Exodus 5:12

12 So the people scattered throughout the land of 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 So the taskmasters and the supervisors of the people went out and said to the people, "Thus says Pharaoh, "I will not give you straw.

11 Go and get straw yourselves, wherever you can find it; but your work will not be lessened in the least.' "

12 So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.

13 The taskmasters were urgent, saying, "Complete your work, the same daily assignment as when you were given straw."

14 And the supervisors of the Israelites, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, "Why did you not finish the required quantity of bricks yesterday and today, as you did before?"