Exodus 5:9

9 Crack down on them. That'll cure them of their whining, their god-fantasies."

Exodus 5:9 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:9

Let there more work be laid upon the men
Instead of lessening it, let it be increased, or "be heavy" ^F11 upon them, that it may oppress and afflict them and keep them down, and weaken their strength and their spirits, and diminish them:

that they may labour therein;
and have no leisure time to spend in idleness and sloth:

and let them not regard vain words;
or "words of falsehood" ^F12 and lies, such as were spoken by Moses and Aaron, promising them liberty and deliverance from their bondage, which he was determined never to grant, and so eventually make such words to appear to be vain and empty, falsehood and lies.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 (dbkt) "aggravetur", Pagninus, Montanus
F12 (yrbdb) "in verbis mendacii", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus. "Verbis falsis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Exodus 5:9 In-Context

7 "Don't provide straw for the people for making bricks as you have been doing. Make them get their own straw.

8 And make them produce the same number of bricks - no reduction in their daily quotas! They're getting lazy. They're going around saying, 'Give us time off so we can worship our God.'

9 Crack down on them. That'll cure them of their whining, their god-fantasies."

10 The slave-drivers and their underlings went out to the people with their new instructions. "Pharaoh's orders: No more straw provided.

11 Get your own straw wherever you can find it. And not one brick less in your daily work quota!"