Exodus 5:17

17 qui ait vacatis otio et idcirco dicitis eamus et sacrificemus Domino

Exodus 5:17 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:17

But he said, ye are idle, ye are idle
Instead of expressing indignation at the taskmasters, and relieving the officers and the people, he insults them in a flouting sarcastic way, charging them with sloth and idleness; and which, for the certainty of it, or, however, to show how strongly persuaded and fully assured he was of the truth of it, repeats it, and gives the following as a proof of it,

therefore ye say, let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord;
suggesting that it was not so much the service and honour of God they regarded, as that they might have a leisure day from work and labour.

Exodus 5:17 In-Context

15 veneruntque praepositi filiorum Israhel et vociferati sunt ad Pharaonem dicentes cur ita agis contra servos tuos

16 paleae non dantur nobis et lateres similiter imperantur en famuli tui flagellis caedimur et iniuste agitur contra populum tuum

17 qui ait vacatis otio et idcirco dicitis eamus et sacrificemus Domino

18 ite ergo et operamini paleae non dabuntur vobis et reddetis consuetum numerum laterum

19 videbantque se praepositi filiorum Israhel in malo eo quod diceretur eis non minuetur quicquam de lateribus per singulos dies