A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
Exodus 5
Exodus 5 is the fifth chapter of the book of Exodus and the first confrontation with Pharaoh. The 23-verse chapter follows Moses and Aaron's demand, Pharaoh's refusal, his order that the Israelites make their brick quota without being given straw, the foremen's complaint, and Moses's bitter return to the LORD.
The chapter opens with Moses and Aaron going before Pharaoh. They deliver the LORD's message: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let My people go, so that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.'" Pharaoh answers, "Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go." They press him: the God of the Hebrews has met with them; they ask for a three-day journey to sacrifice. Pharaoh refuses and accuses them of stopping the people from their labor.
That same day Pharaoh orders the Egyptian taskmasters and the Israelite foremen to change the terms. The Israelites will no longer be given straw for their bricks. They must gather their own straw and yet still meet the same daily quota. The reason, Pharaoh says, is that they are lazy. He wants the work made heavier so they will pay no attention to lies.
The Israelites scatter all over Egypt to gather stubble for straw. The taskmasters keep pressing them, and the Israelite foremen are beaten for the shortfall.
The foremen go to Pharaoh and appeal. No straw has been given, yet they are told to make bricks, and the fault is with his own people. Pharaoh answers, "You are slackers! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.' Now get to work."
Leaving Pharaoh, the foremen meet Moses and Aaron, who are waiting for them. They turn on them: "May the LORD look upon you and judge you, for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!"
Moses returns to the LORD. He asks, "Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and You have not delivered Your people in any way."
Verse 1. After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”
Verse 2. But Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.”
Verse 3. “The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they answered. “Please let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD our God, or He may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”
Verse 4. But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labor!”
Verse 5. Pharaoh also said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you would be stopping them from their labor.”
Verse 6. That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen:
Verse 7. “You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw.
Verse 8. But require of them the same quota of bricks as before; do not reduce it. For they are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
Verse 9. Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to these lies.”
Verse 10. So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am no longer giving you straw.
Verse 11. Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’”
Verse 12. So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
Verse 13. The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”
Verse 14. Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?”
Verse 15. So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way?
Verse 16. No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
Verse 17. “You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’
Verse 18. Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.”
Verse 19. The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.”
Verse 20. When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.
Verse 21. “May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”
Verse 22. So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me?
Verse 23. Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and You have not delivered Your people in any way.”
Last updated: