Exodus 5

Moses Confronts Pharaoh

1 Later, Moses and Aaron went in and said to Pharaoh, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Let My people go, so that they may hold a festival for Me in the wilderness."
2 But Pharaoh responded, "Who is the Lord that I should obey Him by letting Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and what's more, I will not let Israel go."
3 Then they answered, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go on a three-day trip into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, or else He may strike us with plague or sword."
4 The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you causing the people to neglect their work? Get to your labors!"
5 Pharaoh also said, "Look, the people of the land are so numerous, and you would stop them from working."

Further Oppression of Israel

6 That day Pharaoh commanded the overseers of the people as well as their foremen:
7 "Don't continue to supply the people with straw for making bricks, as before. They must go and gather straw for themselves.
8 But require the same quota of bricks from them as they were making before; do not reduce it. For they are slackers-that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.'
9 Impose heavier work on the men. Then they will be occupied with it and not pay attention to deceptive words."
10 So the overseers and foremen of the people went out and said to them, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I am not giving you straw.
11 Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.' "
12 So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
13 The overseers insisted, "Finish your assigned work each day, just as [you did] when straw was [provided]."
14 Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh's slave drivers had set over the people, were beaten and asked, "Why haven't you finished making your prescribed number of bricks yesterday or today, as [you did] before?"
15 So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: "Why are you treating your servants this way?
16 No straw has been given to your servants, yet they say to us, 'Make bricks!' Look, your servants are being beaten, but it is your own people who are at fault."
17 But he said, "You are slackers. Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the Lord.'
18 Now get to work. No straw will be given to you, but you must produce the same quantity of bricks."
19 The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You cannot reduce your daily quota of bricks."
20 When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood [waiting] to meet them.
21 "May the Lord take note of you and judge," they said to them, "because you have made us reek in front of Pharaoh and his officials-putting a sword in their hand to kill us!"
22 So Moses went back to the Lord and asked, "Lord, why have You caused trouble for this people? And why did You ever send me?
23 Ever since I went in to Pharaoh to speak in Your name he has caused trouble for this people, and You haven't delivered Your people at all."

Exodus 5 Commentary

Chapter 5

Pharaoh's displeasure, He increases the tasks of the Israelites. (1-9) The sufferings of the Israelites, Moses' complaint to God. (10-23)

Verses 1-9 God will own his people, though poor and despised, and will find a time to plead their cause. Pharaoh treated all he had heard with contempt. He had no knowledge of Jehovah, no fear of him, no love to him, and therefore refused to obey him. Thus Pharaoh's pride, ambition, covetousness, and political knowledge, hardened him to his own destruction. What Moses and Aaron ask is very reasonable, only to go three days' journey into the desert, and that on a good errand. We will sacrifice unto the Lord our God. Pharaoh was very unreasonable, in saying that the people were idle, and therefore talked of going to sacrifice. He thus misrepresents them, that he might have a pretence to add to their burdens. To this day we find many who are more disposed to find fault with their neighbours, for spending in the service of God a few hours spared from their wordly business, than to blame others, who give twice the time to sinful pleasures. Pharaoh's command was barbarous. Moses and Aaron themselves must get to the burdens. Persecutors take pleasure in putting contempt and hardship upon ministers. The usual tale of bricks must be made, without the usual allowance of straw to mix with the clay. Thus more work was to be laid upon the men, which, if they performed, they would be broken with labour; and if not, they would be punished.

Verses 10-23 The Egyptian task-masters were very severe. See what need we have to pray that we may be delivered from wicked men. The head-workmen justly complained to Pharaoh: but he taunted them. The malice of Satan has often represented the service and worship of God, as fit employment only for those who have nothing else to do, and the business only of the idle; whereas, it is the duty of those who are most busy in the world. Those who are diligent in doing sacrifice to the Lord, will, before God, escape the doom of the slothful servant, though with men they do not. The Israelites should have humbled themselves before God, and have taken to themselves the shame of their sin; but instead of that, they quarrel with those who were to be their deliverers. Moses returned to the Lord. He knew that what he had said and done, was by God's direction; and therefore appeals to him. When we find ourselves at any time perplexed in the way of our duty, we ought to go to God, and lay open our case before him by fervent prayer. Disappointments in our work must not drive us from our God, but still we must ponder why they are sent.

Chapter Summary

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.

Exodus 5 Commentaries

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