Exodus 5:4 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Exodus 5:4 kjv
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.
Exodus 5:4 nkjv
Then the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor."
Exodus 5:4 niv
But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!"
Exodus 5:4 esv
But the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens."
Exodus 5:4 nlt
Pharaoh replied, "Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work!
Exodus 5 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 5:2 | But Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice...?" | Pharaoh's initial contempt for Yahweh's authority |
| Ex 7:3-4 | I will harden Pharaoh's heart... and multiply my signs... | God's sovereign plan involving Pharaoh's resistance |
| Ex 7:13-14 | Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them... | Ongoing defiance against divine instruction |
| Ex 8:15, 32 | But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite... he hardened his heart... | Pharaoh's refusal to keep promises |
| Ex 9:34 | But when Pharaoh saw that the rain... ceased... he sinned yet again... | Stubborn opposition despite clear divine power |
| Rom 9:17 | For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up..." | God's purpose in raising up and hardening Pharaoh |
| Ex 1:11-14 | They set taskmasters over them to afflict them... made their lives bitter... | Describes the brutal Israelite slavery and burdens |
| Deut 5:6 | 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.' | God's identity as deliverer from servitude |
| Isa 58:6 | Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke... | A call to release those in forced labor |
| Acts 7:34 | I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt... I have come down to deliver them.' | God's awareness and action concerning Israel's suffering |
| Prov 21:1 | The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. | God's ultimate sovereignty over human rulers |
| Dan 4:17, 32 | The Most High rules the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom he will. | God's absolute authority over worldly powers |
| Acts 4:19-20 | But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge..." | Confronting worldly authority with divine mandate |
| Acts 5:29 | But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men." | Principle of divine obedience over human decrees |
| Jer 32:20-21 | You performed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and to this day... brought your people Israel out... | Remembrance of God's powerful acts of deliverance |
| Lk 4:18-19 | The Spirit of the Lord is upon me... to proclaim liberty to the captives... | Jesus' ministry as a fulfillment of liberation themes |
| 1 Sam 8:11-18 | He will take your sons... your daughters... and you yourselves will be his slaves. | Warning against oppressive human kingship |
| Hab 1:5-6 | "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days... an unheard-of work..." | God acting in ways that defy human expectation |
| Isa 45:1 | Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped... to open doors before him... | God uses pagan kings for His divine purposes |
| Titus 3:1 | Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities... | Guidance on submitting to earthly authorities (within limits) |
Exodus 5 verses
Exodus 5 4 meaning
Exodus 5:4 conveys Pharaoh's immediate and dismissive rejection of Moses and Aaron's divine demand. It reveals Pharaoh's mindset: he views the Israelites as his property and their labor as his right. He interprets Moses and Aaron's request for a three-day journey into the wilderness to worship as a disruptive act, causing the people to neglect their essential, forced labor, and thus undermining his economic and political control. He reasserts his authority by commanding them to return to their burdens.
Exodus 5 4 Context
Exodus 5:4 follows Moses and Aaron's initial, divinely commanded confrontation with Pharaoh in verse 1. They present God's demand for the Israelites' release to worship Him. Pharaoh, demonstrating his deep contempt and ignorance of Yahweh, responds in verse 2 by asserting his absolute authority and asking, "Who is the Lord?" The verse itself marks the immediate consequence of Pharaoh's rejection and his subsequent decision to intensify the Israelites' oppression, effectively stating, "No, your request is an idle disturbance, now return to the grueling labor from which you seek respite." Historically, Pharaoh's response reflects the reality of ancient Egyptian absolute monarchy where the ruler was seen as divine, owning his subjects and their labor, making any divine challenge from a foreign god seem audacious and treasonous.
Exodus 5 4 Word analysis
- But the king of Egypt: Emphasizes Pharaoh's singular, supreme authority within his domain. He is the unchallenged ruler, perceived as divine, and the owner of the Israelite people. This immediately sets up a direct confrontation between earthly and divine power.
- said to them: Highlights Pharaoh's direct and dismissive communication to Moses and Aaron, establishing his dominance and cutting short any further dialogue or negotiation about the demand to worship God.
- "Moses and Aaron,": Pharaoh acknowledges who is speaking to him, yet strips them of any spiritual authority or claim of divine messenger. He addresses them as mere individuals disrupting his state's order.
- why do you take the people away from their work?: The Hebrew phrase used here for "take away" or "cause to neglect/cease" is maddua tafriu. The root (p-r-a) can mean to loosen, let loose, break away, or cause disorder/disturbance. Pharaoh views their religious request not as legitimate worship but as a destructive force disrupting essential productivity and social order. He sees them as causing idleness and rebellion (tafriu). Their "work" (mimma'asav) refers to their incredibly intense, mandated labor, which was crucial to Egypt's infrastructure and economy.
- Get back to your labors!: This is a direct, imperative command, showcasing Pharaoh's absolute authority. The word "labors" (Hebrew: sivloteykhem) specifically denotes "burdens" or "forced labor," a much heavier and oppressive term than mere "work." Pharaoh reminds Moses, Aaron, and through them, the people, of their slave status and the arduous, unrelenting nature of their assigned tasks, unequivocally demanding their return to this painful reality.
Exodus 5 4 Bonus section
Pharaoh's concern in this verse, "why do you take the people away from their work?", reflects a practical and ruthless leadership philosophy centered purely on utility and control. For a divine king whose identity and kingdom's prosperity were intertwined with grand construction projects often achieved through forced labor, a demand for leisure and worship of an unknown deity was not only illogical but also an existential threat. Pharaoh perceived Moses and Aaron not as prophets of God but as agitators attempting to incite a labor strike, a grave act of sedition in his view. His response reveals a deliberate act of contempt not just for Moses and Aaron, but implicitly for their God, who dared to challenge his imperial power.
Exodus 5 4 Commentary
Exodus 5:4 serves as a stark turning point, demonstrating Pharaoh's immediate, harsh, and contemptuous reaction to God's demand for Israel's freedom. Far from entertaining the idea of God's command or the people's religious needs, Pharaoh interprets the request solely through the lens of economic and political disruption. He reasserts his absolute sovereignty over the Israelites, reinforcing their status as forced laborers essential to his state. This verse foreshadows the intense conflict ahead, highlighting the immense gap between Pharaoh's humanistic, self-exalting worldview and the divine sovereignty of Yahweh. It underscores the profound spiritual blindness and hardened heart of Pharaoh, setting the stage for God to display His power not only to deliver Israel but also to demonstrate His supremacy over all false gods and oppressive earthly rulers. It shows that obedience to God's call can, initially, lead to increased hardship rather than immediate relief, a test of faith for Moses, Aaron, and the Israelites.