Exodus5
New American Standard
1And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘Let My people go so that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”
2But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”
3Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, otherwise He will strike us with plague or with the sword.”
4But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you let the people neglect their work? Get back to your labors!”
5Again Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!”
6So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying,
7“You are no longer to give the people straw to make bricks as previously; have them go and gather straw for themselves.
8But you shall impose on them the quota of bricks which they were making before; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are lazy, for that reason they cry out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
9Let the labor be heavier on the men, and have them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words.”
10So the taskmasters of the people and their foremen went out and spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am not going to give you any straw.
11You go, get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it; but none of your labor will be reduced.’”
12So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
13And the taskmasters pressed them, saying, “Complete your work quota, your daily amount, just as when you had straw.”
14Moreover, the foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not completed your required task of making bricks either yesterday or today, as before?”
15Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants?
16There is no straw given to your servants, yet they keep saying to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are being beaten; but it is the fault of your own people.”
17But he said, “You are lazy, very lazy; for that reason you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’
18So go now and work; for you will be given no straw, but you must deliver the quota of bricks.”
19The foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in trouble, since they were told, “You must not reduce your daily amount of bricks.”
20When they left Pharaoh’s presence, they met Moses and Aaron as they were waiting for them.
21And they said to them, “May the Lord look upon you and judge you, because you have made us repulsive in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us!”
22Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me?
23Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all.”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 5.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Pharaoh's displeasure, He increases the tasks of the Israelites. (1–9). The sufferings of the Israelites, Moses' complaint to God. (10–23).
vv1-9
God will own his people, though poor and despised, and will find a time to plead their cause. Pharaoh treated all he had heard with contempt. He had no knowledge of Jehovah, no fear of him, no love to him, and therefore refused to obey him. Thus Pharaoh's pride, ambition, covetousness, and political knowledge, hardened him to his own destruction. What Moses and Aaron ask is very reasonable, only to go three days' journey into the desert, and that on a good errand. We will sacrifice unto the Lord our God. Pharaoh was very unreasonable, in saying that the people were idle, and therefore talked of going to sacrifice. He thus misrepresents them, that he might have a pretence to add to their burdens. To this day we find many who are more disposed to find fault with their neighbours, for spending in the service of God a few hours spared from their wordly business, than to blame others, who give twice the time to sinful pleasures. Pharaoh's command was barbarous. Moses and Aaron themselves must get to the burdens. Persecutors take pleasure in putting contempt and hardship upon ministers. The usual tale of bricks must be made, without the usual allowance of straw to mix with the clay. Thus more work was to be laid upon the men, which, if they performed, they would be broken with labour; and if not, they would be punished.
vv10-23
The Egyptian task-masters were very severe. See what need we have to pray that we may be delivered from wicked men. The head-workmen justly complained to Pharaoh: but he taunted them. The malice of Satan has often represented the service and worship of God, as fit employment only for those who have nothing else to do, and the business only of the idle; whereas, it is the duty of those who are most busy in the world. Those who are diligent in doing sacrifice to the Lord, will, before God, escape the doom of the slothful servant, though with men they do not. The Israelites should have humbled themselves before God, and have taken to themselves the shame of their sin; but instead of that, they quarrel with those who were to be their deliverers. Moses returned to the Lord. He knew that what he had said and done, was by God's direction; and therefore appeals to him. When we find ourselves at any time perplexed in the way of our duty, we ought to go to God, and lay open our case before him by fervent prayer. Disappointments in our work must not drive us from our God, but still we must ponder why they are sent.
Key Words
אַחַר: properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
אַהֲרוֹן: Aharon, the brother of Moses
בּוֹא: to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
פַּרְעֹה: Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings
אֱלֹהִים: gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
עַם: a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
שָׁלַח: to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications)
Cross References
Exodus 5Fulfills the exact instructions given by God to ask Pharaoh for a three days' journey.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels Pharaoh's defiant attitude of 'Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?'
Supported by Matthew Henry
Repetition of the demand to hold a feast and sacrifice to Jehovah in the wilderness.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Direct fulfillment of God's warning that the king of Egypt would not let them go.
Supported by John Calvin
Connects back to the original taskmasters and burdens laid on Israel by Egypt.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Same idiom used by Jacob regarding his reputation being made to stink among the inhabitants.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Pharaoh fears the massive population of Hebrews and seeks to control them by labor.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Elaborates on the bitter bondage of making brick and mortar under harsh conditions.
Supported by JFB
Shows the immediate consequence of this discouragement; the people refuse to listen to Moses.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Shows a pattern of Moses returning to cry out to God under extreme distress.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels the warning to not harden necks, but yield to Jehovah lest His anger fall.
Supported by Matthew Henry
If a ruler listens to lies, all his servants become wicked taskmasters.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Pharaoh abuses the principle of laziness, falsely accusing those who want to worship God.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Similar emotional appeal calling on the Lord to judge between two parties in conflict.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels Jeremiah's similar complaint of being deceived or poorly treated by God's commission.
Supported by Matthew Henry