Exodus 5:12

12 So the people were dispersed in all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.

Exodus 5:12 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:12

So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of
Egypt
That part of it where they dwelt:

to gather stubble instead of straw;
straw not being easy to come at, they were obliged to gather stubble that was left in the fields, after the corn was gathered in. Ben Melech observes, that the word signifies small straw, or small sticks of wood, and Kimchi ^F13, and if so, this must be to burn the bricks with in the furnaces.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Sepher Shorash, rad. (vvq) .

Exodus 5:12 In-Context

10 And the taskmasters and the accountants hastened them, and they spoke to the people, saying, thus says Pharao, I give you straw no longer.

11 Go ye, yourselves, get for yourselves straw whencesoever ye can find it, for nothing is diminished from your rate.

12 So the people were dispersed in all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.

13 and the taskmasters hastened them, saying, Fulfil your regular daily tasks, even as when straw was given you.

14 And the accountants of the race of the children of Israel, who were set over them by the masters of Pharao, were scourged, saying, Why have ye not fulfilled your rates of brick-work as yesterday and the third day, to-day also?