E.
God's demand and Pharaoh's resistance
5:1—13:22
1.
The first conflict between Jehovah and Pharaoh for the release of Israel
5:1-23
Exo. 5
:1
5:1
And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to
1Pharaoh, Thus says
2Jehovah the God of Israel,
aLet My people go that they may hold a
3bfeast to Me in the wilderness.
Exo. 5
:2
5:2
But Pharaoh said,
1Who is Jehovah that I should listen to His voice to let Israel go? I do not know Jehovah, and I also will
anot let Israel go.
Exo. 5
:3
5:3
And they said, The
aGod of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go a
1three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may
bsacrifice to Jehovah our God; otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or sword.
Exo. 5
:4
5:4
Then the king of Egypt said to them, Moses and Aaron, why are you trying to release the people from their work? Get back to your
aburdens.
Exo. 5
:5
5:5
And Pharaoh said, Look, the people of the land are now
amany, yet you want them to cease from their burdens.
Exo. 5
:6
5:6
And the same day Pharaoh commanded the
ataskmasters of the people and their
1bofficers, saying,
Exo. 5
:7
5:7
You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks as previously; let them go and gather straw for themselves.
Exo. 5
:8
5:8
And the quota of the bricks which they made previously, you shall
still place upon them; you shall not diminish any of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, Let us go
and asacrifice to our God.
Exo. 5
:9
5:9
Let the work be laid
more heavily upon such men, so that they do it and not pay attention to false words.
Exo. 5
:10
5:10
And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
Exo. 5
:11
5:11
You go
and get your own straw wherever you can find
it, for none of your work will be reduced.
Exo. 5
:12
5:12
So the people scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
Exo. 5
:13
5:13
And the
ataskmasters pressed
them saying, Finish your work, the
same daily assignment as when there was straw.
Exo. 5
:14
5:14
And the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten
and told, Why have you not finished, both yesterday and today, the amount of bricks required of you previously?
Exo. 5
:15
5:15
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, Why do you treat your servants this way?
Exo. 5
:16
5:16
No straw is given to your servants, and they say to us, Make bricks. And now your servants are being beaten, but it is the fault of your own people.
Exo. 5
:17
5:17
But he said, Idle is what you are, idle; therefore you say, Let us go
and asacrifice to Jehovah.
Exo. 5
:18
5:18
So go now
and work; and no straw shall be given you, but you shall deliver the quota of bricks.
Exo. 5
:19
5:19
And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble,
when it was said, You shall not diminish any of the daily assignment of your bricks.
Exo. 5
:20
5:20
And they came upon Moses and Aaron, who were standing there to meet them when they came forth from Pharaoh.
Exo. 5
:21
5:21
And they said to them, Jehovah look upon you and judge, because you have made us odious in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants so as to put a sword in their hand to kill us.
Exo. 5
:22
5:22
Then Moses went back to Jehovah and said, Lord, why have You mistreated this people? Why is it that You have sent me?
Exo. 5
:23
5:23
Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has mistreated this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.
