English Standard Version
Exodus 5:15
15Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, "Why do you treat your servants like this?
Exodus 5:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
- New International Version (NIV)Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way?
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants?
- New Living Translation (NLT)So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. “Please don’t treat your servants like this,” they begged.
Context of Exodus 5:15
13The taskmasters were urgent, saying, "Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw." 14And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, "Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?" Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, "Why do you treat your servants like this? 16No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, 'Make bricks!' And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people." 17But he said, "You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.'
Read all of Exodus 5Exodus 5:15 word by word
וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ שֹֽׁטְרֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר לָ֧מָּה תַעֲשֶׂ֦ה כֹ֖ה לַעֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then the officersשֹׁטֵרshôţêr · officialH7860
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and criedצָעַקtsâ‛aq · to cryH6817
- unto Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Wherefore dealestעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- thou thus with thy servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
Commentaries on Exodus 5:15
- 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. 1-23In this section, the Lord promised to rescue the Israelites. He said that he would bring them out of slavery. At first, the people responded in a positive way. They believed what God said. However, later they faced a crisis of faith. They began to doubt God’s promise and struggled to trust him.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1913-19. And the taskmasters hasted them ... officers ... beaten--As the nearest fields were bared and the people had to go farther for stubble, it was impossible for them to meet the demand by the usual tale of bricks. "The beating of the officers is just what might have been expected from an Eastern tyrant, especially in the valley of the Nile, as it appears from the monuments, that ancient Egypt, like modern China, was principally governed by the stick"…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 5:15
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries