EXODUS CHAPTER FIVE

3:1-4:31, After 40 years of monotonous tending of sheep, Moses receives God's call at the burning bush; He is to go to Pharaoh to demand that Israel be released.

5:1-23, Pharaoh responded by making the burden of slavery even harder than it was before.

5:1 AND AFTERWARD MOSES AND AARON WENT IN, AND TOLD PHARAOH, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, LET MY PEOPLE GO, THAT THEY MAY HOLD A FEAST UNTO ME IN THE WILDERNESS.

5:2 AND PHARAOH SAID, WHO [IS] THE LORD, THAT I SHOULD OBEY HIS VOICE TO LET ISRAEL GO? I KNOW NOT THE LORD, NEITHER WILL I LET ISRAEL GO.

A.WHO IS JEHOVAH?: Pharaoh knew many gods by name, and consid-ered himself to be as great a god as any of them. He did not know This God, but his attitude was that there could be no god greater than himself. In his arrogance he was saying, "Why should I obey HIM? What authority does He have over ME? He is your God, not mine, and I will not listen to Him."

B.Look at the presumption of unbelief: "HE did not know Jehovah, and therefore the message was a lie! Unbelief makes the bounds of its knowledge the bounds of truth and possibility."

C.Pharaoh did not think his question even needed an answer since he was so great, but the time was to come when Jehovah Himself would answer the question for him, loudly and clearly -- And then Pharaoh would know Jehovah!

D.Aaron and Moses could have answered the question if Pharaoh had shut his mouth and opened his mind -- They could have told him about creation, the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, the burning bush, and many other great proofs of Jehovah's Being.

E.NEITHER WILL I LET ISRAEL GO: "Even if He were in position to make a request of me, I would not consent to such a demand."

F.Although he did not say so, Pharaoh might have been thinking, "He is not much of a god who could not prevent his people from becoming a nation of slaves." He is to learn that where he will not let Israel go, Jehovah will, and with a mighty Hand.

G.No matter what he thought, this was a reasonable request, and a good man would not have shown contempt, and would at least have given consideration to it. But he was an evil ruler who had no regard for the rights and the wishes of those under his authority, so he rejected the moderate petition (in defiance of Jehovah), and later the THREE DAY request would be extended to the simple demand that they be allowed to leave the Land - Ex 6:10-11, "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land."

H.The apostle said, "For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared through-out all the earth" (Rom 9:17). "These demands and his atti-tude toward them served to harden his heart. This shows how Jehovah hardened his heart, and also how he hardened his own heart. If Pharaoh had immediately let Israel go, there would have been no contest and God's power would not have been dis-played before the world. Pharaoh would have been credited with being good and kind to Israel." (Whiteside, Commentary on Romans, pg. 203).

I.Present neglecters of God can learn from Pharaoh if they will:

  1. Pharaoh's guilt lay not in the fact that he did not know Jehovah, but in the fact that he did not care to know Him.
  2. He could not later plead that had he known the truth he would have acted differently -- He did not want to know, and he let his opportunity to learn slip away because of his own pride and stupidity.
  3. Those who reject the Gospel by not giving it serious atten-tion will not be excused when they argue that had they be-lieved the truth they would have obeyed it. But they could know and believe -- Their sin is that they will not trouble themselves to find out the truth while they have their opportunity, and their "day of Grace" will soon be gone.

5:3 AND THEY SAID, THE 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.

A.THREE DAYS' JOURNEY: There is no dishonesty here, this is not a cover for escape.

  1. The day of deliverance was in God's Hands; This was simply a request that they be allowed to worship Him, and it was presented in good faith.
  2. If Pharaoh had obeyed, either God would have given him further instruction, or else they would have gone for the THREE DAYS and then returned to wait for another day to leave for good.

B.SACRIFICE UNTO THE LORD: This may suggest the need for the separation from the Egyptians for THREE DAYS -- The sacrifices would be of animals which were considered sacred in Egypt, and this would have been an abomination to the Egyptians.

C.LEST HE FALL UPON US WITH PESTILENCE, OR WITH THE SWORD: Their argument to Pharaoh was that if he did not allow them to obey the order of Jehovah, then He would punish them, and either punishment they mentioned would adversely affect the Egyptians also -- The PESTILENCE would be contagious, or the SWORD (an invasion from the Sinai Peninsula) would put Egypt in danger.

5:4 AND THE KING OF EGYPT SAID UNTO THEM, WHEREFORE DO YE, MOSES AND AARON, LET THE PEOPLE FROM THEIR WORKS? GET YOU UNTO YOUR BURDENS.

A.Pharaoh did not reply to their argument; he just accused them of stirring up sedition among the Hebrews.

B.His view was that this would be harmful to his country, so he ordered everyone to forget this venture and get back to work.

5:5 AND PHARAOH SAID, BEHOLD, THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND NOW [ARE] MANY, AND YE MAKE THEM REST FROM THEIR BURDENS.

A.Idleness of a great throng of workers was not acceptable.

B.This is the end of the first meeting of Aaron and Moses with Pharaoh -- The brothers must have felt frustrated.

5:6 AND PHARAOH COMMANDED THE SAME DAY THE TASKMASTERS OF THE PEOPLE, AND THEIR OFFICERS, SAYING,

A.THE SAME DAY: Pharaoh lost no time getting his plan into action.

B.AND THEIR OFFICERS: These seem to be Hebrews who had the work of keeping a record of the number of the bricks, and seeing there was the proper amount made each day.

5:7 YE SHALL NO MORE GIVE THE PEOPLE STRAW TO MAKE BRICK, AS HERETOFORE: LET THEM GO AND GATHER STRAW FOR THEMSELVES.

5:8 AND THE TALE OF THE BRICKS, WHICH THEY DID MAKE HERETOFORE, YE 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.

A.THE TALE OF THE BRICKS: The number made each day.

B.FOR THEY BE IDLE: The basis for this charge can be seen in that apparently the Hebrews had been able to cultivate their own plots of ground (Deu 11:10, FOR THE LAND, WHITHER THOU GOEST IN TO POSSESS IT, [IS] NOT AS THE LAND OF EGYPT, FROM WHENCE YE CAME OUT, WHERE THOU SOWEDST THY SEED, AND WATEREDST [IT] WITH THY FOOT, AS A GARDEN OF HERBS), to raise crops and catch fish (Num 11:5, WE REMEMBER THE FISH, WHICH WE DID EAT IN EGYPT FREELY; THE CUCUMBERS, AND THE MELONS, AND THE LEEKS, AND THE ONIONS, AND THE GARLICK), and to attend public meet-ings (Ex 4:30-31, 30 AND AARON SPAKE ALL THE WORDS WHICH THE LORD HAD SPOKEN UNTO MOSES, AND DID THE SIGNS IN THE SIGHT OF THE PEOPLE. 31 AND THE PEOPLE BELIEVED: AND WHEN THEY HEARD THAT THE LORD HAD VISITED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND THAT HE HAD LOOKED UPON THEIR AFFLICTION, THEN THEY BOWED THEIR HEADS AND WORSHIPPED). This kind of freedom was now to be taken from them.

5:9 LET THERE MORE WORK BE LAID UPON THE MEN, THAT THEY MAY LABOUR THEREIN; AND LET THEM NOT REGARD VAIN WORDS.

A.MORE WORK LAID UPON THE MEN: Now their tasks would take all their time, so as not to give them occasion to consider any effort to escape their bondage.

B."The tyrant knows that his power is put in peril the moment people begin to think for themselves -- to cherish dreams of freedom -- to be moved by religious enthusiasms."

C.So Pharaoh's plan would have the effect (he thought) of stop-ping any public meetings among the Israelites, and would prevent any further agitation of the people by "VAIN WORDS" from Moses and Aaron.

D."Tyranny of this kind cannot endure. Under the influence of Ideas from without, a mental and moral awakening is certain to come some day, and the tyrant's power is doomed."

5:10 AND THE TASKMASTERS OF THE PEOPLE WENT OUT, AND THEIR OFFICERS, AND THEY SPAKE TO THE PEOPLE, SAYING, THUS SAITH PHARAOH, I WILL NOT GIVE YOU STRAW.

5:11 GO YE, GET YOU STRAW WHERE YE CAN FIND IT: YET NOT OUGHT OF YOUR WORK SHALL BE DIMINISHED.

A.The gathering of the straw, plus the chopping of it into small pieces, would consume so much time, that they would not have enough time to make as many bricks as when the straw was being provided for them by the government.

B.Contrast this earthly ruler's unjust requirement with the Heavenly Father's mercy to us - 2Co 8:12.

5:12 SO THE PEOPLE WERE SCATTERED ABROAD THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT TO GATHER STUBBLE INSTEAD OF [FOR, ASV] STRAW.

5:13 AND THE TASKMASTERS HASTED [THEM], SAYING, FULFILL YOUR WORKS, [YOUR] DAILY TASKS, AS WHEN THERE WAS STRAW.

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 TODAY, AS HERETOFORE?

5:15 THEN THE OFFICERS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL CAME AND CRIED UNTO PHARAOH, SAYING, WHEREFORE DEALEST THOU THUS WITH THY SERVANTS?

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.

**THY SERVANTS ARE BEATEN: If a bully cannot compel by reason and argument, he will resort to power and force.

5:17 BUT HE SAID, YE [ARE] IDLE, [YE ARE] IDLE: THEREFORE YE SAY, LET US GO [AND] DO SACRIFICE TO THE LORD.

**YE ARE IDLE: He knew this was not true, but it was a dishonest charge which served his purpose.

5:18 GO THEREFORE NOW, [AND] WORK; FOR THERE SHALL NO STRAW BE GIVEN YOU, YET SHALL YE DELIVER THE TALE OF BRICKS.

5:19 AND THE OFFICERS OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID SEE [THAT] THEY [WERE] IN EVIL [CASE], AFTER IT WAS SAID, YE SHALL NOT MINISH [OUGHT] FROM YOUR BRICKS OF YOUR DAILY TASK.

A.THEY WERE IN EVIL CASE: They knew they were in "deep trouble" because Pharaoh had no intention of being just.

B.As far as they could see, no hope remained for them -- They would be beaten repeatedly until they died.

C.This was another stage in the hardening of Pharaoh's heart.

  1. A further step in ripening himself for destruction.
  2. The refusal to listen to truth injures one's moral nature.

5:20 AND THEY MET MOSES AND AARON, WHO STOOD IN THE WAY, AS THEY CAME FORTH FROM PHARAOH:

5:21 AND THEY SAID UNTO THEM, 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.

A.Their words were true, but they did not include God and His purpose in their thinking. Nor did they consider the feelings of Moses and Aaron, who were doing what God said to do.

B.Moses and Aaron had taken Pharaoh's reproach without flinch-ing -- it is natural to be reviled by an enemy. But when their brethren turned on them, that wound must have gone to the heart. Had they been proud or careless, they would have needed rebuke; but they had done only right. Friends should be careful about the words they speak to friends.

C.This all sounded very pessimistic; What the officers were not farsighted enough to see was that this crisis was bringing the Hebrews together into a cohesive and powerful unit.

D.Oppression can bring out people's strength, and sometimes when we look back we can see that dark experiences were helpful.

E.So when things do not go as we had planned, remember that Infinite Wisdom is in control

F.These people were going to learn that they had peace as long as they were content to be slaves, but when they went after freedom they found trouble and affliction.

5:22 AND MOSES RETURNED UNTO THE LORD, AND SAID, LORD, WHEREFORE HAST THOU [SO] EVIL ENTREATED THIS PEOPLE? WHY [IS] IT [THAT] THOU HAST SENT ME?

5:23 FOR SINCE I CAME TO PHARAOH TO SPEAK IN THY NAME, HE HATH DONE EVIL TO THIS PEOPLE; NEITHER HAST THOU DELIVERED THY PEOPLE AT ALL.

A.MOSES RETURNED UNTO THE LORD: He did not try to unburden his soul to Aaron, but he took the proper first step to help as he sought the presence of God.

B.In his two questions and then the two affirmations, he poured out his grief of spirit in boldness before the Throne -- Noth-ing is held back.

C.It is so easy to forget...This very "failure" over which Moses grieves is proof that God is true -- Remember Exo 4:21, "AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES, WHEN THOU GOEST TO RETURN INTO EGYPT, SEE THAT THOU DO ALL THOSE WONDERS BEFORE PHARAOH, WHICH I HAVE PUT IN THINE HAND: BUT I WILL HARDEN HIS HEART, THAT HE SHALL NOT LET THE PEOPLE GO."

D.But God is patient with Moses, and He answers in Exo 6:1, "NOW SHALT THOU SEE WHAT I WILL DO TO PHARAOH: FOR WITH A STRONG HAND SHALL HE LET THEM GO, AND WITH A STRONG HAND SHALL HE DRIVE THEM OUT OF HIS LAND."

E.God is patient with us also; Thank Him for Heb 4:14-15 (14 SEEING THEN THAT WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST, THAT IS PASSED INTO THE HEAVENS, JESUS THE SON OF GOD, LET US HOLD FAST [OUR] PROFESSION. 15 FOR WE HAVE NOT AN HIGH PRIEST WHICH CANNOT BE TOUCHED WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES; BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED LIKE AS [WE ARE, YET] WITHOUT SIN. 16 LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY UNTO THE THRONE OF GRACE, THAT WE MAY OBTAIN MERCY, AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED).

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