Exodus 5:6

Exodus 5:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
• New International Version (NIV)That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people:
• English Standard Version (ESV)The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen,
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,

Context of Exodus 5:6

4But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you let the people neglect their work? Get back to your labors!” 5Again Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!” So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying, 7“You are no longer to give the people straw to make bricks as previously; have them go and gather straw for themselves. 8But you shall impose on them the quota of bricks which they were making before; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are lazy, for that reason they cry out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’

Exodus 5:6 word by word

וַיְצַ֥ו פַּרְעֹ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא אֶת־הַנֹּגְשִׂ֣ים בָּעָ֔ם וְאֶת־שֹׁטְרָ֖יו לֵאמֹֽר׃Read the interlinear

• So the sameהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
• commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
• the taskmastersנָגַשׂnâgaώ · to oppressH5065
• over the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• foremenשֹׁטֵרshôţêr · officialH7860
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559

Cross-references for Exodus 5:6

• Exodus 5:10So the taskmasters of the people and their foremen went out and spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am not going to give you any straw.
• Exodus 1:11So they appointed taskmasters over them to oppress them with hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses.
• Proverbs 12:10A righteous person has regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.
• Exodus 2:14But he said, “Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and said, “Surely the matter has become known!”

Commentaries on Exodus 5:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6The task-masters of the people and their officers - The task-masters were Egyptians, (see Clarke on Exodus 1:11; (note)), the officers were Hebrews; see Clarke below Exodus 5:14; (note). But it is probable that the task-masters Exodus 1:11, who are called מסים שרי sarey missim, princes of the burdens or taxes, were different from those termed taskmasters here, as the words are different; נגשים nogesim signifies exactors or oppressors - persons who exacted…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Their officers - Or scribes. Hebrews able to keep accounts in writing, appointed by the Egyptian superintendents, and responsible to them for the work; see Exodus 5:14. Subordinate officers are frequently represented on Egyptian monuments, giving in written accounts to their immediate superiors.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. 66. Pharaoh commanded--It was a natural consequence of the high displeasure created by this interview that he should put additional burdens on the oppressed Israelites. taskmasters--Egyptian overseers, appointed to exact labor of the Israelites. officers--Hebrews placed over their brethren, under the taskmasters, precisely analogous to the Arab officers set over the Arab Fellahs, the poor laborers in modern Egypt.Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 5:6

• Cruelty

In the dictionaries

• Pharaoh
• Pharaoh, king of Egypt
• Cover
• Demand
• Tale
• Task
• Exodus, the Book of
• Genesis
• Leviticus
• Libraries

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