Exodus 5:17

17 But he said, "You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.'

Exodus 5:17 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:17

But he said, ye are idle, ye are idle
Instead of expressing indignation at the taskmasters, and relieving the officers and the people, he insults them in a flouting sarcastic way, charging them with sloth and idleness; and which, for the certainty of it, or, however, to show how strongly persuaded and fully assured he was of the truth of it, repeats it, and gives the following as a proof of it,

therefore ye say, let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord;
suggesting that it was not so much the service and honour of God they regarded, as that they might have a leisure day from work and labour.

Exodus 5:17 In-Context

15 Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, "Why do you treat your servants like this?

16 No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, 'Make bricks!' And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people."

17 But he said, "You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.'

18 Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks."

19 The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, "You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day."