Exodus 5:1-10

1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, "Thus saith the LORD God of Israel: `Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness.'"

2 And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go."

3 And they said, "The God of the Hebrews hath met with us. Let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert and sacrifice unto the LORD our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword."

4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, "Why do ye, Moses and Aaron, delay the people from their work? Get you unto your burdens!"

5 And Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens!"

6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,

7 "Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8 And the tally of bricks which they made heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish any thereof. For they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, `Let us go and sacrifice to our God.'

9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein, and let them not regard vain words."

10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, "Thus saith Pharaoh: `I will not give you straw.

Exodus 5:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

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.