Exodus 5:14-23

14 And the officers of the childern of Israel which Pharaos taskmasters had sett ouer them, were beaten. And it was sayde vnto them: wherfore haue ye not fulfilled youre taske in makinge brycke, both yesterdaye and to daye, as well as in tymes past.

15 Than went the officers of the childern of Israel ad complayned vnto Pharao saynge: wherfore dealest thou thus with thy servauntes?

16 there is no strawe geuen vnto thy servauntes, and yet they saye vnto vs: make brycke. And loo, thy servauntes ar beaten, and thy people is foule intreated.

17 And he answered: ydill are ye ydill and therfore ye saye: let vs goo ad do sacrifice vnto the Lorde.

18 Goo therfore and worke, for there shall no strawe be geuen you, and yet see that ye delyuer the hole tale of brycke.

19 when the officers of the childern of Israel sawe them silfe in shrode case (in that he sayde ye shall minysh nothinge of youre dalye makige of brycke)

20 than they mett Moses and Aaro stondinge in there waye as they came out fro Pharao,

21 and sayde vnto them: The Lorde loke vnto you and iudge, for ye haue made the sauoure of vs stincke in the sighte of Pharao and of his servauntes, and haue put a swerde in to their handes to slee vs.

22 Moses returned vnto the Lorde and sayde: Lorde wherfore dealest thou cruelly with this people: and wherfore hast thou sent me?

23 For sence I came to Pharao to speke in thy name, he hath fared foull with this folke, ad yet thou hast not delyuered thy people at all.

Exodus 5:14-23 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.