Exodus 5:12

12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

Exodus 5:12 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:12

So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of
Egypt
That part of it where they dwelt:

to gather stubble instead of straw;
straw not being easy to come at, they were obliged to gather stubble that was left in the fields, after the corn was gathered in. Ben Melech observes, that the word signifies small straw, or small sticks of wood, and Kimchi ^F13, and if so, this must be to burn the bricks with in the furnaces.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Sepher Shorash, rad. (vvq) .

Exodus 5:12 In-Context

10 The slave drivers and foreman went out and said to them, "This is what Pharaoh says: I'm no longer giving you straw.

11 Get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work load will not be reduced one bit."

12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

13 The slave drivers kept hurrying them. They said, "Finish the same amount of work each day, just as when you had straw."

14 Pharaoh's slave drivers had placed Israelite foremen in charge of the people. The slave drivers beat the foremen and said, "You didn't finish all the bricks you were ordered to make yesterday or today. Why didn't you make as many as you used to?"