Exodus 5:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’"

NIV: Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.’ "

NASB: You go, get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it; but none of your labor will be reduced.’?'

CSB: Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.’"

NLT: Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!'

KJV: Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.

NKJV: Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’ ”

After Moses and Aaron confronted Pharaoh with the Lord's command (Exodus 5:1–4), the Egyptian king decided to send a message. He gives a new command to the slave drivers—the "taskmasters"—and their Jewish foremen. Israel, enslaved for centuries (Exodus 1:13–14), is to continue making bricks but without being provided with a major raw material (Exodus 5:10). Instead, they are to scrounge and search for it themselves.

Mud and sand were not hard to find in Egypt, but grasses were not plentiful. If Egyptians are not providing leftovers from farming, the Israelites will have a difficult time making up the difference. This is part of the Pharaoh's plan: to humiliate and punish Isreal for listening to Moses (Exodus 5:5–9). This will also provide an excuse for further punishment (Exodus 5:14). That, in turn, will make the Hebrews angry with Moses for provoking more suffering (Exodus 5:20–21).

Faced with impossible demands, Moses will express doubts about God's mission (Exodus 5:22–23). The Lord will reply with assurances and a reminder that this is part of His plan (Exodus 6:1).

Exodus 5:1–14 describes the first encounter between Moses and Egypt's ruler, Pharaoh (Exodus 4:21–23). When Moses asks that Israel be released for a period of worship (Exodus 3:18), Pharaoh flatly refuses. In fact, he retaliates against the Hebrews by forcing them to make the same quota of bricks (Exodus 1:13–14) without being provided the usual raw materials. This is impossible; the cruel punishments which follow are exactly what Pharaoh intended with his spiteful command.

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.

Moses encountered the Lord (Exodus 3:4–6) during his exile (Exodus 2:15). God commanded Moses to return to Egypt and demand the freedom of the nation of Israel (Exodus 4:21–23). The people had come into Egypt in the days of Joseph (Exodus 1:1–7). Later, they fell into slavery and oppression (Exodus 1:13–14). The first request, in this chapter, is not received well. God will soon bring disasters on Egypt and its stubborn ruler (Exodus 3:10) until His peo-ple are finally released (Exodus 12:41).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.