What does Exodus 5:7 mean?

The people here are the Israelites. Centuries before the events of this chapter, they were welcomed into Egypt (Genesis 47:5–6). Their prosperity created resentment and fear, so welcome turned into slavery and oppression (Exodus 1:8–13). Their primary job seems to have been the hard labor associated with making and using bricks (Exodus 1:14). Now Moses has come, demanding that the Egyptian king let the slaves go into the wilderness for worship (Exodus 5:1–4). This request was denied.

Worse, Pharaoh summoned those in charge of the slaves to deliver a spiteful punishment (Exodus 5:8–9). He stops providing one of the basic components for bricks but demands the same production. This is a deliberate act of abuse; his purpose is to make the slaves work even harder and create an excuse for punishment (Exodus 5:14). This also gives Pharaoh a way to turn the slaves against Moses and Aaron (Exodus 5:21).

Pharaoh frames this as a command: the Hebrews are to find their own straw. Bricks in the ancient world were made of clay mixed with sand, stones, and fibers such as straw. Wet blocks were baked in the sun before use in construction. Mud, sand, and clay were relatively easy to find in Egypt thanks to the Nile and its connected waterways. Straw, however, is the leftover stem from harvested crops. This was not something found in abundance in Egypt. When this command is given, the people are literally scrambling around trying to get enough for their work (Exodus 5:12).