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Exodus 5:15
ESV Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, "Why do you treat your servants like this?
NIV Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you treated your servants this way?
NASB Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, 'Why do you deal this way with your servants?
CSB So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: "Why are you treating your servants this way?
NLT So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. 'Please don’t treat your servants like this,' they begged.
KJV Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
NKJV Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants?

What does Exodus 5:15 mean?

Israel was enslaved by Egypt (Exodus 1:13–14). As part of this, Egypt gave "taskmasters," or "slave drivers," brutal authority over the Hebrews (Exodus 1:11). Among the Israelites, taskmasters assigned some as "foremen" who could supervise groups. These foremen have been whipped because Israel failed to make their quota of bricks (Exodus 5:14). This, as planned, happened because Pharaoh decided to stop providing a major raw component: straw (Exodus 5:6–8).

The slaves approach Pharaoh in protest, though still with humility. They will explain that they are not at fault for the lack of production (Exodus 5:16). They will come to realize that this is retaliation against Moses (Exodus 5:1–5). The Egyptian ruler is sending a message to his slaves not to listen to anyone speaking about freedom (Exodus 5:6–9). This will lead to exactly the response Pharaoh hoped for: the people will become bitter towards Moses and Aaron (Exodus 5:20–21).
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