Exodus 5:12

12 So the people were sent in all directions through the land of Egypt to get dry grass for stems.

Exodus 5:12 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:12

So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of
Egypt
That part of it where they dwelt:

to gather stubble instead of straw;
straw not being easy to come at, they were obliged to gather stubble that was left in the fields, after the corn was gathered in. Ben Melech observes, that the word signifies small straw, or small sticks of wood, and Kimchi ^F13, and if so, this must be to burn the bricks with in the furnaces.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Sepher Shorash, rad. (vvq) .

Exodus 5:12 In-Context

10 And the overseers of the people and their responsible men went out and said to the people, Pharaoh says, I will give you no more dry stems.

11 Go yourselves and get dry stems wherever you are able; for your work is not to be any less.

12 So the people were sent in all directions through the land of Egypt to get dry grass for stems.

13 And the overseers went on driving them and saying, Do your full day's work as before when there were dry stems for you.

14 And the responsible men of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's overseers had put over them, were given blows, and they said to them, Why have you not done your regular work, in making bricks as before?