Exodus
Summary
Exodus 5 describes the first confrontation between Moses, Aaron, and Pharaoh. When they delivered the LORD’s command to "let my people go," Pharaoh responded with arrogance, refusing to acknowledge the power of the divine Name. Instead, he increased the burden on the Israelites by requiring them to gather their own straw while maintaining the same daily quota of bricks. This harsh change turned the people and their own overseers against Moses and Aaron, leading to a moment of deep discouragement as Moses questioned why the LORD had allowed such increased suffering instead of delivering them.
After their meeting with the elders, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "[1] (This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says): 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival for me in the desert.'"
They answered, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. If we don't, He may strike us with a deadly disease or with war."
But the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Get back to your own duties!"
Pharaoh added, "Look, the people of the land are already very numerous, and now you are making them stop their hard labour!"
That same day, Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and the overseers:
"Stop providing the people with straw to make bricks like you did before. Let them go and find their own straw!"
"But you must demand the same number of bricks from them as they made before. Do not reduce the quota even slightly! They are being lazy, and that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and offer sacrifices to our God.'"
"Give these men even harder work so they stay busy with their labour and stop listening to these lies."
The slave drivers and overseers went out and told the people, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will no longer give you straw.'"
"Go and find your own straw wherever you can, but your brick quota will not be reduced at all."
So the Israelites scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble to use instead of straw.
The slave drivers kept pushing them, saying, "Finish your daily quota of bricks, just like you did when you were given straw!"
The Hebrew overseers, whom Pharaoh’s slave drivers had put in charge, were beaten and asked, "Why haven't you met your brick quotas yesterday or today, as you did before?"
Then the Hebrew overseers went to Pharaoh and cried out, "Why are you treating your servants this way?"
"We are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but it is your own people who are at fault."
But Pharaoh replied, "You are lazy! Simply lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and offer sacrifices to the LORD.'"
"Now get back to work! You will not be given any straw, but you must still deliver the full number of bricks."
The Hebrew overseers realised they were in a terrible situation when they were told they had to produce the same number of bricks every day.
As they were leaving Pharaoh's presence, they met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them.
They said to Moses and Aaron, "May [4] (the LORD look at what you have done and judge you)! You have made Pharaoh and his officials hate us. You have put a sword in their hand to kill us!"
Moses returned to the LORD and prayed, "Lord, why have you brought such trouble on this people? Why did you ever send me here?"
"Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your [5] (name), he has brought nothing but evil to these people, and you have not rescued your people at all!"