Exodus 5:5

5 Pharaoh continued, "There are large numbers of your people in the land. But you are stopping them from 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 Moses and Aaron said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a journey that lasts about three days. We want to go into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. If we don't, he might strike us with plagues. Or he might let us be killed with swords."

4 But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Get back to work!"

5 Pharaoh continued, "There are large numbers of your people in the land. But you are stopping them from working."

6 That same day Pharaoh gave orders to the slave drivers and the others who were in charge of the people.

7 He said, "Don't give the people any more straw to make bricks. Let them go and get their own straw.