Exodus 5:1-8 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 5:1-2

Moses and Aaron, having delivered their message to the elders of Israel, with whom they found good acceptance, are now to deal with Pharaoh, to whom they come in peril of their lives?Moses particularly, who perhaps was out-lawed for killing the Egyptian forty years before, so that if any of the old courtiers should happen to remember that against him now it might cost him his head. Their message itself was displeasing, and touch Pharaoh both in his honour and in his profit, two tender points;... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 5:3-9

Finding that Pharaoh had no veneration at all for God, Moses and Aaron next try whether he had any compassion for Israel, and become humble suitors to him for leave to go and sacrifice, but in vain. I. Their request is very humble and modest, Exod. 5:3. They make no complaint of the rigour they were ruled with. They plead that the journey they designed was not a project formed among themselves, but that their God had met with them, and called them to it. They beg with all submission: We pray... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:1

And afterwards Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh ,.... Whose name, some say, was Cenchres, others Amenophis, according to Manetho and Chaeremon F8 Apud Joseph. contr. Apion. l. 1. c. 26. 32. ; See Gill on Exodus 3:10 went into Pharaoh's palace, and being introduced by the proper officer at court for that purpose, addressed him in the following manner: thus saith the Lord God of Israel : as ambassadors of him, who is King of kings, and Lord of lords; and so Artapanus F9 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:2

And Pharaoh said, who is the Lord ,.... Jehovah, they made mention of, which, whether he took it for the name of a deity, or of a king, whose ambassadors they declared themselves to be, was a name he had never heard of before; and this being expressed and pronounced, shows that this name is not ineffable, or unlawful to be pronounced, as say the Jews: that I should obey his voice, to let Israel go ? he knew of no superior monarch to him, whose orders he was obliged to obey in any... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:3

And they said, the God of the Hebrews hath met with us ,.... Perceiving that the name Jehovah was unknown to him, and treated by him in a scornful manner, they leave it out, and only say, "the God of the Hebrews": a people that dwelt in his country, he well knew by this name, and could not be ignorant that their God was different from his; and it was he that had met Moses and Aaron; they did not seek to him to be sent on this errand, but he appeared to them as he did to Moses at Horeb, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:4

And the king of Egypt said to them ,.... For he was not struck dumb, as Artapanus F7 Ut supra. (Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 434.) , afore cited writer, says: wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works ? as they did when they gathered them together, and wrought signs before them; which Pharaoh it seems had heard of, and had got their names very readily: get you unto your burdens ; meaning not Moses and Aaron, ordering them to go about... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:5

And Pharaoh said, behold, the people of the land now are many ,.... So that if some were taken off, as suggested, there were enough of them to do business and so he cared not; but if allowed to go, they might mutiny and rebel, and give a great deal of trouble to quell them; or it may be, the sense is, they were very numerous, and too numerous already, and if they were took off of their work, and allowed to go a feasting, they would be more so, which agrees with the next clause: and you... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:6

And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people ,.... Who were Egyptians, and whom Pharaoh sent for the same day, to give them orders to oppress them yet more and more, so far was he from complying with their request: and their officers ; who were Israelites, and were under the taskmasters, and accountable to them for each man's work that they had the inspection and care of: saying , as follows. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:7

Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick ,.... Whether this was given and used to mix with the clay, as is done in some places F8 Vide Vitruvium de Architectura, l. 2. c. 3. p. 46. & Philander in ib. , that the bricks made thereof might be firmer and stronger, or to burn them with in the furnaces, or to cover them from the heat of the sun, that they might not dry too soon and crack, is not easy to determine; though it is said that the unburnt bricks of Egypt formerly... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:8

And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, you shall lay upon them ,.... Oblige them to make and bring in the same number of bricks they used to do, when straw was brought to them and given them; by which it appears, that their daily task was such a number of bricks: you shall not diminish ought thereof ; not make any abatement of the number of bricks, in consideration of their loss of time and their labour in going to fetch straw from other places: for they be idle ... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 5:1-2

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 5:3-9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:8

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