John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 5:13
And the taskmasters hasted them , Kept them tight and close to their work, and were urgent on them to make quick dispatch of it: saying, fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw ; they insisted upon it, that they did the same business at the brickkilns, made the same number of bricks every day, as they used to do when they had straw at hand. See Exodus 5:11 . read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 5:10-14
Pharaoh's orders are here put in execution; straw is denied, and yet the work not diminished. 1. The Egyptian task-masters were very severe. Pharaoh having decreed unrighteous decrees, the task-masters were ready to write the grievousness that he had prescribed, Isa. 10:1. Cruel princes will never want cruel instruments to be employed under them, who will justify them in that which is most unreasonable. These task-masters insisted upon the daily tasks, as when there was straw, Exod. 5:13. See... read more