The big picture
Exodus 5 opens in verse 1 with “And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 12 with “So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble…”, and closes in verse 23 with “For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people…” Repeated or prominent terms include people, Pharaoh, LORD, straw, Israel. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Exodus · King James Version · 23Exodus 5:1-8
1–8: Afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD…
Exodus 5:1–8 opens with “And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let…” and reaches “And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh while the burden on the brickmakers increases, with particular weight carried by people, LORD, Pharaoh.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that…” Naming Aaron keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Exodus 5:1-8
King James Version1And 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.
2And 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.
3And 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.
4And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
5And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
6And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
7Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8And 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.
Exodus 5:9-16
9–16: Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein…
Exodus 5:9–16 opens with “Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard…” and reaches “There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh while the burden on the brickmakers increases, with particular weight carried by straw, people, officers.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.” The line’s distinctive content terms include labour, laid, regard. Its relationship to verses 10 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Exodus 5:9-16
King James Version9Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.
10And 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.
11Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.
12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
13And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
14And 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?
15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
16There 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.
Exodus 5:17-23
17–23: He said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do…
Exodus 5:17–23 opens with “But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD…” and reaches “For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh while the burden on the brickmakers increases, with particular weight carried by LORD, evil, people.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD .” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Exodus 5:17-23
King James Version17But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD .
18Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.
19And 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.
20And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
21And 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.
22And Moses returned unto the LORD , and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?
23For 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.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Exodus 5:1 begins with “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…”
Where the chapter turns
Exodus 5:14 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
Exodus 5:23 leaves the reader with “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 word trail through the chapter
The words people, Pharaoh, LORD, straw, Israel, officers help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the repeated ending make readers feel?
Death becomes the chapter's persistent refrain, even as generation follows generation.
What two interruptions offer hope?
Enoch's walk with God and Lamech's hope attached to Noah.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.