Exodus 5:10-20

10 Therefore the masters of the works and the rent gatherers went out to the people, and said, Thus saith Pharaoh, I give not to you straw (I shall not give you any more straw);

11 go ye, and gather ye (it yourselves), if ye may find (it) any where; neither anything shall be decreased of your work (but your daily quota shall not be decreased).

12 And the people was scattered by all the land of Egypt to gather straw. (And so the people scattered out into all the land of Egypt to gather straw.)

13 And the masters of the works were busy, and said, Fulfill ye your work each day, as ye were wont to do (before), when the straw was given to you.

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).

19 And the sovereigns of the children of Israel saw themselves in evil, for it was said to them, Nothing shall be decreased of tilestones by all days. (And the taskmasters of the Israelites saw themselves in an evil situation, for it was said to them, The number of bricks that ye must produce each day will not be decreased.)

20 And they coming out from Pharaoh, met Moses and Aaron, that stood even there against (who were standing there, waiting for them),

Exodus 5:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 5

Moses and Aaron go in to Pharaoh, and desire leave for the children of Israel to go into the wilderness three days' journey, to sacrifice to the Lord, and are answered in a very churlish and atheistical manner, and are charged with making the people idle, the consequence of which was, the taskmasters had orders, to make their work more heavy and toilsome, Ex 5:1-9 which orders were executed with severity by them, Ex 5:10-13, upon which the officers of the children of Israel complained to Pharaoh, but to no purpose, Ex 5:14-19, and meeting with Moses and Aaron, lay the blame upon them, Ex 5:20,21, which sends Moses to the Lord to expostulate with him about it, Ex 5:22,23.