Exoduschapter 5

23 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 110 cross-references outward and receives 122 — heaviest partner: Exodus.

Chapter summary

First confrontation with Pharaoh. ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.’ ‘Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice?’ The straw is taken away but the tally of bricks is not lowered. The Israelite officers are beaten; they cry out to Pharaoh; Pharaoh accuses them of idleness. They meet Moses and Aaron with bitter words: ‘ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh’. Moses returns to the LORD: ‘wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people?’ The chapter closes in darkness — deliverance has made the bondage worse before it makes it better.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Exodus overview for the book's full setting.

1 And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

2 And Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah, that I should hearken unto his voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, and moreover I will not let Israel go.

3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice unto Jehovah our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.

4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, loose the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land are now many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.

6 And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8 And the number of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof: for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

9 Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard lying words.