Exodus 5:5

5 Par`oh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens."

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 They said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword."

4 The king of Mitzrayim said to them, "Why do you, Moshe and Aharon, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!"

5 Par`oh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens."

6 The same day Par`oh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

7 "You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.