Exodus 5:16

16 Straw is not given to us, and tilestones be commanded in like manner (Straw is not given to us, but yet the same number of bricks be required from us as before). Lo! we thy servants be beaten with scourges, and it is done unjustly against thy 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.

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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 they, that were (the) masters of the works of the sons of Israel, were beaten of the rent gatherers of Pharaoh, that said, Why fulfilled ye not the measure of tilestones, as ye did before, neither yesterday, neither today? (And they, who were the taskmasters of the Israelites, were beaten by Pharaoh's rent gatherers, who said to them, Why have ye not made the same number of bricks as ye did before, not yesterday, nor today?)

15 And the sovereigns of the children of Israel came (And the taskmasters of the Israelites came), and cried to Pharaoh, and said, Why doest thou so against thy servants?

16 Straw is not given to us, and tilestones be commanded in like manner (Straw is not given to us, but yet the same number of bricks be required from us as before). Lo! we thy servants be beaten with scourges, and it is done unjustly against thy people.

17 (But) Pharaoh said, Ye give attention to idleness, and therefore ye say, Go we, and make we sacrifice(s) to the Lord;

18 therefore go ye (now), and (get to) work; (for) straw shall not be given to you, and ye shall yield the customable number of tilestones (but ye shall yield the same, or the customary, number of bricks, as before).