Exodus 5:19

19 And the foremen of the {Israelites} saw they were in trouble {with the saying}, "You will not reduce from your bricks {for each day} on its day."

Exodus 5:19 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:19

And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they
were in evil case
In a bad condition and circumstances, and that there was no likelihood of their getting out of them, since Pharaoh treated them after this manner; they saw not only that the common people were in a bad condition, in great bondage, misery, and distress, to be obliged to get straw to make brick, and carry in their full tale as before; but that they themselves were in a bad situation, since for the deficiency in their people they were like to be beaten for it from time to time:

after it was said, ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your
daily task;
after this had been said and confirmed by Pharaoh, they had no hope of things being better with them, but looked upon their unhappy lot as irretrievable.

Exodus 5:19 In-Context

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

18 And now go, work, but straw will not be given to you, and you must give the full quota of bricks."

19 And the foremen of the {Israelites} saw they were in trouble {with the saying}, "You will not reduce from your bricks {for each day} on its day."

20 And they met Moses and Aaron, [who were] waiting to meet them when they [were] going out from Pharaoh.

21 And they said to them, "May Yahweh look upon you and judge because you have caused our fragrance to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants [so as] to put a sword into their hand to kill us."

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"
• [b]. Literally "saying"
• [c]. Literally "a thing of a day"