Exodus 5:1-7

Moses Confronts Pharaoh

1 Later, Moses and Aaron went in and said to Pharaoh, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Let My people go, so that they may hold a festival for Me in the wilderness."
2 But Pharaoh responded, "Who is the Lord that I should obey Him by letting Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and what's more, I will not let Israel go."
3 Then they answered, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go on a three-day trip into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, or else He may strike us with plague or sword."
4 The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you causing the people to neglect their work? Get to your labors!"
5 Pharaoh also said, "Look, the people of the land are so numerous, and you would stop them from working."

Further Oppression of Israel

6 That day Pharaoh commanded the overseers of the people as well as their foremen:
7 "Don't continue to supply the people with straw for making bricks, as before. They must go and gather 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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