Exodus 5:12

Exodus 5:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
• New International Version (NIV)So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

Context of Exodus 5:12

10Then the [Egyptian] taskmasters [in charge] of the people and their [Hebrew] foremen went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you any straw. 11Go, get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work [quota] will not be reduced in the least.’ ” So the people were scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. 13And the taskmasters pressured them, saying, “Finish your work, [fulfill] your daily quotas, just as when there was straw [given to you].” 14And the Hebrew foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your required quota of making bricks yesterday and today, as before?”

Exodus 5:12 word by word

וַיָּ֥פֶץ הָעָ֖ם בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לְקֹשֵׁ֥שׁ קַ֖שׁ לַתֶּֽבֶן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• were scattered abroadפּוּץpûts · to scatterH6327
• throughout all the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• to gatherקָשַׁשׁqâshash · to gatherH7197
• stubbleקַשׁqash · stubbleH7179
• instead of strawתֶּ֫בֶןteben · strawH8401

Commentaries on Exodus 5:12

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Stubble instead of straw - Rather, for the straw: i. e. to be prepared as straw. This marks the season of the year, namely, early spring, after the barley or wheat harvest, toward the end of April. Their suffering must have been severe: at that season the pestilential sand-wind blows over Egypt some 50 days, hence, its name - Chamsin. (compare Genesis 41:6 note).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-23Verses 10-23 The Egyptian task-masters were very severe. See what need we have to pray that we may be delivered from wicked men. The head-workmen justly complained to Pharaoh: but he taunted them. The malice of Satan has often represented the service and worship of God, as fit employment only for those who have nothing else to do, and the business only of the idle; whereas, it is the duty of those who are most busy in the world. Those who are diligent in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-14Pharaoh increased the workload to punish their disobedience. He thought they had too much free time (5:8). He could not imagine a god revealing himself outside the royal worship system. He believed they invented their unusual religious ideas instead of working (see also 5:17).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. So the people were scattered--It was an immense grievance to the laborers individually, but there would be no hindrance from the husbandmen whose fields they entered, as almost all the lands of Egypt were in the possession of the crown (Ge 47:20).Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 5:12

• Brick
• Cruelty
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Scattered Abroad
• Cover
• Demand
• Straw
• Tale
• Task
• Brick
• Exodus, the Book of

Commentaries on Exodus 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings