Exodus 5:5

5 And Pharao sayde further more: beholde, there is moch people in the londe, and ye make them playe and let their worke stonde.

Exodus 5:5 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:5

And Pharaoh said, behold, the people of the land now are many,
&c.] So that if some were taken off, as suggested, there were enough of them to do business and so he cared not; but if allowed to go, they might mutiny and rebel, and give a great deal of trouble to quell them; or it may be, the sense is, they were very numerous, and too numerous already, and if they were took off of their work, and allowed to go a feasting, they would be more so, which agrees with the next clause:

and you make them rest from their burdens;
which was the way to make them more numerous still, and to frustrate the design of laying burdens upon them, which was originally intended to hinder the multiplication of them, ( Exodus 1:9-14 ) .

Exodus 5:5 In-Context

3 I knowe not the Lorde, nether will let Israel goo.And they sayde: the God of the Ebrues hath mett with vs: let vs goo (we praye the) iij. dayes iourney in to the deserte, that we maye sacrifice vnto the Lorde oure God: lest he smyte vs ether with pestilence or with swerde.

4 Then sayde the kinge of Egipte vnto them: wherfore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people fro their worke, gett you vnto youre laboure.

5 And Pharao sayde further more: beholde, there is moch people in the londe, and ye make them playe and let their worke stonde.

6 And Pharao commaunded the same daye vnto the taskemasters ouer the people and vnto the officers saynge:

7 se that ye geue the people no moare strawe to make brycke with all as ye dyd in tyme passed: let them goo and gather them strawe them selues,