FRAMEWORKS:
Exodus 5: First Challenge & Retribution
v.1-5
Moses Challenges Pharaoh for the first time
v.6-9
In Retribution Pharaoh orders the work be made more difficult
v.10-19
The Pressure is put on the Israelites
v.20-23
Moses & Aaron are blamed and they question the Lord
v.1-5
Moses Challenges Pharaoh for the first time
v.1
Afterward
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 festival to me in the wilderness.'”
v.2
Pharaoh
said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel
go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.”
v.3
Then
they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us
take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices
to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with
the sword.”
v.4
But
the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the
people away from their labor? Get back to your work!”
v.5
Then
Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous,
and you are stopping them from working.”
[Notes:
Note Moses & Aaron describe God as The “I AM WHO
I AM”, the name that will continue to be used for Him to distinguish
Him from any ‘god' found in Egypt [of which historians note there
were over 2000!] God's call to Pharaoh is to let Israel go into
the wilderness to worship Him, but He knows Pharaoh will refuse.
Pharaoh denies knowing of this God but they reiterate the call
and he demands they get back to work.]
v.6-9
In Retribution Pharaoh orders the work be made more difficult
v.6
That
same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers
in charge of the people:
v.7
“You
are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks;
let them go and gather their own straw.
v.8
But
require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't
reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out,
‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.'
v.9
Make
the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay
no attention to lies.”
[Notes:
Once they have gone he instructs that the slave-masters
make life harder for the Israelite slaves by making them find
their own straw to make bricks.]
v.10-19
The Pressure is put on the Israelites
v.10
Then
the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people,
“This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw.
v.11
Go
and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work
will not be reduced at all.'”
v.12
So
the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for
straw.
v.13 The
slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required
of you for each day, just as when you had straw.”
v.14
And
Pharaoh's slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had
appointed, demanding, “Why haven't you met your quota of bricks
yesterday or today, as before?”
v.15
Then
the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have
you treated your servants this way?
v.16
Your
servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!' Your
servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
v.17 Pharaoh
said, “Lazy, that's what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying,
‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.'
v.18
Now
get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce
your full quota of bricks.”
v.19
The
Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were
told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of
you for each day.”
[Notes:
The slave-masters convey this to Israel who scatter
to find straw. When, unsurprisingly, they fail to meet their quotas,
those Israelites used as overseers are beaten and complain to
Pharaoh, but he just berates them and life gets harder. No one
ever said this deliverance was going to be quick!]
v.20-23
Moses & Aaron are blamed and they question the Lord
v.20,21
When
they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet
them, and they said, “May the LORD look on you and judge you!
You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have
put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
v.22
Moses
returned to the LORD and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought
trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me?
v.23
Ever
since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought
trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at
all.”
[Notes:
The overseers come across Moses & Aaron and berate
them. They in turn complain to the Lord. Chapter 5 is simply an
account of how the first appeals to Pharaoh receive resistance
and a hardening of the slavery. The following Chapter 6 is all
about reassurance and doubt.]
Continue to Chapter 6