Keraia
Exodus 5

Exodus 5:14

Bricks and Straw · Exodus 5:6–14
Read Exodus 5

Translations

Modern
Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?”
Traditional
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?
Literal
And the officers of the sons of Israel, whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had set over them, were beaten saying, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota for making bricks as yesterday and the day before yesterday, both yesterday and today?”
Latin
Flagellatique sunt qui præerant operibus filiorum Israël, ab exactoribus Pharaonis, dicentibus: Quare non impletis mensuram laterum sicut prius, nec heri, nec hodie?

Original

Hebrew
English
Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?”

Notes

Exodus 5:6–14

Pharaoh increased the workload to punish their disobedience. He thought they had too much free time (5:8). He could not imagine a god revealing himself outside the royal worship system. He believed they invented their unusual religious ideas instead of working (see also 5:17).

Exodus 5:1–14

Pharaoh not only rejected the request of Moses to release the Hebrew slaves, he also retaliated by making their work harder. The arrival of the rescuer had actually made the situation worse.

Exodus 4:29–7:7

In this section, the Lord promised to rescue the Israelites. He said that he would bring them out of slavery.

At first, the people responded in a positive way. They believed what God said. However, later they faced a crisis of faith. They began to doubt God’s promise and struggled to trust him.

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes Pharaoh: Egyptian Pharaoh during the Exodus

Glossary

Aaron Book of Exodus Brick, Brick Kiln Deuteronomy, Book of Taskmaster

Topics

Beating: As a Punishment Brick: Made by Israelites Cruelty: Egyptians to the Israelites Egypt: Israel in Pharaoh Increases Their Affliction Servant: Israelites Taskmasters: General Scriptures Concerning