Exodus 5:12

12 So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt in search of stubble to use as 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 So the slave drivers and foremen went out and told the people: “This is what Pharaoh says: I will not provide any more straw for you.

11 Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!”

12 So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt in search of stubble to use as straw.

13 Meanwhile, the Egyptian slave drivers continued to push hard. “Meet your daily quota of bricks, just as you did when we provided you with straw!” they demanded.

14 Then they whipped the Israelite foremen they had put in charge of the work crews. “Why haven’t you met your quotas either yesterday or today?” they demanded.