New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Exodus 5
1
Later on, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They said, "The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, 'Let my people go. Then they will be able to hold a feast in my honor in the desert.' "
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 119:46
1 Corinthians 5:8
Matthew 10:18
Matthew 10:28
Ezekiel 2:6
References God
Exodus 3:18
References Lord
Exodus 10:9
Acts 4:29
Isaiah 25:6
1 Kings 21:20
2
Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord? Why should I obey him? Why should I let Israel go? I don't even know the Lord. And I won't let Israel go."
Reference
3
Then Moses and Aaron said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a journey that lasts about three days. We want to go into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we don't, he might strike us with plagues. Or he might let us be killed with swords."
Reference
Sacrifice
Exodus 3:18
4
But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Get back to work!"
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 1:11
5
Pharaoh continued, "There are large numbers of your people in the land. But you are stopping them from working."
6
That same day Pharaoh gave orders to the slave drivers and the others who were in charge of the people.
Reference
7
He said, "Don't give the people any more straw to make bricks. Let them go and get their own straw.
8
But require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don't lower the number they have to make. They don't want to work. That's why they are crying out, 'Let us go. We want to offer sacrifices to our God.'
9
Make them work harder. Then they will be too busy to pay attention to lies."
10
The slave drivers and the others who were in charge left. They said to the people, "Pharaoh says, 'I won't give you any more straw.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 1:11
11
Go and get your own straw anywhere you can find it. But you still have to make the same number of bricks.' "
12
So the people scattered all over Egypt. They went to gather any pieces of straw that were left in the fields.
13
The slave drivers kept making the people work hard. They said, "Finish the work you are required to do each day. Make the same number of bricks you made when you had straw."
14
They whipped the Israelites who were in charge of the people. Those Israelites had been appointed by Pharaoh's slave drivers. The slave drivers asked, "Why didn't you make the same number of bricks yesterday or today, just as before?"
15
Then the Israelites who were in charge of the people made their appeal to Pharaoh. They asked, "Why have you treated us like this?
16
You didn't give us any straw. But you told us, 'Make bricks!' We are being whipped. But it's the fault of your own people."
17
Pharaoh said, "You just don't want to work! That's why you keep saying, 'Let us go. We want to offer sacrifices to the Lord.'
18
Now get to work. We won't give you any straw. But you still have to make the same number of bricks."
19
The Israelites who were in charge of the people realized they were in trouble. They knew it when they were told, "Don't lower the number of bricks you are required to make each day."
20
When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them.
21
They said to Moses and Aaron, "We want the Lord to look at what you have done! We want him to judge you for it! We are like a very bad smell to Pharaoh and his officials. You have given them an excuse to kill us with their swords."
Reference
Creation
1 Chronicles 19:6
1 Samuel 27:12
Judgment
Genesis 16:5
Parallel theme
Genesis 34:30
Exodus 6:9
1 Samuel 13:4
2 Samuel 10:6
22
Moses returned to the Lord. He said to him, "Lord, why have you brought trouble on these people? Is this why you sent me?
Reference
References Lord
Jeremiah 20:7
23
I went to Pharaoh to speak to him in your name. Ever since then, he has brought nothing but trouble on these people. And you haven't saved your people at all."
Summary of Exodus 5
Exodus chapter five is a chapter of disillusionment, as the initial hope of chapter four evaporates. After the elders worshipped God and expected rescue, Moses and Aaron come before Pharaoh.
They present the demand of the LORD and the God of Israel to free Israel to hold a festival to the LORD in the wilderness. Pharaoh responds by asking who is the LORD for him to obey the LORD and let Israel go since he does not acknowledge the LORD. The reply is full of pride, as Pharaoh feels that nobody can tell him what to do.
The representatives of Israel said the following: The God of the Hebrews has shown us, and we are to leave and hold a feast to the LORD our God in the wilderness. The request is reasonable, considering that they ask to leave for three days to sacrifice to the LORD. Moses and Aaron explain further that the God of the Hebrews will bring plagues upon them or the sword if they fail to let Israel go. Pharaoh asks what is this trickery for Israel to abandon their labor in Egypt. He told Moses and Aaron that they should return to work since he did not allow Israel to leave. Pharaoh adds that the people have become numerous, and he is irritated at Moses and Aaron for convincing the people to turn away from their labor.
This is the first cruel order from Pharaoh to the Israelites, and it is on the same day when Moses and Aaron asked for a three-day leave. The coercers instructed the overseers to withhold straw from the Israelites. The Israelites were to gather straw themselves and then make bricks with the coercers. The straw was a resource the Israelites had before when they were making bricks with the Egyptian slave drivers. Pharaoh believed that the Israelites were lazy, so he wanted to increase their difficulties.
The coercers instructed the Israelites to scatter throughout Egypt searching for straw. The people were to gather enough stubble to serve as straw for the brick-making process. The Israelites were to make the same number of bricks despite the added challenges of finding straw on their own. The coercers kept telling the Israelites to meet their daily quota of bricks, which they found to be a challenge.
The Israelite overseers were punished for failing to reach the quotas of bricks. The overseers were people chosen from the Israelites to supervise their fellow Israelites with the Egyptian coercers. The overseers had bruises as a result of the punishment. They were beaten and questioned for failing to meet the quota of bricks, saying, What is this you have done, in that you have made the people not reach their daily quota of bricks yesterday and today, while the daily work is no different?
Frustrated by the demands of the coercers, the Israelite overseers went to Pharaoh and complained directly to him. What have you done to us? They said to Pharaoh. We are not being given straw to make bricks with, yet you beat us because we fail to meet the quota of bricks. The fault does not lie with us, but your servants are being punished, and the punishment lies with your people. Pharaoh retorted that the people were lazy, and that is why they were demanding to go and sacrifice to their God. The overseers beat the people back to work, telling them that they would be whipped if they failed to meet their daily quota of bricks. Pharaoh repeats the same demands of bricks made with straw and no straw for making bricks.
The overseers realize that there is no leniency or mercy from Pharaoh, and Moses and Aaron are the targets for punishment. The Israelite overseers informed Moses that their grievances went unheard. Moses informs the Israelite overseers that he and Aaron will return to Pharaoh to hear his response on their complaints. The Israelites had expected Moses and Aaron to be successful in their appeal, but they were mistaken. Moses and Aaron are accused of making things difficult for the Israelites when in fact it was Pharaoh who made life unbearable for the Israelites through his demands.
The overseers accuse Moses and Aaron, saying: Let the LORD judge you, for you have made us obnoxious before Pharaoh and his servants (Moses and Aaron, go and return to those who have made us a laughing stock before Pharaoh and his servants). The overseers tell Moses and Aaron that they have placed a sword in the hands of Pharaoh and his servants to kill them.
Moses was frustrated with what had happened following his conversation with Pharaoh. He went to God and complained that he did not send him to bring trouble to the children of Israel. He told God that ever since he went to Pharaoh to let Israel go, the Pharaoh had brought further trouble to Israel, and God failed to deliver them.
In chapter five, the author uses Moses to show the difficulties of faithfully obeying God's orders. Moses did precisely what God told him to do, but it resulted in increased suffering for the Israelites. The chapter reveals that life will not be easy for those who choose to honor their covenant relationship with God. Moses obeyed God's orders to go to Egypt and rescue Israel from the tyranny of Pharaoh. However, Moses fails to understand that faithfulness to God entails obedience at all times, even with painful consequences. The chapter ends with Moses complaining to God about what had happened following his decision to rescue Israel from Egypt. Moses was frustrated because he obeyed God's orders to the letter, but immediately things started to go wrong after his mission began. Moses was puzzled why God would place Israel in such circumstances as they had been placed in the land of Egypt. This is an interesting chapter that shows the real life of Israel in Egypt and the attitudes of the Israelites toward Moses and God after Moses told them to go and sacrifice to their God. The chapter does not offer a solution or answer to the problems it presents. It leaves the readers to guess what God will do to honor all the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
They present the demand of the LORD and the God of Israel to free Israel to hold a festival to the LORD in the wilderness. Pharaoh responds by asking who is the LORD for him to obey the LORD and let Israel go since he does not acknowledge the LORD. The reply is full of pride, as Pharaoh feels that nobody can tell him what to do.
The representatives of Israel said the following: The God of the Hebrews has shown us, and we are to leave and hold a feast to the LORD our God in the wilderness. The request is reasonable, considering that they ask to leave for three days to sacrifice to the LORD. Moses and Aaron explain further that the God of the Hebrews will bring plagues upon them or the sword if they fail to let Israel go. Pharaoh asks what is this trickery for Israel to abandon their labor in Egypt. He told Moses and Aaron that they should return to work since he did not allow Israel to leave. Pharaoh adds that the people have become numerous, and he is irritated at Moses and Aaron for convincing the people to turn away from their labor.
This is the first cruel order from Pharaoh to the Israelites, and it is on the same day when Moses and Aaron asked for a three-day leave. The coercers instructed the overseers to withhold straw from the Israelites. The Israelites were to gather straw themselves and then make bricks with the coercers. The straw was a resource the Israelites had before when they were making bricks with the Egyptian slave drivers. Pharaoh believed that the Israelites were lazy, so he wanted to increase their difficulties.
The coercers instructed the Israelites to scatter throughout Egypt searching for straw. The people were to gather enough stubble to serve as straw for the brick-making process. The Israelites were to make the same number of bricks despite the added challenges of finding straw on their own. The coercers kept telling the Israelites to meet their daily quota of bricks, which they found to be a challenge.
The Israelite overseers were punished for failing to reach the quotas of bricks. The overseers were people chosen from the Israelites to supervise their fellow Israelites with the Egyptian coercers. The overseers had bruises as a result of the punishment. They were beaten and questioned for failing to meet the quota of bricks, saying, What is this you have done, in that you have made the people not reach their daily quota of bricks yesterday and today, while the daily work is no different?
Frustrated by the demands of the coercers, the Israelite overseers went to Pharaoh and complained directly to him. What have you done to us? They said to Pharaoh. We are not being given straw to make bricks with, yet you beat us because we fail to meet the quota of bricks. The fault does not lie with us, but your servants are being punished, and the punishment lies with your people. Pharaoh retorted that the people were lazy, and that is why they were demanding to go and sacrifice to their God. The overseers beat the people back to work, telling them that they would be whipped if they failed to meet their daily quota of bricks. Pharaoh repeats the same demands of bricks made with straw and no straw for making bricks.
The overseers realize that there is no leniency or mercy from Pharaoh, and Moses and Aaron are the targets for punishment. The Israelite overseers informed Moses that their grievances went unheard. Moses informs the Israelite overseers that he and Aaron will return to Pharaoh to hear his response on their complaints. The Israelites had expected Moses and Aaron to be successful in their appeal, but they were mistaken. Moses and Aaron are accused of making things difficult for the Israelites when in fact it was Pharaoh who made life unbearable for the Israelites through his demands.
The overseers accuse Moses and Aaron, saying: Let the LORD judge you, for you have made us obnoxious before Pharaoh and his servants (Moses and Aaron, go and return to those who have made us a laughing stock before Pharaoh and his servants). The overseers tell Moses and Aaron that they have placed a sword in the hands of Pharaoh and his servants to kill them.
Moses was frustrated with what had happened following his conversation with Pharaoh. He went to God and complained that he did not send him to bring trouble to the children of Israel. He told God that ever since he went to Pharaoh to let Israel go, the Pharaoh had brought further trouble to Israel, and God failed to deliver them.
In chapter five, the author uses Moses to show the difficulties of faithfully obeying God's orders. Moses did precisely what God told him to do, but it resulted in increased suffering for the Israelites. The chapter reveals that life will not be easy for those who choose to honor their covenant relationship with God. Moses obeyed God's orders to go to Egypt and rescue Israel from the tyranny of Pharaoh. However, Moses fails to understand that faithfulness to God entails obedience at all times, even with painful consequences. The chapter ends with Moses complaining to God about what had happened following his decision to rescue Israel from Egypt. Moses was frustrated because he obeyed God's orders to the letter, but immediately things started to go wrong after his mission began. Moses was puzzled why God would place Israel in such circumstances as they had been placed in the land of Egypt. This is an interesting chapter that shows the real life of Israel in Egypt and the attitudes of the Israelites toward Moses and God after Moses told them to go and sacrifice to their God. The chapter does not offer a solution or answer to the problems it presents. It leaves the readers to guess what God will do to honor all the promises He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.