Exodus 5:5

5 Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.”

Exodus 5:5 in Other Translations

5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.

5 And Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!"

5 Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work.”

5 Pharaoh went on, "Look, I've got all these people bumming around, and now you want to reward them with time off?"

5 Pharaoh also said, "Look, the people of the land are so numerous, and you would stop them from working."

Exodus 5:5 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:5

And Pharaoh said, behold, the people of the land now are many,
&c.] So that if some were taken off, as suggested, there were enough of them to do business and so he cared not; but if allowed to go, they might mutiny and rebel, and give a great deal of trouble to quell them; or it may be, the sense is, they were very numerous, and too numerous already, and if they were took off of their work, and allowed to go a feasting, they would be more so, which agrees with the next clause:

and you make them rest from their burdens;
which was the way to make them more numerous still, and to frustrate the design of laying burdens upon them, which was originally intended to hinder the multiplication of them, ( Exodus 1:9-14 ) .

Exodus 5:5 In-Context

3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”

4 But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!”

5 Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.”

6 That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people:

7 “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw.

Cross References

• 1. S Genesis 12:2; Exodus 1:7,9