Exodus 5:11-21

11 Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished."

12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Mitzrayim to gather stubble for straw.

13 The taskmasters were urgent saying, "Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!"

14 The officers of the children of Yisra'el, whom Par`oh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, "Why haven't you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?"

15 Then the officers of the children of Yisra'el came and cried to Par`oh, saying, "Why do you deal this way with your servants?

16 No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, 'Make brick!' and, behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people."

17 But he said, "You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.'

18 Go therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet shall you deliver the same number of bricks!"

19 The officers of the children of Yisra'el saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, "You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!"

20 They met Moshe and Aharon, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Par`oh:

21 and they said to them, "May the LORD look at you, and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Par`oh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us."

Exodus 5:11-21 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.