Exodus 5:9

9 Make the work harder for these people so that they will be too busy to listen to lies."

Exodus 5:9 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:9

Let there more work be laid upon the men
Instead of lessening it, let it be increased, or "be heavy" ^F11 upon them, that it may oppress and afflict them and keep them down, and weaken their strength and their spirits, and diminish them:

that they may labour therein;
and have no leisure time to spend in idleness and sloth:

and let them not regard vain words;
or "words of falsehood" ^F12 and lies, such as were spoken by Moses and Aaron, promising them liberty and deliverance from their bondage, which he was determined never to grant, and so eventually make such words to appear to be vain and empty, falsehood and lies.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 (dbkt) "aggravetur", Pagninus, Montanus
F12 (yrbdb) "in verbis mendacii", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus. "Verbis falsis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Exodus 5:9 In-Context

7 "Don't give the people any more straw to make bricks as you have been doing. Let them gather their own straw,

8 but insist that they make the same number of bricks they were making before. Making fewer bricks will not be acceptable. They're lazy! That's why they're crying, 'Let us go offer sacrifices to our God.'

9 Make the work harder for these people so that they will be too busy to listen to lies."

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."