Exodus 5:15

15 Then the foremen of the people of Isra'el came and complained to Pharaoh: "Why are you treating your servants this way?

Exodus 5:15 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:15

Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried
unto Pharaoh
Made their complaints to him, perhaps with tears in their eyes, being used so very ill. They little thought it was by Pharaoh's orders; they supposed he knew nothing of it, and therefore hoped to have their grievances redressed by him, but were mistaken:

saying, wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
so they call themselves, they living in his country, and being under his jurisdiction, though not properly his subjects; however, he had made them his slaves, and so indeed even bondservants.

Exodus 5:15 In-Context

13 The slavemasters kept pressing them. "Keep working! Make your daily quota, just as when straw was provided."

14 The foremen of the people of Isra'el, whom Pharaoh's slavemasters had appointed to be over them, were flogged and asked, "Why haven't you fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday and today, as you did formerly?"

15 Then the foremen of the people of Isra'el came and complained to Pharaoh: "Why are you treating your servants this way?

16 No straw is given to your servants, yet they keep telling us to make bricks. And now your servants are being flogged, but the fault lies with your own people."

17 "Lazy!" he retorted, "You're just lazy! That's why you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to ADONAI.'