Exodus 5

Opposition to the Plan of God

5:1¹ Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “Thus says the Lord,² the God of Israel, ‘Release³ my people so that they may hold a pilgrim feast⁴ to me in the desert.’” 5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord⁵ that⁶ I should obey him⁷ by releasing⁸ Israel? I do not know the Lord,⁹ and I will not release Israel!” 5:3 And they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go a three-day journey¹⁰ into the desert so that we may sacrifice¹¹ to the Lord our God, so that he does not strike us with plague or the sword.”¹² 5:4 The king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you cause the people to refrain from their work?¹³ Return to your labor!” 5:5 Pharaoh was thinking,¹⁴ “The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor.”

5:6 That same day Pharaoh commanded¹⁵ the slave masters and foremen¹⁶ who were¹⁷ over the people:¹⁸ 5:7 “You must no longer¹⁹ give straw to the people for making bricks²⁰ as before.²¹ Let them go²² and collect straw for themselves. 5:8 But you must require²³ of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before.²⁴ Do not reduce it, for they are slackers.²⁵ That is why they are crying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to our God.’ 5:9 Make the work harder²⁶ for the men so they will keep at it²⁷ and pay no attention to lying words!”²⁸

5:10 So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said,²⁹ “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I am not giving³⁰ you straw. 5:11 You³¹ go get straw for yourselves wherever you can³² find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.’” 5:12 So the people spread out³³ through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. 5:13 The slave masters were pressuring³⁴ them, saying, “Complete³⁵ your work for each day, just like when there was straw!” 5:14 The Israelite foremen whom Pharaoh’s slave masters had set over them were beaten and were asked,³⁶ “Why did you not complete your requirement for brickmaking as in the past – both yesterday and today?”³⁷

5:15³⁸ The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, “Why are you treating³⁹ your servants this way? 5:16 No straw is given to your servants, but we are told,⁴⁰ ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are even⁴¹ being beaten, but the fault⁴² is with your people.”

5:17 But Pharaoh replied,⁴³ “You are slackers! Slackers!⁴⁴ That is why you are saying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to the Lord.’ 5:18 So now, get back to work!⁴⁵ You will not be given straw, but you must still produce⁴⁶ your quota⁴⁷ of bricks!” 5:19 The Israelite foremen saw⁴⁸ that they⁴⁹ were in trouble when they were told,⁵⁰ “You must not reduce the daily quota of your bricks.”

5:20 When they went out from Pharaoh, they encountered Moses and Aaron standing there to meet them,⁵¹ 5:21 and they said to them, “May the Lord look on you and judge,⁵² because you have made us stink⁵³ in the opinion of⁵⁴ Pharaoh and his servants,⁵⁵ so that you have given them an excuse to kill us!”⁵⁶

The Assurance of Deliverance

5:22⁵⁷ Moses returned⁵⁸ to the Lord, and said, “Lord,⁵⁹ why have you caused trouble for this people?⁶⁰ Why did you ever⁶¹ send me? 5:23 From the time I went to speak to Pharaoh in your name, he has caused trouble⁶² for this people, and you have certainly not rescued⁶³ them!”⁶⁴

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