Exodus 5:1-7

1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.'"

2 But Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should heed his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go."

3 Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us; let us go, we pray, a three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword."

4 But the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get to your burdens."

5 And Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many and you make them rest from their burdens!"

6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen,

7 "You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

Exodus 5:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 5

Moses and Aaron go in to Pharaoh, and desire leave for the children of Israel to go into the wilderness three days' journey, to sacrifice to the Lord, and are answered in a very churlish and atheistical manner, and are charged with making the people idle, the consequence of which was, the taskmasters had orders, to make their work more heavy and toilsome, Ex 5:1-9 which orders were executed with severity by them, Ex 5:10-13, upon which the officers of the children of Israel complained to Pharaoh, but to no purpose, Ex 5:14-19, and meeting with Moses and Aaron, lay the blame upon them, Ex 5:20,21, which sends Moses to the Lord to expostulate with him about it, Ex 5:22,23.