God’s Word Translation
Exodus 5:19
19The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “Don’t make fewer bricks each day than you’re supposed to.”
Exodus 5:19 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.
- New International Version (NIV)The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, "You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble after it was said, “You shall not reduce any bricks from your daily quota.”
Context of Exodus 5:19
17“You’re lazy! ⌞Just plain⌟ lazy!” Pharaoh answered. “That’s why you keep saying, ‘Let us go offer sacrifices to the Lord.’ 18Now get back to work! You won’t be given any straw, but you must still make the same number of bricks.” The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “Don’t make fewer bricks each day than you’re supposed to.” 20As they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting for them. 21So they said, “May the Lord see what you have done and judge you! You have made Pharaoh and his officials hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us.”
Read all of Exodus 5Exodus 5:19 word by word
וַיִּרְא֞וּ שֹֽׁטְרֵ֧י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֹתָ֖ם בְּרָ֣ע לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹא־תִגְרְע֥וּ מִלִּבְנֵיכֶ֖ם דְּבַר־י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the officersשֹׁטֵרshôţêr · officialH7860
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- did seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- in evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- after it was saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Ye shall not minishגָּרַעgâra‛ · diminishH1639
- from your bricksלְבֵנָהlebênâh · brickH3843
- of your dailyיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- taskדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
Cross-references for Exodus 5:19
- Deuteronomy 32:36The Lord will judge his people and have compassion on his servants when he sees that their strength is gone and that no one is left, neither slaves nor free people.
- Ecclesiastes 4:1Next, I turned to look at all the acts of oppression that make people suffer under the sun. Look at the tears of those who suffer! No one can comfort them. Their oppressors have ⌞all⌟ the power. No one can comfort those who suffer.
- Ecclesiastes 5:8Don’t be surprised if you see poor people being oppressed, denied justice, or denied their rights in any district. One authority is watching over another, and they both have authorities watching over them.
Commentaries on Exodus 5:19
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Did see that they were in evil case - They saw that they could neither expect justice nor mercy; that their deliverance was very doubtful, and their case almost hopeless.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 5:19
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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