Exodus 5

Exodus 5:3-9

1. Moses and Aaron are here dealing with Pharaoh, to get leave of him to go worship in the wilderness, vers. 1—3. 2. He answers their request to a fast denial, with further orders to appeal, Israel, vers. 2—9. Their cruel orders were, 1. Executed by the ex-templers, vers. 10—14. 2. Complained of to Pharaoh, but in vain, vers. 15—19. 3. Complained of by the people to Moses, vers. 20, 21. and by him to God, vers. 22, 23.

2. AND afterwards Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 2. And Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.’

v. 1, 2. Moses and Aaron make no delay.

1. They boldly deliver their message, v. 1. God’s people are his peculiar portion, and it is at their peril, who injure or oppress them. They must hold a feast to him, and the sacrifice which points to the atonement in the substance of the feast. Faith in the atoning blood of Jesus makes the sweetest feast for the soul.

2. Pharaoh’s impious answer, and fast denial, v. 2. They who oppress God’s people, will despise their God; they neither know him nor fear him. Note, (1.) The cause of every sin is ignorance of God; for where there is no knowledge, there is no fear of him. (2.) Obstinate sinners go from iniquity to impiety; they self offend, and then defy the God of Israel; but it shall be to their cost.

3. And they said, ‘The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. 4. And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works get you unto your burdens. 5. And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and you make them rest from their burdens. 6. And Pharaoh commanded the same day the safe-mothers of the people, and their officers, saying, 7. Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8. And the tale of the bricks which they did make heretofore, you shall lay upon them; you shall not diminish, and thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9. Let there

more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein: and let them not regard ‘wain words.’

Their first application being in vain, the second hath as ill success. They who have no fear of God, will have little compassion for man.

1. They intreat him for three days respite, and urge a safe excuse, lest God be angry for the neglect of his service. Now, we have need to fear his visitations, when we are found diluting his ordinances.

2. Pharaoh will not part with them for an hour; nay, reproaches them as idle, and adds to their burdens. Nor shall Moses and Aaron fare better than the rest. Learn, (1) That faithful ministers must expect, in dangerous times, to be the first to suffer. (2) The service of God often bears, from the enemies of it, the reproach of idleness. (3) When we have to deal with men of perverse minds, like Pharaoh, we must expect such unreasonable demands.

3. ¶ And the task-masters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus faith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. 11. Go ye, get you straw where you can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. 12. So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble instead of straw. 13. And the task-masters halted them, saying, I will your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. 14. And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s task-masters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick, both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

Exodus 5:10-14

But men will usually find bad instruments to favor them. The task-masters deeply urge the people; and though without straw it was impossible to fulfil their tale of bricks, they are beaten. What a blessing is liberty! how should we value it? Now, That minister is no better than these Egyptians, who, instead of the liberty of the gospel, preaches the bondage of the law, which a fallen sinner can no more keep, than he can make brick without straw.

15. ¶ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealeft thou thus with thy servants? 16. 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. 17. But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go, and do sacrifice to the LORD. 18. Go therefore now and work: for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks. 19. And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil cafe, after it was said, Ye shall not mindle eagle from your bricks of your daily safe.

Exodus 5:15-19

An evil cafe no doubt. The remonstrance they made was as just and humble, as the answer they receive is tyrannical and severe.

1. They are his servants, willing to labour, and are beaten, when the fault is in Pharaoh’s people. It is the lot of God’s people ever to suffer unjustly.

2. They are received with taunts and reproaches. How could they who were dying under hard servitude, be reproached with idleness? and was their desire to sacrifice to God such a crime? Now, The world’s reproaches are as groundless as Pharaoh’s; and whatever pretence they may make, the real cruelty, the inbred enmity of their heart against our God and his holy ways.

3. ¶ And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh. 21. And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because you have made our favour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hands to stay us. 22. And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil intreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? 23. For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

Exodus 5:20-23

We have here,

1. Their displeasure at Moses and Aaron. How unjust and ill-stimed? Are they who put their lives in their hands to save them, to be reproached as destroyers? The best actions will, if not immediately successful, expose us often to the confines of those we meant to serve.

2. Moses’s application to God. He presented a remonstrance to Pharaoh in vain; but he shall not do so to God. He ex-posed, complaining, and begs help in this needful time of trouble. Now, (1.) Our sufferings may intercede, when God is working, most for our deliverance. (2.) It is a heavy grief to ministers, to see their labours of love, instead of being successful, exasperating the enmity, and stirring up the corruptions of their beaters. (3.) The way to be called, is to go and complain to our God.