Exodus 5:15

The Foremen Complain to Pharaoh and Moses, and Moses Complains to Yahweh

15 And the foremen of the {Israelites} came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you treat your servants like this?

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 And the slave drivers [were] insisting, saying, "Finish your work {for each day} on its day, as {when there was straw}."

14 And the foremen of the {Israelites}, whom Pharaoh's slave drivers had appointed over them, were beaten [by men who were] saying, "Why have you not completed your portion of brickmaking {as before, both yesterday and today}?"

15 And the foremen of the {Israelites} came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you treat your servants like this?

16 Straw [is] not being given to your servants, but [they are] saying to us, 'Make bricks!' and, look, your servants [are] being beaten, but it is the fault of your people."

17 And he said, "You [are] lazy, lazy! Therefore you [are] saying, 'Let us go; let us sacrifice to Yahweh.'

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"