Exodus 5:16 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Exodus 5:16 kjv
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.
Exodus 5:16 nkjv
There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, 'Make brick!' And indeed your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people."
Exodus 5:16 niv
Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people."
Exodus 5:16 esv
No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, 'Make bricks!' And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people."
Exodus 5:16 nlt
"We are given no straw, but the slave drivers still demand, 'Make bricks!' We are being beaten, but it isn't our fault! Your own people are to blame!"
Exodus 5 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 1:11-14 | Therefore they set taskmasters over them... and made their lives bitter... with all kinds of labor. | Pharaoh's oppressive labor from early times. |
| Exod 3:7-9 | Then the Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people... and have heard their cry." | God's awareness of their suffering. |
| Exod 5:6-8 | The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters... "You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks..." | Pharaoh's initial decree to increase hardship. |
| Exod 5:14 | And the taskmasters of Pharaoh beat the Israelite foremen, saying, "Why have you not done all your quota...?" | Direct consequence: foremen being beaten for failing. |
| Deut 24:14-15 | You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy... lest he cry out against you to the LORD. | Biblical command against oppressing laborers. |
| Ps 10:1-2 | Why, O LORD, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor. | Lament over the prosperity and cruelty of the wicked oppressor. |
| Ps 12:5 | "Because the poor are plundered, because the needy groan, I will now arise," says the LORD. | God's promise to act on behalf of the oppressed. |
| Ps 105:25 | He turned their hearts to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants. | God's sovereign hand behind Pharaoh's hardened heart (paradoxically). |
| Isa 58:6 | Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke...? | God's call for true justice and liberation from oppression. |
| Jer 22:13 | "Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness and his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing..." | Prophetic woe against unjust labor practices and forced service. |
| Jas 5:4 | Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you... | The cries of exploited laborers heard by the Lord of hosts. |
| Matt 5:10-12 | "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." | Bearing suffering for doing what is right or for God's purposes. |
| 1 Pet 2:19-20 | For this is a gracious thing, when, conscious of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. | Enduring unjust suffering for conscience' sake toward God. |
| Prov 28:15 | Like a roaring lion or a charging bear is a wicked ruler over a poor people. | Describes the brutal nature of oppressive rulers like Pharaoh. |
| Neh 5:1-5 | Then there arose a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brothers. For there were those who said, "We are mortgaging our fields..." | Similar cries of economic oppression and injustice among people of God. |
| Lam 1:18 | "The LORD is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word; but hear, all you peoples, and see my suffering..." | Acknowledgment of deserved suffering, yet lament for current plight. |
| Rom 9:17-18 | For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you..." | God's sovereign use of Pharaoh's wickedness for His own glory. |
| Ps 72:4 | May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor. | Prayer for a righteous ruler who defends the oppressed. |
| Acts 7:34 | 'I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning... and now come, I will send you to Egypt.' | Stephen's summary of God's response to Israel's suffering. |
| Isa 1:23 | Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and chases after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless; the widow's cause does not come to them. | General critique of unjust rulers and systems. |
Exodus 5 verses
Exodus 5 16 meaning
Exodus 5:16 encapsulates the desperate plea of the Israelite foremen to Pharaoh's officials, highlighting the impossible task imposed upon them. They communicate that while the officials demand the usual quota of bricks, they simultaneously withhold the necessary straw, which is essential for brick production. The verse underscores the brutal consequences of this decree, stating that the Israelite laborers are being beaten for failing to meet the unreachable demands, directly attributing the fault and culpability for this suffering and impossibility to Pharaoh's own people and their unjust policy.
Exodus 5 16 Context
Exodus chapter 5 marks the direct confrontation between Moses, God's appointed deliverer, and Pharaoh, the embodiment of Egyptian power and oppression. Moses and Aaron's initial demand, "Let my people go," is met with Pharaoh's haughty dismissal, declaring, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go" (Exod 5:2). Pharaoh not only refuses but immediately responds by increasing the burden on the Israelite laborers. He orders his taskmasters and foremen to stop providing straw for brick production, yet demand the same brick quota. This act was designed to utterly consume the Israelites' time and strength, ensuring they would have "no attention" for Moses' "idle words." This harsh decree leads directly to the beating of the Israelite foremen (Exod 5:14) when they fail to meet the impossible demands. Verse 16 is part of the foremen's desperate appeal to Pharaoh's officials, stating the injustice of their situation. Historically, straw served as a critical binder in sun-dried bricks, preventing cracks and allowing them to hold together. Its removal meant more laborious processing of the clay or weaker bricks, or both, rendering the task significantly harder, if not impossible, within the established time and quota.
Exodus 5 16 Word analysis
- You say: Hebrew
attem omerim(אַתֶּם אֹמְרִים). This phrase carries an accusatory tone, directly addressing Pharaoh's officials (plural 'you'). It highlights the direct command from the officials to provide bricks without considering the means, immediately contrasting their demand with the harsh reality. - 'Give straw to us,': Hebrew tĕnu lanu teben (תְנוּ לָנוּ תֶבֶן). This refers to the prior standard practice where straw was provided for brick-making. The demand implies a fundamental breach of their original working conditions, where the raw material was supplied. It signifies the removal of a necessary resource, rendering the task nearly impossible under the same quota.
- but look,: Hebrew wəhinnēh (וְהִנֵּה). This is an emphatic particle, often translated as "behold" or "indeed." It is used here to draw immediate and dramatic attention to the consequence, underscoring the severity and injustice of the situation about to be described.
- your servants: Hebrew ʻabādeykhā (עֲבָדֶיךָ). This term, meaning "your slaves" or "your bondservants," acknowledges their subjugated status under Pharaoh. However, it is also an appeal from those who serve, expecting a basic level of justice or provision, which Pharaoh has utterly denied. It suggests a relationship where the master has obligations to his servants, a concept violated by Pharaoh's decree.
- are beaten,: Hebrew mukkīm (מֻכִּים). This is a passive participle, literally "being smitten" or "being struck." It clearly states the violent punishment inflicted upon them. The passive voice emphasizes the act being done to them, underscoring their powerlessness and suffering. The physical abuse is a direct result of Pharaoh's impossible demands.
- and the blame is on your own people.: Hebrew waḥaṭṭāʾt ‘ammekā hîʾ (וְחַטָּאת עַמְּךָ הִיא).* This is a critical phrase.
- ḥaṭṭāʾt (חַטָּאת) primarily means "sin," "guilt," or "fault." Here, it signifies "blame" or "culpability."
- ʻammekā (עַמְּךָ) means "your people," referring directly to Pharaoh's administration, his taskmasters, and by extension, Pharaoh himself.
- The complete phrase powerfully asserts that the fault for the workers' inability to meet the quota and their consequent beating lies not with the Israelites, but entirely with Pharaoh's unjust decree and the cruelty of his administrators. It is a bold statement that shifts the accusation back to the oppressor, demanding accountability for their own malicious policy. This reveals the moral bankruptcy of Pharaoh's rule from the perspective of the oppressed.
Exodus 5 16 Bonus section
This verse highlights the rhetorical skill of the Israelite foremen, despite their servitude. By articulating the "catch-22" Pharaoh created (no straw, same quota) and explicitly stating that the fault lay with Pharaoh's people, they performed an act of moral accusation. This moment, where their plight reached an intolerable peak, set the stage for Moses to deeply question God's promise (Exod 5:22-23). However, it was precisely this extreme pressure and despair that paved the way for God's renewed covenant promises and the powerful unfolding of the plagues, demonstrating His mighty hand in a way that would have been less impactful without the preceding, intensified suffering. It serves as a reminder that the darkest hours often precede the greatest divine interventions.
Exodus 5 16 Commentary
Exodus 5:16 powerfully illustrates the depth of Pharaoh's oppressive cruelty and the subsequent despair of the Israelite people. This verse captures a moment of intense injustice where the victims are not only denied the resources necessary for their work but are also brutally punished for failing an impossible task. The foremen's words, "the blame is on your own people," are a direct, though perhaps desperate, indictment of Pharaoh's regime. This assertion of innocence on the part of the Israelites and direct accusation against their tormentors marks a significant turning point. It demonstrates that the Israelites understood they were being unjustly afflicted. This deepened oppression was providentially orchestrated; it intensified the Israelites' cries to God, confirmed the divine need for intervention, and ultimately served to magnify God's subsequent deliverance by revealing the utter depravity of the power from which He saved His people.