Exodus 5:1-9

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 celebrate a feast unto me in the wilderness.

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

3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews has found us; therefore we shall go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice unto the LORD our God lest he encounter us with pestilence or with the sword.

4 Then the king of Egypt said unto them, Why do ye, Moses and Aaron, keep the people from their works? Go unto your burdens.

5 Pharaoh also said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them cease from their burdens.

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

7 Ye shall no longer give the people firewood to make brick as until now; let them go and gather firewood for themselves.

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

9 Let more work be laid upon them that they may occupy themselves with it; and let them not regard words of deception.

Exodus 5:1-9 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.