Exodus 5:16

16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”

Exodus 5:16 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
16 No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, 'Make bricks!' And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people."
New Living Translation (NLT)
16 “We are given no straw, but the slave drivers still demand, ‘Make bricks!’ We are being beaten, but it isn’t our fault! Your own people are to blame!”
The Message Bible (MSG)
16 Nobody gives us any straw and they tell us, 'Make bricks!' Look at us - we're being beaten. And it's not our fault."
American Standard Version (ASV)
16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault it in thine own people.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
16 We're given no straw, and yet we're told to make bricks. We're being beaten, but your men are at fault."
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
16 No straw has been given to your servants, yet they say to us, 'Make bricks!' Look, your servants are being beaten, but it is your own people who are at fault."
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
16 You didn't give us any straw. But you told us, 'Make bricks!' We are being whipped. But it's the fault of your own people."

Exodus 5:16 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:16

There is no straw given unto thy servants
As used to be, which they supposed Pharaoh knew nothing of, and by which it appears that the order given by Pharaoh, ( Exodus 5:6 Exodus 5:7 ) was not given in the hearing of the officers, only to the taskmasters, and by them to be made known to the officers, though indeed both are there mentioned, and both represent this to the people, ( Exodus 5:10 )

and they say to us, make brick,
though they had no straw to make or burn it with:

and, behold, thy servants are beaten;
because the same number of bricks is not made as heretofore, but the fault is in thine own people; the taskmasters, who sent the people abroad to get straw or stubble themselves, and therefore could not make the same bricks as before; or "thy people sin" F14, the guilt is theirs: or by thy people are meant the Israelites, whom they call Pharaoh's people to gain favour with him; and then the sense is, either "sin" is imputed "to thy people" {o}, the blame is laid upon them, or punishment is inflicted on them without cause, sin being often put for punishment; they are wrongfully charged with a fault, and wrongfully punished.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 (Kme tajxw) "et peccat populus tuns", Montanus, Drusius, Cartwright.
F15 So Vatablus, Piscator, and some in Munster, Pagninus.

Exodus 5:16 In-Context

14 And Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed, demanding, “Why haven’t you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”
15 Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way?
16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
17 Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’
18 Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”
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