Exodus-Chap-5-1-23
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Remember the following truth from our beloved Torah!
“Ye
shall NOT ADD
TO THE WORD which I command
you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT,
that ye may keep the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם - the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim -
Deuteronomy 4:2. (JPS-1917).
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With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
Introduction:
Exodus Chapter 5 marks the first official confrontation between Divine authority and imperial power. Moses and Aaron deliver God's demand to Pharaoh, shifting the narrative from a private revelation at the burning bush to a public struggle for liberation. This chapter highlights the immediate "backlash" of faith, where things often appear to get worse before they get better, as Pharaoh responds not with submission, but with increased cruelty.
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Below you will find Exodus Chapter 5:1-23, ‘Text’ with ‘Explanations’, below each
verse:
Verse
1: “And afterward
Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh: ‘Thus saith יְהוָה - the LORD, the אֱלֹהִים - Elohim (God) of
Explanation: Moses
and Aaron present their credentials as messengers of the Eternal. They frame
the request not as a political negotiation, but as a religious necessity for a
festival in the wilderness.
Verse 2 And Pharaoh said: ‘Who is יְהוָה - the LORD, that I
should hearken unto His voice to let
Explanation: Pharaoh’s
response is one of ultimate defiance and secular pride. He denies the existence
of a אֱלֹהִים - Elohim he
does not “know”, effectively claiming his own divinity over
Verse 3 And they said: ‘The אֱלֹהִים - Elohim of
the Hebrews hath met with us. Let us go, we pray thee, three days'’journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice untoיְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ - the LORD our Eloheynu; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or
with the sword’.
Explanation: Moses
and Aaron attempt to appeal to Pharaoh’s reason, explaining the potential consequences
for the Israelites if they fail to obey their god’s command to offer sacrifice.
Verse 4 And the king of
Explanation: Pharaoh
accuses the leaders of being agitators who are distracting the people from
their forced labour viewing their religious devotion as mere laziness.
Verse 5 And Pharaoh said: ‘Behold, the people
of the land are now many, and will ye make them rest from their burdens?’
Explanation: Pharaoh
notes the large population of the Israelites and fears that any
pause in work would lead to social instability or a loss of productivity for
the state.
Verse 6 And the same day Pharaoh commanded
the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying:
Explanation: To
crush the spirit of the people, Pharaoh issues a decree to the taskmasters and
the Israelite officers to make the daily work significantly harder.
Verse 7 'Ye shall no more give the people
straw to make brick, as heretofore. Let them go and gather straw for
themselves.
Explanation: The
decree removes a vital resource straw from the brick-making process. The
workers must now find their own raw materials while maintaining the same level
of output.
Verse 8 And the tale of the bricks, which
they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught
thereof; for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying: Let us go and sacrifice
to our אֱלֹהִים - Elohim.
Explanation: Pharaoh
explicitly states that the request to worship אֱלֹהִים - Elohim is born out of idleness. By increasing the physical
burden, he intends to stifle any thoughts of freedom.
Verse 9 Let heavier work be
laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard lying
words.'
Explanation: The
goal is total exhaustion. Pharaoh believes that if the men are tired enough,
they will stop listening to the "lying words" of Moses and Aaron.
Verse 10 And the taskmasters of the people
went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the
people, saying: 'Thus saith Pharaoh: I will not give you straw.
Explanation: The
taskmasters communicate the king’s harsh new policy to the Hebrew slaves,
emphasizing that the supply of straw has officially ended.
Verse 11 Go yourselves, get you straw where ye
can find it; for nought of your work shall be diminished.'
Explanation: The
people are told to find straw wherever they can, but are warned that the
"quota" of bricks will not be reduced by a single unit.
Verse
12 So the people were
scattered abroad throughout all the
Explanation: The
Israelites are forced to scatter across the land to gather stubble to replace
the missing straw, wasting precious time and energy.
Verse 13 And the taskmasters were urgent,
saying: 'Fulfil your work, your daily task, as when there was straw.'
Explanation: The
Egyptian taskmasters use physical force to drive the people, demanding they
finish their daily tasks despite the impossible conditions.
Verse 14 And the officers of the children of
Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, saying:
'Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your appointed task in making brick both
yesterday and today as heretofore?'
Explanation: The
Israelite officers, men of the people responsible for the work crews are beaten
because the quotas were not met, placing them in an agonizing position between
the taskmasters and their own kin.
Verse 15 Then the officers of the children of
Explanation: The
Israelite officers seek an audience with Pharaoh, hoping that this extreme
cruelty is a mistake or a misunderstanding by the taskmasters.
Verse 16 There is no straw given unto thy
servants, and they say to us: Make brick; and, behold, thy servants are beaten,
but the fault is in thine own people.'
Explanation: The
officers plead their case, pointing out the logical impossibility of the demand
and noting that the fault lies with the Egyptian policy, not the workers.
Verse 17 But he said: 'Ye
are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say: Let us go and sacrifice to יְהוָה - the LORD.
Explanation: Pharaoh
remains unmoved and repeats his insult, labeling the people as "idle"
and dismissive of their religious aspirations.
Verse 18 Go therefore now, and work; for there
shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.'
Explanation: The
command is reaffirmed: there will be no straw provided, but the full count of
bricks must be delivered at the end of the day.
Verse 19 And the officers of the children of
Explanation: The
officers realize they are in a "vile plight." They see there is no
legal or royal recourse, and that the suffering of their people is about to
intensify.
Verse 20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who
stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh;
Explanation: As
the officers leave the palace in despair, they encounter Moses and Aaron, who
have been waiting outside to see the result of the meeting.
Verse 21 and they said unto them: ‘יְהוָה - the LORD look upon you, and judge; because
ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes
of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us’.
Explanation: In
their pain, the officers turn on Moses and Aaron, accusing them of making the
Israelites "abhorrent" to Pharaoh and giving the Egyptians a reason
to kill them.
Verse 22 And Moses returned unto יְהוָה - the LORD, and said: ‘יְהוָה - LORD therefore hast Thou dealt ill with
this people? why is it that Thou hast sent me?
Explanation: Moses,
deeply distressed by the people’s suffering, turns back to אֱלֹהִים - Elohim in prayer, questioning why this mission has brought
only more trouble.
Verse 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak
in Thy Name, he hath dealt ill with this people; neither hast Thou delivered
Thy people at all’”.
Explanation: Moses
expresses the ultimate frustration of a leader: he spoke in אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s Name, yet the people are worse off, and there is no
visible sign of the promised deliverance.
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My Closing Message:
Exodus Chapter 5 is a profound study in the “darkest
hour before the dawn”. It shows that obedience to a Divine call does not always
lead to immediate success. Instead, it often provokes the “Pharaohs” of the
world to tighten their grip. The chapter ends with Moses in a state of raw
honesty before אֱלֹהִים
- Elohim, reminding us that even the greatest leaders
experience moments of doubt when the reality of suffering outweighs the promise
of hope!
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