Exodus 5

King James Version

Full text for Exodus Chapter 5

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

2And Pharaoh said, Who [is] the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I 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 desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.

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

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

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

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

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

9Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.

10¶ And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.

11Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.

12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

13And the taskmasters hasted [them], saying, Fulfil your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw.

14And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, [and] demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

15¶ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?

16There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants [are] beaten; but the fault [is] in thine own people.

17But he said, Ye [are] idle, [ye are] idle: therefore ye say, Let us go [and] do sacrifice to the LORD.

18Go therefore now, [and] work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.

19And the officers of the children of Israel did see [that] they [were] in evil [case], after it was said, Ye shall not minish [ought] from your bricks of your daily task.

20And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:

21And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

22And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou [so] evil entreated this people? why [is] it [that] thou hast sent me?

23For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Moses and Aaron deliver the LORD's command to Pharaoh to let Israel go for a wilderness feast. Pharaoh defiantly refuses, questioning the LORD's authority and accusing the Israelites of idleness. Consequently, Pharaoh intensifies their forced labor, demanding the same brick quota without providing straw, leading to increased suffering and the people's despair.

Medium Summary

Moses and Aaron approach Pharaoh, conveying the LORD God of Israel's demand to release His people to hold a feast in the wilderness. Pharaoh dismisses the LORD's authority, stating he does not know Him and will not let Israel go. Accusing Moses and Aaron of causing the people to rest from their labors, Pharaoh immediately commands his taskmasters to cease providing straw for brick-making. The Israelites are now forced to gather their own stubble while maintaining the same daily brick quota, leading to severe hardship and beatings for their officers. The officers then confront Moses and Aaron, blaming them for their worsened condition. Moses, in turn, appeals to the LORD, questioning why this evil has befallen His people since his intervention.

Long Summary

Moses and Aaron present themselves before Pharaoh, delivering the divine message from the LORD God of Israel: "Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness." Pharaoh responds with defiance, questioning the identity and authority of the LORD, declaring his ignorance of Him and his refusal to release Israel. He accuses Moses and Aaron of distracting the people from their work, deeming them idle. On the same day, Pharaoh issues a decree to his taskmasters and officers, commanding them to no longer provide straw for brick production, forcing the Israelites to gather it themselves. Crucially, the daily quota of bricks must remain unchanged, as Pharaoh asserts the people's cries to sacrifice are merely a pretext for idleness. The taskmasters implement this harsh new policy, scattering the people throughout Egypt to collect stubble while demanding the full brick quota. When the Israelite officers, appointed by Pharaoh's taskmasters, fail to meet the impossible demands, they are beaten. These officers then appeal to Pharaoh, explaining their lack of straw and the beatings, but he dismisses their pleas, reiterating their supposed idleness. Recognizing their dire situation, the officers confront Moses and Aaron, accusing them of making their "savour to be abhorred" and putting a "sword in their hand to slay" them. Distressed by the people's increased suffering, Moses returns to the LORD, questioning why He has brought such evil upon His people and why He sent him, as his intervention has only worsened their plight.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Command and Pharaoh's DefianceMoses and Aaron deliver the LORD's direct command for Israel's release, which Pharaoh immediately rejects, questioning the LORD's authority and identity. This sets the stage for the conflict between divine will and human obstinacy.
  • Increased Burden of LaborPharaoh responds to the demand for release by intensifying the Israelites' forced labor, ceasing the provision of straw while maintaining the same brick quota. This oppressive measure aims to crush their spirit and prevent further appeals.
  • Accusation of IdlenessPharaoh repeatedly accuses the Israelites and their leaders, Moses and Aaron, of being idle as a pretext for their desire to worship. This accusation serves as his justification for increasing their workload and denying their request.
  • Suffering of Israelite OfficersThe Israelite officers, placed over their brethren by Pharaoh's taskmasters, bear the brunt of the increased demands, being beaten when daily quotas are not met. This highlights the immediate and severe consequences of Pharaoh's decree on the people.
  • Blame and DespairThe Israelite officers, experiencing severe hardship, turn their anger and despair towards Moses and Aaron, blaming them for their worsened condition. This illustrates the immediate negative impact of the initial confrontation with Pharaoh on the people's morale.
  • Moses' Appeal to GodFaced with the people's suffering and accusations, Moses returns to the LORD, expressing his distress and questioning God's purpose in sending him, as his intervention has only led to greater affliction for Israel.