Exodus5
World English Bible · Public Domain
1Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”
2Pharaoh said, “Who is Yahweh, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don’t know Yahweh, and moreover I will not let Israel go.”
3They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword.”
4The king of Egypt said to them, “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!”
5Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens.”
6The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,
7“You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8You shall require from them the number of the bricks which they made before. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to our God.’
9Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it. Don’t let them pay any attention to lying words.”
10The taskmasters of the people went out with their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you straw.
11Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.’”
12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
13The taskmasters were urgent saying, “Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!”
14The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, “Why haven’t you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?”
15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants?
16No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, ‘Make brick!’ and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.”
17But Pharaoh said, “You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to Yahweh.’
18Go therefore now, and work; for no straw shall be given to you; yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!”
19The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble when it was said, “You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!”
20They met Moses and Aaron, who stood along the way, as they came out from Pharaoh.
21They said to them, “May Yahweh look at you and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us!”
22Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me?
23For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people. 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