Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “Thus says the L
ord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, so that they may celebrate a festival to me in the wilderness.’ ”2But Pharaoh said, “Who is the L
ord, that I should heed him and let Israel go? I do not know the L
ord, and I will not let Israel go.”3Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has revealed himself to us; let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the L
ord our God, or he will fall upon us with pestilence or sword.”4But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Get to your labors!”5Pharaoh continued, “Now they are more numerous than the people of the land and yet you want them to stop working!”6That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, as well as their supervisors,7“You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as before; let them go and gather straw for themselves.8But you shall require of them the same quantity of bricks as they have made previously; do not diminish it, for they are lazy; that is why they cry, ‘Let us go and
offer sacrifice to our God.’9Let heavier work be laid on them; then they will labor at it and pay no attention to deceptive words.”
10 So the taskmasters and the supervisors of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw.11Go and get straw yourselves, wherever you can find it; but your work will not be lessened in the least.’ ”12So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.13The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, the same daily assignment as when you were given straw.”14And the supervisors of the Israelites, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, “Why did you not finish the required quantity of
bricks yesterday and today, as you did before?”
15 Then the Israelite supervisors came to Pharaoh and cried, “Why do you treat your servants like this?16No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ Look how your servants are beaten! You are unjust to your own people.”17He said, “You are lazy, lazy; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the L
ord.’18Go now, and work; for no straw shall be given you, but you shall still deliver the same number of bricks.”19The Israelite supervisors saw that they were in trouble when they were told, “You shall not lessen your daily number of bricks.”20As they left Pharaoh, they came upon Moses and Aaron who were waiting to meet them.21They said to them, “The L
ord look upon you and judge! You have brought us into bad odor with Pharaoh and his officials, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
22 Then Moses turned again to the L
ord and said, “O L
ord, why have you mistreated this people? Why did you ever send me?23Since I first came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has mistreated this people, and you have done nothing at all to deliver your people.”
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by
permission. All rights reserved.
6.And Pharaoh commanded. We shall more clearly perceive, as the narrative proceeds, that these taskmasters and officers were taken from amongst the children of Israel, although we have before read that some were Egyptians. But, as tyrants are ingenious in securing their own
interests, Pharaoh in his subtlety wished to provide that none should escape, but that all alike should be brought in turn to the labor. For some, in such a multitude, might have evaded the Egyptians; but, when the charge was given to the Israelites, their familiar knowledge would prevent any from escaping. Besides, it is probable that with these taskmasters was deposited the straw, which they distributed either to parties of ten, or to individuals; he therefore doubles the work in this way, by
commanding them to gather the straw with which the bricks were made. But, according to the proverb, that “the edicts of kings are monosyllables,” Moses shews the vehemence of the tyranny by the brevity of the command. But this passage teaches us, that when God has begun to regard us for the purpose of relieving our troubles, He sometimes takes occasion to increase the pressure of our burdens.
Thus, when God had engaged to be the deliverer of the Israelites, their trouble became greater, by the tyrant adding to their ordinary tasks that of gathering the straw for themselves. For thus it pleases God to prove the faith of His people; and thus is it expedient to lift up to Him their minds, which are too much set on earth, whilst they do not immediately perceive the fruit of the grace promised to them, nay, whilst they feel that nothing
else is brought them by God’s favour, except that their condition becomes worse. It is very useful for us to ponder this, that we may more patiently and calmly bear to be excited to the love and desire of heavenly blessings, by crosses and adversities. Now-a-days the Gospel procures hatred for many, deprives others of their pleasures, degrades others from their honours, brings to others the loss of their goods, sentences others to prison, others to exile, and endangers the life of some; in a
word, the more God exerts His power, the more is Satan’s rage excited on the other side, and the wicked become more fiercely cruel. This offense would greatly shake us, unless we knew, from the admonition of this example, that the inestimable grace, which is offered us in Christ, ought to be so valued by us, that in comparison with it, riches, honours, and all that men seek after, should be accounted nothing; and that we should find no difficulty in despising inconveniences of whatever
kind.
