Kommentar zu Schemot 18:17

ויאמר חתן משה AND MOSES’ FATHER-IN-LAW SAID — By way of honour Scripture describes him as the father-in-law of the king.

As a way to honor him. . . Why did Rashi not make this comment before, where it said, “Moshe’s father-in-law saw” (v. 14)? The answer is: This verse here is preceded by (v. 15), “Moshe said to his father-in-law.” So here it should say, “His father-in-law said,” not, “Moshe’s father-in-law said.” Thus Rashi explains that [Moshe was mentioned] as a way to honor Yisro. And this is why Rashi did not make this comment before.

(Exodus 18:18) "You will languish": R. Yehoshua says: They will wear you out and cause you to collapse. R. Elazar Hamodai says: They will belabor you and vex you, as a fig tree whose leaves are wilted, viz. (Isaiah 1:30) "like an elah of wilted leaf." "also you": Moses; "also": Aaron; "also this people": the seventy elders. These are the words of R. Yehoshua. R. Elazar Hamodai says: "you" — Moses; "also" — Aaron, Nadav, and Avihu; "this people" — the seventy elders.

V. 17. נבל (verwandt mit נול, Trümmer, נפל, fallen), bedeutet ein Schwinden der Lebenskraft, bei Pflanzen: welken, bei Tieren: נְבֵלה, das Aas, ein Schwinden der sittlichen Kraft: נָבָל, der sittlich Entartete, hier: ein Schwinden der Tatkraft, ermüden.

לא טוב הדבר, “the matter is not right;” in my eyes what you are doing now is not good;