Exodus 5:1-7

First meeting with Pharaoh

1 Afterward, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, Israel's God, says: ‘Let my people go so that they can hold a festival for me in the desert.'"
2 But Pharaoh said, "Who is this LORD whom I'm supposed to obey by letting Israel go? I don't know this LORD, and I certainly won't let Israel go."
3 Then they said, "The Hebrews' God has appeared to us. Let us go on a three-day journey into the desert so we can offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. Otherwise, the LORD will give us a deadly disease or violence."
4 The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you making the people slack off from their work? Do the hard work yourselves!"
5 Pharaoh continued, "The land's people are now numerous. Yet you want them to stop their hard work?"
6 On the very same day Pharaoh commanded the people's slave masters and supervisors,
7 "Don't supply the people with the straw they need to make bricks like you did before. Let them go out and gather the straw for themselves.

Exodus 5:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 5

Moses and Aaron go in to Pharaoh, and desire leave for the children of Israel to go into the wilderness three days' journey, to sacrifice to the Lord, and are answered in a very churlish and atheistical manner, and are charged with making the people idle, the consequence of which was, the taskmasters had orders, to make their work more heavy and toilsome, Ex 5:1-9 which orders were executed with severity by them, Ex 5:10-13, upon which the officers of the children of Israel complained to Pharaoh, but to no purpose, Ex 5:14-19, and meeting with Moses and Aaron, lay the blame upon them, Ex 5:20,21, which sends Moses to the Lord to expostulate with him about it, Ex 5:22,23.

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