Exodus 5:21

21 and they said, “May the LORD look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

Exodus 5:21 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
English Standard Version (ESV)
21 and they said to them, "The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us."
New Living Translation (NLT)
21 The foremen said to them, “May the LORD judge and punish you for making us stink before Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!”
The Message Bible (MSG)
21 The foremen said to them, "May God see what you've done and judge you - you've made us stink before Pharaoh and his servants! You've put a weapon in his hand that's going to kill us!"
American Standard Version (ASV)
21 and they said unto them, Jehovah look upon you, and judge: because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
21 So they said, "May the LORD see what you have done and judge you! You have made Pharaoh and his officials hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us."
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
21 "May the Lord take note of you and judge," they said to them, "because you have made us reek in front of Pharaoh and his officials-putting a sword in their hand to kill us!"
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
21 They said to Moses and Aaron, "We want the LORD to look at what you have done! We want him to judge you for it! We are like a very bad smell to Pharaoh and his officials. You have given them an excuse to kill us with their swords."

Exodus 5:21 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:21

And they said unto them, the Lord look upon you and judge,
&c.] Or, "will look upon you and judge" F17; and so it is either a prediction of what would be done to them, or an imprecation on them that God would take notice of their conduct, and punish them, or at least chastise them for acting the part they had, if not wickedly, yet imprudently:

because you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh;
or to "stink" F18; they were become vile, abominable, and hateful to him, he could not bear the sight of them, and treated them as the filth and offscouring of all things; they had lost their good name, credit, and reputation with him; for leave being asked for them to go three days' journey into the wilderness, to offer sacrifice, and keep a feast, they were looked upon as a parcel of idle slothful fellows:

and in the eyes of his servants;
not the taskmasters only, but his nobles, counsellors, and courtiers:

to put a sword in their hands to slay us;
a proverbial expression, signifying that they by their conduct had exposed them to the utmost danger, and had given their enemies an occasion against them, and an opportunity of destroying their whole nation, under a pretence of disobedience and disloyalty.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 (jwpvyw-ary) "videbit" "et judicabit", Rivet.
F18 (Mtvabh) "fecisti foetere", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Drusius.

Exodus 5:21 In-Context

19 The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.”
20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them,
21 and they said, “May the LORD look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
22 Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me?
23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”

Cross References 4

  • 1. S Genesis 16:5
  • 2. S Genesis 34:30
  • 3. Exodus 16:3; Numbers 14:3; Numbers 20:3
  • 4. S Exodus 1:13; S Exodus 14:11
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