַפְרָא עַד רַמְשָׁא׃
When Moshe’s father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself and [letting] the people stand around you from morning until evening?”
- Exodus 18:15
וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה לְחֹתְנוֹ כִּי־יָבֹא אֵלַי הָעָם לִדְרֹשׁ אֱלֹהִים׃
Moses replied to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me to inquire of God.
Targum Onkelos
וַאֲמַר מֹשֶׁה לַחֲמוּהִי אֲרֵי אָתַן לְוָתִי עַמָּא לְמִתְבַּע אוּלְפָן מִן קֳדָם יְיָ׃
Moshe said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to seek [instruction from] God.
- Exodus 18:16
כִּי־יִהְיֶה לָהֶם דָּבָר בָּא אֵלַי וְשָׁפַטְתִּי בֵּין אִישׁ וּבֵין רֵעֵהוּ וְהוֹדַעְתִּי אֶת־חֻקֵּי הָאֱלֹהִים וְאֶת־תּוֹרֹתָיו׃
When they have a dispute, it comes before me, and I decide between one party and another, and I make known the laws and teachings of God.”
Targum Onkelos
כַּד הָוֵי לְהוֹן דִּינָא אָתַן לְוָתִי וְדָאֵינְנָא בֵּין גּוּבְרָא וּבֵין חַבְרֵיהּ וּמְהוֹדַעְנָא לְהוֹן יָת קְיָמַיָּא דַּייָ וְיָת אוֹרָיָתֵיהּ׃
Whenever they have a problem, they come to me, and I judge between man and his neighbor. I impart to them God’s statutes and His laws.”
- Exodus 18:17
וַיֹּאמֶר חֹתֵן מֹשֶׁה אֵלָיו לֹא־טוֹב הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹשֶׂה׃
But Moses’ father-in-law said to him, “The thing you are doing is not right;
Targum Onkelos
וַאֲמַר חֲמוּהִי דְּמֹשֶׁה לֵיהּ לָא תָקֵין פִּתְגָמָא דְּאַתְּ עָבֵיד׃
Moshe’s father-in-law said to him, “What you are doing is not good.
- Exodus 18:18
נָבֹל תִּבֹּל גַּם־אַתָּה גַּם־הָעָם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר עִמָּךְ כִּי־כָבֵד מִמְּךָ הַדָּבָר לֹא־תוּכַל עֲשֹׂהוּ לְבַדֶּךָ׃
you will surely wear yourself out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.
Targum Onkelos
מִלְאָה תִלְאֵי אַף אַתְּ אַף עַמָּא הָדֵין דְּעִמָּךְ אֲרֵי יַקִּיר מִנָּךְ פִּתְגָמָא לָא תִכּוֹל לְמִעְבְּדֵיהּ בִּלְחוֹדָךְ׃
You are going to wear yourself out, you too and this people that is with you. This [activity] is too heavy for you. You cannot do it alone.
- Exodus 18:19
עַתָּה שְׁמַע בְּקֹלִי אִיעָצְךָ וִיהִי אֱלֹהִים עִמָּךְ הֱיֵה אַתָּה לָעָם מוּל הָאֱלֹהִים וְהֵבֵאתָ אַתָּה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים׃
Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You represent the people before God: you bring the disputes before God,
Targum Onkelos
כְּעַן קַבֵּיל מִנִּי אַמְלְכִנָּךְ וִיהֵי מֵימְרָא דַּייָ בְּסַעֲדָךְ הֱוִי אַתְּ לְעַמָּא תָּבַע אוּלְפָן מִן קֳדָם יְיָ וּתְהֵי מֵיתֵי אַתְּ יָת פִּתְגָמַיָּא לִקְדָם יְיָ׃
Now listen to my voice [obey me]. I will give you advice and [the Word of] God [will] be with you [your support]. You must be God’s representative [ask instruction from before God] for the people, and bring the[ir] problems to [before] God.
- Exodus 18:20
וְהִזְהַרְתָּה אֶתְהֶם אֶת־הַחֻקִּים וְאֶת־הַתּוֹרֹת וְהוֹדַעְתָּ לָהֶם אֶת־הַדֶּרֶךְ יֵלְכוּ בָהּ וְאֶת־הַמַּעֲשֶׂה אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשׂוּן׃
and enjoin upon them the laws and the teachings, and make known to them the way they are to go and the practices they are to follow.
Targum Onkelos
וְתַזְהַר יָתְהוֹן יָת קְיָמַיָּא וְיָת אוֹרָיָתָא וּתְהוֹדַע לְהוֹן יָת אוֹרְחָא דִּיהָכוּן בַּהּ וְיָת עוּבָדָא דְּיַעְבְּדוּן׃
You shall enlighten them as to the statutes and laws, and impart to them the path in which they must walk, and the deeds they must do.
- Exodus 18:21
וְאַתָּה תֶחֱזֶה מִכׇּל־הָעָם אַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל יִרְאֵי אֱלֹהִים אַנְשֵׁי אֱמֶת שֹׂנְאֵי בָצַע וְשַׂמְתָּ עֲלֵהֶם שָׂרֵי אֲלָפִים שָׂרֵי מֵאוֹת שָׂרֵי חֲמִשִּׁים וְשָׂרֵי עֲשָׂרֹת׃
You shall also seek out, from among all the people, those who are capable and who fear God—trustworthy ones who spurn ill-gotten gain. Set these over them as chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, and
Targum Onkelos
וְאַתְּ תִּחְזֵי מִכָּל עַמָּא גּוּבְרִין דְּחֵילָא דָּחֲלַיָּא דַּייָ גּוּבְרִין דִּקְשׁוֹט דְּסָנַן לְקַבָּלָא מָמוֹן וּתְמַנֵּי עֲלֵיהוֹן רַבָּנֵי אַלְפֵי רַבָּנֵי מָאוָתָא רַבָּנֵי חַמְשִׁין וְרַבָּנֵי עֲשׂוֹרְיָיתָא׃
You must seek out from among all the people capable, God-fearing men, men of truth, who despise [accepting] gain. You must then appoint them over [the people] as officers of thousands, officers of hundreds, officers of fifties and officers of tens.
- Exodus 18:22
וְשָׁפְטוּ אֶת־הָעָם בְּכׇל־עֵת וְהָיָה כׇּל־הַדָּבָר הַגָּדֹל יָבִיאוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְכׇל־הַדָּבָר הַקָּטֹן יִשְׁפְּטוּ־הֵם וְהָקֵל מֵעָלֶיךָ וְנָשְׂאוּ אִתָּךְ׃
let them judge the people at all times. Have them bring every major dispute to you, but let them decide every minor dispute themselves. Make it easier for yourself by letting them share the burden with you.
Targum Onkelos
וִידִינוּן יָת עַמָּא בְּכָל עִדָּן וִיהֵי כָּל פִּתְגָם רַב יַיְתוֹן לְוָתָךְ וְכָל פִּתְגָם זְעֵיר יְדִינוּן אִנּוּן וְיֵיקְלוּן מִנָּךְ וִיסוֹבְרוּן עִמָּךְ׃
Let them [They shall] judge the people at all times. Every major problem they will bring to you, and every minor problem they shall judge by themselves. It will [thus] be easier for you since they will bear the burden with you.
- Exodus 18:23
אִם אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה תַּעֲשֶׂה וְצִוְּךָ אֱלֹהִים וְיָכׇלְתָּ עֲמֹד וְגַם כׇּל־הָעָם הַזֶּה עַל־מְקֹמוֹ יָבֹא בְשָׁלוֹם׃
If you do this—and God so commands you—you will be able to bear up; and all these people too will go home unwearied.”
Targum Onkelos
אִם יָת פִּתְגָמָא הָדֵין תַּעֲבֵיד וִיפַקְּדִנָּךְ יְיָ וְתִכּוֹל לִמְקָם וְאַף כָּל עַמָּא הָדֵין עַל אַתְרֵיהּ יְהָךְ בִּשְׁלָם׃
If you do this and God commands you [to do so], you will be able to survive, and also this entire people will come [go] to their place in peace.”