Exodus 5:5

5 There are very many Hebrews, and now you want them to quit working!"

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 Then Aaron and Moses said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we don't do this, he may kill us with a disease or in war."

4 But the king said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Go back to your jobs!

5 There are very many Hebrews, and now you want them to quit working!"

6 That same day the king gave a command to the slave masters and foremen.

7 He said, "Don't give the people straw to make bricks as you used to do. Let them gather their own straw.