Exodus 5 11

Exodus 5:11 kjv

Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.

Exodus 5:11 nkjv

Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.' "

Exodus 5:11 niv

Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.'?"

Exodus 5:11 esv

Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.'"

Exodus 5:11 nlt

Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!"

Exodus 5 verses

Exodus 5 11 meaning

Exodus 5:11 details Pharaoh's severe decree following Moses's and Aaron's request for Israel's freedom to worship the Lord. Pharaoh instructs his taskmasters to compel the enslaved Israelites to gather their own straw for brick-making, wherever they can find it, while strictly maintaining the previous, burdensome daily quota of bricks. This command explicitly states that no portion of their required forced labor will be reduced, significantly increasing their hardship and diminishing any hope of relief.

Exodus 5 11 Context

Exodus chapter 5 records the initial confrontation between Moses, Aaron, and Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. Sent by God, Moses and Aaron demand Pharaoh "Let my people go, so that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness." Pharaoh, in his arrogance and self-proclaimed deity, responds defiantly, asking, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go?" (Ex 5:2). He then directly accuses Moses and Aaron of making the people neglect their labor. Instead of granting relief, Pharaoh's immediate action, culminating in verse 11, is to intensify the oppressive forced labor on the Israelites. This deliberate increase in cruelty is designed to crush any hope of freedom and dissuade them from listening to Moses, demonstrating Pharaoh's absolute power and his disdain for the God of Israel. Historically, ancient Egypt heavily relied on vast numbers of laborers for its monumental building projects, with bricks often made of mud and straw. Straw was a crucial binding agent; removing its provision made the labor significantly more demanding and time-consuming while maintaining the output quota. This was a clear act of psychological warfare and physical torment, positioning Pharaoh's power directly against God's promises.

Exodus 5 11 Word analysis

• Go yourselves (לְכוּ אַתֶּם, l'khu attem): This is a strong imperative command ("Go!") paired with the emphatic personal pronoun "yourselves" or "you yourselves." It stresses that the Israelites are solely responsible for gathering the straw, a task previously provided for them. It underscores Pharaoh's complete withdrawal of resources and delegation of an extra, strenuous burden.
• get it (קְחוּ לָכֶם, q'chu lakhem): An imperative verb meaning "take for yourselves" or "fetch for yourselves." This phrase reiterates the new, heavy self-provision expected of them, shifting a fundamental responsibility for the work process entirely onto the enslaved workers.
• where you can find it (מֵאֲשֶׁר תִּמְצָאוּ, me'asher timtz'u): This prepositional phrase suggests scarcity and difficulty. Previously, straw was readily supplied. Now, they must search for it in fields, implying a time-consuming and arduous scavenger hunt that significantly added to their already intense work schedule. It emphasizes the added futility and stress of their new circumstances.
• for none of your forced labor will be lightened (כִּי לֹא יִגָּרַע מֵעֲבֹדַתְכֶם דָּבָר, ki lo yigara m'avodatkhem davar): This crucial phrase reveals the full weight of Pharaoh's decree.
  • "for" (ki): Functions as an emphatic causal particle, linking the command to gather straw to the refusal of relief.
  • "none will be lightened" (lo yigara): This strong negative verb literally means "will not be diminished," "reduced," or "taken away." It signifies Pharaoh's inflexible demand and total lack of compassion, despite the increased workload.
  • "your forced labor" (avodatkhem): This term (עֲבֹדָה, avodah) often refers to hard, servile work, underscoring their enslaved status and the severe oppression they faced under Pharaoh's command. It points to the systemic nature of their suffering.
  • "a thing" (davar): Literally "a word" or "a thing." Here, it intensifies the negative, meaning "not one thing" or "not in any respect" will be lightened, emphasizing the absolute nature of the demand.

Word-Groups Analysis:

• "Go yourselves, get it where you can find it": This entire phrase highlights the imposed self-reliance and the transfer of responsibility for raw materials from the taskmasters to the enslaved people. It underscores the irrationality and cruelty of Pharaoh's decree, expecting the same output with deprived resources. This phrase sets a clear polemic against Pharaoh's divine pretensions, showing him as a petty, burdensome god, unable to provide for his workers, contrasting with the true God who provides for His people.
• "for none of your forced labor will be lightened": This confirms the oppressive intention behind the previous command. It explicitly states that despite the massive increase in the effort required, no concession will be made on the output. This is Pharaoh's unyielding determination to break their will and ensure they remain thoroughly engrossed in toil, leaving no room for the thoughts of liberation or serving another God. This escalation of affliction serves as a crucial point in God's plan to magnify His impending deliverance.

Exodus 5 11 Bonus section

• The requirement to gather straw themselves made their work less efficient, not more. It created more activity without increasing productive output in the way Pharaoh intended. This shows the futility of working without God's blessing or provision.
• The intensification of labor serves as a direct fulfillment of Moses's initial warning in Ex 4:23, where God says, "If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son." Pharaoh's escalating resistance necessitates God's increasing display of power.
• This specific burden became a significant source of complaint for the Israelites against Moses and Aaron (Ex 5:21), temporarily sowing seeds of doubt and despair within the community, but ultimately leading them to witness God's unmatched power.
• The absence of straw led to the bricks becoming more fragile, possibly hinting at the inherent instability of a system built on oppression and denying the necessary resources for a task.

Exodus 5 11 Commentary

Exodus 5:11 is a stark portrayal of tyrannical power, highlighting Pharaoh's arrogant refusal of God's command and his subsequent escalation of cruelty against the Israelites. Pharaoh's decision to deny straw provision while maintaining the same brick quota was not merely an administrative change but a calculated move to extinguish hope, provoke internal strife, and psychologically crush the spirit of the enslaved people. By demanding they "go yourselves, get it where you can find it," he placed an impossible, demoralizing burden upon them, consuming their time and energy entirely, leaving no capacity for contemplation of freedom or God's promises. This verse encapsulates the harsh reality of their bondage just before the ultimate display of God's might. Paradoxically, this intensified suffering, allowed by divine sovereignty, served as a crucial catalyst in God's larger plan to demonstrate His power, justice, and faithfulness, not just to Israel but to Egypt and all nations. It shows that sometimes, divine intervention is preceded by an increase in tribulation, making the eventual deliverance all the more profound and undeniably God's work.