Exodus — Chapter 5

King James Version (KJV)

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Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.

Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, ^Rand told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

Exodus 5:2 And Pharaoh said, ^RWho is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

Exodus 5:3 And they said, ^RThe God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.

Exodus 5:4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, ^RWherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

Exodus 5:5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.

Exodus 5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the ^Rtaskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

Exodus 5:7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

Exodus 5:8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ^Rye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

Exodus 5:9 ^TLet there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard ^Rvain words.

Exodus 5:10 And the ^Rtaskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.

Exodus 5:11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet ^Rnot ought of your work shall be diminished.

Exodus 5:12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather ^Rstubble instead of straw.

Exodus 5:13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, ^Tyour daily tasks, as when there was straw.

Exodus 5:14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

Exodus 5:15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?

Exodus 5:16 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.

Exodus 5:17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.

Exodus 5:18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, ^Ryet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.

Exodus 5:19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in ^Revil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.

Exodus 5:20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:

Exodus 5:21 And they said unto them, ^RThe LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour ^Tto be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

Exodus 5:22 And Moses ^Rreturned unto the LORD, and said, LORD, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

Exodus 5:23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak ^Rin thy name, he hath done evil to this people; ^Tneither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

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📖 What We’re Reading

Exodus 5:1–5 — Pharaoh Refuses God’s Command

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Moses and Aaron ask Pharaoh to let Israel hold a feast to the LORD in the wilderness. Pharaoh refuses, saying he does not know the LORD. He treats their request as a distraction from the people’s work.

Key Truth: Pharaoh openly resists the LORD’s command.

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📖 What We’re Reading

Exodus 5:6–14 — More Work, Less Provision

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

Pharaoh orders that straw no longer be supplied, while the same number of bricks is still required. The people scatter to gather stubble. The Israelite officers are beaten when the impossible demands are not met.

Key Truth: Pharaoh increases Israel’s suffering instead of releasing them.

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📖 What We’re Reading

Exodus 5:15–23 — The Officers Protest and Moses Prays

🌱 What These Verses Teach Us

The officers appeal to Pharaoh, but he calls them idle and repeats his demands. They blame Moses and Aaron for worsening their situation. Moses returns to the LORD with an honest complaint about the people’s suffering.

Key Truth: Moses brings his troubled questions to the LORD.

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