Charles Ellicott Commentary Exodus 18:17

"And Moses` father-in-law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good." — Exodus 18:17 (ASV)

The thing that thou doest is not good.—Weighty as the arguments were, they failed to convince Jethro. He brought forward counter-arguments. By continuing to act as he had until now, Moses would, in the first place, exhaust his own strength, and secondly, exhaust the patience of the people. His practice was unadvisable, both on his own account and on theirs. To keep suitors waiting all day, and perhaps finally dismiss them without their turn having come, was not fair to them.