English Standard Version
Exodus 5:8
8But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, 'Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.'
Exodus 5:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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.
- New International Version (NIV)But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
- New King James Version (NKJV)And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
- New Living Translation (NLT)But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to our God.’
Context of Exodus 5:8
6The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7"You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, 'Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.' 9Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words." 10So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, "Thus says Pharaoh, 'I will not give you straw.
Read all of Exodus 5Exodus 5:8 word by word
וְאֶת־מַתְכֹּ֨נֶת הַלְּבֵנִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֵם֩ עֹשִׂ֨ים תְּמ֤וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם֙ תָּשִׂ֣ימוּ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תִגְרְע֖וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־נִרְפִּ֣ים הֵ֔ם עַל־כֵּ֗ן הֵ֤ם צֹֽעֲקִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר נֵלְכָ֖ה נִזְבְּחָ֥ה לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the taleמַתְכֹ֫נֶתmathkôneth mathkûneth · tallyH4971
- of the bricksלְבֵנָהlebênâh · brickH3843
- which they did makeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- heretoforeתְּמוֹלtemôl temôl · yesterdayH8543
- heretoforeשִׁלְשֹׁםshilshôm shilshôm · three days agoH8032
- ye shall layשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- upon them; ye shall not diminishגָּרַעgâra‛ · diminishH1639
- idleרָפָהrâphâh · to slackenH7503
- therefore they cryצָעַקtsâ‛aq · to cryH6817
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Let us goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- sacrificeזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
- to our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
Cross-references for Exodus 5:8
Commentaries on Exodus 5:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8And the tale of the bricks - Tale signifies the number, from the Anglo-Saxon to number, to count, etc. For they be idle; therefore they cry - Let us go and sacrifice - Thus their desire to worship the true God in a proper manner was attributed to their unwillingness to work; a reflection which the Egyptians (in principle) of the present day cast on these who, while they are fervent in spirit serving the Lord, are not slothful in business. See Clarke below…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. 88. tale--an appointed number of bricks. The materials of their labor were to be no longer supplied, and yet, as the same amount of produce was exacted daily, it is impossible to imagine more aggravated cruelty--a perfect specimen of Oriental despotism.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 5:8
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