(10) “Come, therefore, I will send you to Pharaoh, and you shall free My people, the Israelites, from Egypt.” (11) But Moshe said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and free the Israelites from Egypt?”
(13) Next day, Moshe sat as magistrate among the people, while the people stood about Moshe from morning until evening. (14) But when Moshe’s 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?”
(15) Moshe replied to his father-in-law, “It is because the people come to me to inquire of God. (16) 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.” (17) But Moshe’s father-in-law said to him, “The thing you are doing is not right; (18) you will surely wear yourself out, and these people as well. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone.”
(ב) וישב משה וגו' ויעמד העם. יוֹשֵׁב כְּמֶלֶךְ וְכֻלָּן עוֹמְדִים, וְהֻקְשָׁה הַדָּבָר לְיִתְרוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מְזַלְזֵל בִּכְבוֹדָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוֹכִיחוֹ עַל כָּךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (פסוק יד) מַדּוּעַ אַתָּה יוֹשֵׁב לְבַדֶּךָ וְכֻלָּם נִצָּבִים:
(French, 1040-1105)
(2) וישב משה וגו׳ ויעמד העם MOSHE SAT … AND THE PEOPLE STOOD He was sitting like a king and they all stood, and the thing was distasteful to Yitro in that he made light of the respect due to Israel. He therefore reproved him for this, as it is said (v. 14) “Why sittest thou only” — and they all stand! (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 18:14)
(א) וירא חתן משה. מה ראה, ראהו שהיה כמלך יושב על כסאו והכל עומדין עליו; אמר לו, מה הדבר הזה אשר אתה עושה לעם מדוע אתה יושב לבדך.
(Talmudic Israel/Babylon, 135 CE)
(1) (Exodus 18:14) "And Moshe's father-in-law saw": What did he see? He saw him sitting like a king sitting on his throne and all paying attendance upon him, whereupon he said to him: "What is this that you are doing to the people? Why are you sitting alone?"
(15) All the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the blare of the horn and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they fell back and stood at a distance. (16) “You speak to us,” they said to Moshe, “and we will obey; but let not God speak to us, lest we die.”