*Exodus 5:1-23
Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh demanding the Israelites’ release, but Pharaoh refuses and intensifies their labor burden.
- Moses and Aaron’s Request:
- Moses and Aaron, acting on behalf of God, approach Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, with a request to let the Israelites go into the wilderness to hold a festival and worship their God.
- They appeal to Pharaoh’s sense of reason and authority, asking for a brief respite from their labor to honor their religious customs.
- Pharaoh’s Response:
- Pharaoh responds defiantly to Moses and Aaron’s request, questioning their motives and authority to make such demands.
- He accuses the Israelites of being lazy and seeks to intensify their workload by withholding straw, which is essential for making bricks, but still demanding the same quota of bricks from them.
- Increased Oppression:
- Pharaoh orders the taskmasters and foremen to increase the labor demands on the Israelites, forcing them to gather straw for making bricks while still meeting the daily quota.
- The Israelites are unable to meet the increased demands, leading to harsh treatment and beatings from the Egyptian overseers.
- Israelites’ Complaints:
- The Israelite foremen confront Moses and Aaron, blaming them for the increased suffering inflicted upon them by Pharaoh.
- They lament their plight, feeling abandoned and betrayed by Moses and Aaron’s intervention, which has only led to more hardship and oppression.
- Moses’ Appeal to God:
- Moses, feeling disheartened and frustrated by the Israelites’ complaints and Pharaoh’s stubbornness, turns to God in prayer, questioning why He has allowed such suffering to continue.
- He expresses his concern that since he spoke to Pharaoh on God’s behalf, things have only gotten worse for the Israelites, rather than better.
Exodus 5:1-23 teaches us that following God’s plan doesn’t always mean things will be easy right away. When Moses and Aaron obeyed God by asking Pharaoh to free the Israelites, Pharaoh made their work even harder. This reminds us that challenges and setbacks don’t mean God isn’t working. Instead of giving up, we should trust that He is still in control and will keep His promises. This passage encourages us to stay faithful, keep praying, and believe that even when things seem difficult, God’s plan is still moving forward.
Exodus 5:1-23 (WEB)
5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’ ”2 Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go.”3 They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword.”4 The king of Egypt said to them, “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!” 5 Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens.” 6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 You shall require from them the number of the bricks which they made before. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it. Don’t let them pay any attention to lying words.”10 The taskmasters of the people went out with their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.’ ” 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The taskmasters were urgent saying, “Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!” 14 The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, “Why haven’t you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?”15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants? 16 No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, ‘Make brick!’ and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.”17 But Pharaoh said, “You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ 18 Go therefore now, and work; for no straw shall be given to you; yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!”19 The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble when it was said, “You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!”20 They met Moses and Aaron, who stood along the way, as they came out from Pharaoh. 21 They said to them, “May the LORD look at you and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us!”22 Moses returned to the LORD, and said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people. You have not rescued your people at all!”