Exodus 5:9-19

9 Let the works of these men be made grievous, and let them care for these things, and not care for vain words.

10 And the taskmasters and the accountants hastened them, and they spoke to the people, saying, thus says Pharao, I give you straw no longer.

11 Go ye, yourselves, get for yourselves straw whencesoever ye can find it, for nothing is diminished from your rate.

12 So the people were dispersed in all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.

13 and the taskmasters hastened them, saying, Fulfil your regular daily tasks, even as when straw was given you.

14 And the accountants of the race of the children of Israel, who were set over them by the masters of Pharao, were scourged, saying, Why have ye not fulfilled your rates of brick-work as yesterday and the third day, to-day also?

15 And the accountants of the children of Israel went in and cried to Pharao, saying, Why dost thou act thus to thy servants?

16 Straw is not given to thy servants, and they tell us to make brick; and behold thy servants have been scourged: thou wilt therefore injure thy people.

17 And he said to them, Ye are idle, ye are idlers: therefore ye say, Let us go do sacrifice to our God.

18 Now then go and work, for straw shall not be given to you, yet ye shall return the rate of bricks.

19 And the accountants of the children of Israel saw themselves in an evil plight, saying, Ye shall not fail to deliver the daily rate of the brick-making.

Exodus 5:9-19 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. supplied from the
• [b]. that which belongs to each day.