Exodus 5:9

9 Make these people work harder and keep them busy; then they will not have time to listen to the lies of Moses."

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

8 But they must still make the same number of bricks as they did before. Do not accept fewer. They have become lazy, and that is why they are asking me, 'Let us go to offer sacrifices to our God.'

9 Make these people work harder and keep them busy; then they will not have time to listen to the lies of Moses."

10 So the slave masters and foremen went to the Israelites and said, "This is what the king says: I will no longer give you straw.

11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it. But you must make as many bricks as you made before."