Keluaran 18:14

18:14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this ¹  that you are doing for the people? ²  Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”

Keluaran 22:27

22:27 for it is his only covering – it is his garment for his body. ³  What else can he sleep in? ⁴  And ⁵  when he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am gracious.

[18:14]  ¹ tn Heb “what is this thing.”

[18:14]  ² sn This question, “what are you doing for the people,” is qualified by the next question. Sitting alone all day and the people standing around all day showed that Moses was exhibiting too much care for the people – he could not do this.

[22:27]  ³ tn Heb “his skin.”

[22:27]  ⁴ tn Literally the text reads, “In what can he lie down?” The cloak would be used for a covering at night to use when sleeping. The garment, then, was the property that could not be taken and not given back – it was the last possession. The modern idiom of “the shirt off his back” gets at the point being made here.

[22:27]  ⁵ tn Heb “and it will be.”