Exodus 5:7

Exodus 5:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
• New International Version (NIV)“You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.

Context of Exodus 5:7

5Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them stop their work!” 6The very same day Pharaoh gave orders to the [Egyptian] taskmasters in charge of the people and their [Hebrew] foremen, saying, “You will no longer give the people straw to make brick as before; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8But the number of bricks which they were making before, you shall [still] require of them; you are not to reduce it in the least. For they are idle and lazy; that is why they cry, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9Let labor be heavier on the men, and let them work [hard] at it so that they will pay no attention to [their God’s] lying words.”

Exodus 5:7 word by word

לֹ֣א תֹאסִפ֞וּן לָתֵ֨ת תֶּ֧בֶן לָעָ֛ם לִלְבֹּ֥ן הַלְּבֵנִ֖ים כִּתְמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁ֑ם הֵ֚ם יֵֽלְכ֔וּ וְקֹשְׁשׁ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם תֶּֽבֶן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ye shall no moreיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
• giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• strawתֶּ֫בֶןteben · strawH8401
• to makeלָבַןlâban · to make bricksH3835
• brickלְבֵנָהlebênâh · brickH3843
• as heretoforeתְּמוֹלtemôl temôl · yesterdayH8543
• as heretoforeשִׁלְשֹׁםshilshôm shilshôm · three days agoH8032
• let them goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• and gatherקָשַׁשׁqâshash · to gatherH7197

Commentaries on Exodus 5:7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Straw to make brick - There have been many conjectures concerning the use of straw in making bricks. Some suppose it was used merely for burning them, but this is unfounded. The eastern bricks are often made of clay and straw kneaded together, and then not burned, but thoroughly dried in the sun. This is expressly mentioned by Philo in his life of Moses, who says, describing the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt, that some were obliged to work in clay…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Some of the most ancient buildings in Egypt were constructed of bricks not burned, but dried in the sun; they were made of clay, or more commonly of mud, mixed with straw chopped into small pieces. An immense quantity of straw must have been wanted for the works on which the Israelites were engaged, and their labors must have been more than doubled by this requisition.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7Straw is a binder to help clay and mud bricks retain their form while drying in the sun.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 77. Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick--The making of bricks appears to have been a government monopoly as the ancient bricks are nearly all stamped with the name of a king, and they were formed, as they are still in Lower Egypt, of clay mixed with chopped straw and dried or hardened in the sun. The Israelites were employed in this drudgery; and though they still dwelt in Goshen and held property in flocks and herds, they were compelled…Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 5:7

• Art
• Brick
• Cruelty
• Servant
• Straw

In the dictionaries

• Cover
• Demand
• Straw
• Tale
• Task
• Brick
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genesis
• Heretofore
• Leviticus

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