What does Exodus 5:17 mean?
Pharaoh's comments here are probably sarcastic. His nation has held Israel as brick-making slaves for centuries (Exodus 1:11, 13–14). Recently, Moses and Aaron arrived with a demand that these slaves be allowed to travel into the wilderness for worship (Exodus 5:1–3). This irritates the Pharaoh, who retaliates by spitefully denying Israel some of the raw materials they need to do their work (Exodus 5:4–9), while demanding the same production.This is an impossible task, and the results are as expected. The slaves cannot scrounge enough straw to make bricks, so their Hebrew supervisors are beaten by their Egyptian slave drivers (Exodus 5:14). When the foremen appeal to Pharaoh (Exodus 5:15–16), he gives this dismissive response. The point seems to be that if the Hebrews have time and energy to ask for freedom, they must have more time to use for work. It's both a threat and an act of punishment—an open demonstration of power and authority.
As Pharaoh hoped, the people will come to resent Moses for making their lives even harder (Exodus 5:20–21). Even Moses will have doubts about God's plans for this situation (Exodus 5:22–23).
Exodus 5:15–23 records the aftermath of Moses and Aaron's first encounter with Egypt's king. Rather than agreeing to let Israel go, the Pharaoh spitefully cut off access to raw materials while demanding that the enslaved people (Exodus 1:13–14) maintain production. This leads to a backlash against Moses and Aaron; the people blame them for making their lives even harder. Moses experiences doubt. He wonders why the situation is worse, not better. The Lord will respond with reassurance (Exodus 6:1).
Moses and Aaron have their first meeting with Egypt's king, the pharaoh. Though they are there to free Israel entirely (Exodus 3:10), they begin with a much less dramatic request: three days to worship their God in the wilderness (Exodus 3:18). Pharaoh refuses. Instead, he spitefully cuts off supply of raw materials—straw—while demanding the same output from the Hebrew slaves. This increases the peoples' burden and gives Pharaoh's taskmasters excuse to abuse them. When the Israelites turn against Moses, he expresses confusion to God.
