Exodus 5 23

Exodus 5:23 kjv

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 5:23 nkjv

For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all."

Exodus 5:23 niv

Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all."

Exodus 5:23 esv

For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all."

Exodus 5:23 nlt

Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!"

Exodus 5 verses

Exodus 5 23 meaning

Exodus 5:23 conveys Moses' anguished complaint to the Lord after his initial encounter with Pharaoh worsened the Israelites' plight. Moses perceives that his obedient act of speaking to Pharaoh in God's name has resulted in increased affliction for the people, and he questions why God has seemingly failed to deliver them as promised. It expresses Moses' deep frustration and apparent disillusionment, challenging God's immediate action and fulfillment of His word.

Exodus 5 23 Context

Exodus 5:23 comes immediately after Moses and Aaron's first direct confrontation with Pharaoh. Following God's explicit instructions, they conveyed the command, "Let My people go" (Ex 5:1). However, Pharaoh's response was not only a defiant refusal but also an escalation of the Israelites' oppressive labor, demanding the same brick quota but now without providing straw (Ex 5:6-8). This cruel edict led the Israelite foremen, themselves caught in the impossible bind, to bitterly blame Moses and Aaron (Ex 5:20-21). Facing the worsened suffering of his people and the condemnation of the very ones he was sent to deliver, Moses is deeply distraught. His complaint in Exodus 5:22-23 represents a profound low point in his faith and in the narrative. Historically, this highlights the ruthless nature of Egyptian pharaohs and their perceived divine authority, making Pharaoh's challenge against Yahweh a direct clash of deities. The Israelite experience of increased oppression serves to demonstrate that only God, by His overwhelming power, can truly deliver them, establishing His absolute supremacy over all other gods and rulers.

Exodus 5 23 Word analysis

• For since I came:

  • "For" (Hebrew: kî - כִּי): Functions as a causal conjunction, introducing the reason for Moses' lament. It ties his distress directly to the outcome of his actions.
  • "since I came" (Hebrew: mê’āz bā’tî - מֵאָז בָּאתִי): Emphasizes the immediate, cause-and-effect perception. From the very moment Moses embarked on God's mission, conditions for Israel worsened, contrary to the expectation of relief.

• to Pharaoh:

  • "Pharaoh" (Hebrew: Par‘ô - פַּרְעֹה): The reigning king of Egypt, portrayed as the chief human antagonist. In the Ancient Near East, Pharaoh was considered a divine being, a son of Ra. His resistance is therefore a direct affront to Yahweh, setting up the divine conflict to follow.

• to speak in thy name,

  • "to speak" (Hebrew: lĕdabbēr - לְדַבֵּר): To declare or convey a message. Moses acted as a direct messenger of God.
  • "in thy name" (Hebrew: bišmekhā - בִּשְׁמֶךָ): Highly significant. The "name" (šēm) in Hebrew culture denotes a person's character, authority, and presence. Moses went as God's official representative, with the full backing of divine authority and reputation (recall Ex 3:13-15 where God revealed His name, Yahweh). For the mission to fail seemingly under God's very name was a profound crisis for Moses. It implied that God's authority or power was insufficient.

• he hath done evil to this people:

  • "he hath done evil" (Hebrew: hēra‘ - הֵרַע): Literally, "he has made bad" or "he has caused harm." It's an intense verb implying severe affliction and making conditions much worse. Pharaoh's actions are presented as unequivocally malicious and harmful.
  • "to this people" (Hebrew: lā‘ām hazzeh - לָעָם הַזֶּה): Refers to the Israelites. Moses emphasizes their suffering as a distinct entity under Pharaoh's cruelty. The phrase might carry a subtle distancing, perhaps indicating Moses' despairing detachment or simply stating a blunt observation of their current state.

• neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

  • "neither hast thou delivered" (Hebrew: wĕhaṣṣēl lō’ hiṣṣaltā - וְהַצֵּל לֹא הִצַּלְתָּ): A strong, emphatic double negative. The root nāṣal means "to deliver, rescue, save, pluck out." The construction emphasizes total lack of deliverance, "you have not delivered at all." This is the core of Moses' bitter accusation: God's explicit promise of rescue (Ex 3:8, 10) seems utterly unfulfilled, leading to profound disappointment and a questioning of divine faithfulness.
  • "thy people" (Hebrew: ‘ammekhā - עַמֶּךָ): Moses appeals to God's covenant relationship and ownership of Israel. He challenges God's commitment to His own. This echoes God's own description of Israel as "My people" (Ex 3:7) and places the responsibility for their current predicament squarely back on the divine covenant keeper.

Exodus 5 23 Bonus section

• This verse provides a crucial contrast between Moses' limited human perspective (seeing only the immediate failure and suffering) and God's expansive, sovereign plan (which included hardening Pharaoh's heart to showcase divine power, Rom 9:17).
• Moses' complaint, while understandable, also underscores the struggle of faith when circumstances directly contradict promised outcomes. It reminds us that faith often involves trusting God's character and plan even when the present reality feels chaotic or contrary.
• The raw honesty of Moses' lament models a type of "complaint prayer" acceptable to God, as seen throughout the Psalms (e.g., Pss 13). God does not rebuke Moses for his question but responds by reiterating His covenant name and the certainty of His deliverance (Ex 6:1-8).
• The escalating conflict between Pharaoh and Yahweh begins here. Pharaoh's response isn't just an administrative decision but a defiance against the true God, making the subsequent plagues necessary to establish God's identity and authority.

Exodus 5 23 Commentary

Exodus 5:23 represents the climax of Moses’ initial faith crisis and the lowest point for the Israelites before God’s mighty intervention. Moses, acting in perfect obedience and "in thy name," expected divine blessing and deliverance. Instead, his obedience resulted in an intensification of suffering, exposing a profound disconnect between divine promise and human experience. His raw lament "neither hast thou delivered thy people at all" is not merely a complaint but a deeply troubled question challenging God’s perceived inaction and even His faithfulness to His covenant promises. This period of intensified hardship serves several crucial narrative and theological purposes. It shatters any lingering hope the Israelites had in human or worldly power, directing their gaze solely to the Lord. It sets the stage for God to act unequivocally and spectacularly, demonstrating that the deliverance is entirely His doing, thereby establishing His unmatched supremacy over Pharaoh and all Egyptian gods (Ex 6:1-8; Rom 9:17). God allows the situation to worsen, not because He is neglectful, but because the magnitude of the eventual deliverance will testify all the more powerfully to His glory. It is in the midst of utter human despair that God's power shines brightest, preparing the hearts of both His people and their oppressors for an unmistakable display of His sovereign hand. This teaches believers that God often permits or even ordains trials to become more severe before intervening, thus refining faith and magnifying His ultimate victory.