Exodus 5:16

Exodus 5:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)There 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.
• New International Version (NIV)Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
• New King James Version (NKJV)There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, ‘Make brick!’ And indeed your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)“We are given no straw, but the slave drivers still demand, ‘Make bricks!’ We are being beaten, but it isn’t our fault! Your own people are to blame!”

Context of Exodus 5:16

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?" 15Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, "Why do you treat your servants like this? No 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.' 18Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks."

Exodus 5:16 word by word

תֶּ֗בֶן אֵ֤ין נִתָּן֙ לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ וּלְבֵנִ֛ים אֹמְרִ֥ים לָ֖נוּ עֲשׂ֑וּ וְהִנֵּ֧ה עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ מֻכִּ֖ים וְחָטָ֥את עַמֶּֽךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• There is no strawתֶּ֫בֶןteben · strawH8401
• givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• unto thy servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• and they sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• to us, Makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• brickלְבֵנָהlebênâh · brickH3843
• beatenנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• but the faultחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
• in thine own peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971

Commentaries on Exodus 5:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16The fault is in thine own people - חטאת chatath, the sin, is in thy own people. 1st. Because they require impossibilities; and 2dly, because they punish us for not doing what cannot be performed.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. 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 5:16

• Brick
• Cruelty
• Petition

In the dictionaries

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