Exodus 5 5

Exodus 5:5 kjv

And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.

Exodus 5:5 nkjv

And Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!"

Exodus 5:5 niv

Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working."

Exodus 5:5 esv

And Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!"

Exodus 5:5 nlt

Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work."

Exodus 5 verses

Exodus 5 5 meaning

Pharaoh's statement in Exodus 5:5 reveals his primary concern and opposition to Moses' request for the Israelites to go worship Yahweh. He expresses alarm at the rapidly increasing numbers of the Israelite people, viewing them purely as a vital labor force for Egypt's economic and infrastructural prosperity. His accusation to Moses and Aaron, "you make them rest from their burdens!", highlights his refusal to allow any cessation of their forced labor, fearing lost productivity, potential sedition from a large idle population, and a challenge to his absolute authority and the existing oppressive system. He sees the call to worship as an attempt to undermine his control and diminish his wealth.

Exodus 5 5 Context

Exodus chapter 5 opens with Moses and Aaron, having been sent by Yahweh, appearing before Pharaoh for the first time. They deliver God's direct command: "Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness." Pharaoh's immediate and contemptuous reply in verse 2, "Who is Yahweh, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know Yahweh, and I will not let Israel go," sets the stage for the dramatic confrontation. This refusal leads directly to his economic argument and increased oppression stated in verse 5, further cementing his defiance and escalating the conflict between Yahweh and Pharaoh. His focus is on the workforce's utility and the disruption of productivity, revealing his fundamental materialistic and power-driven mindset that utterly disregarded the Israelites' humanity and their God.

Exodus 5 5 Word analysis

• And Pharaoh said: Marks his immediate, direct, and authoritative response to Moses and Aaron's demand, signifying his refusal and assertion of control.

• Behold: (Hebrew: hinneh, הִנֵּה). An interjection drawing immediate attention, conveying surprise, urgency, or the gravity of what is about to be said. Here, it underscores Pharaoh's recognition of the immense numerical threat or opportunity that the Israelites represent.

• the people of the land: (Hebrew: ʿam haʾāreṣ, עַם הָאָרֶץ). This phrase identifies the Israelites not as Yahweh's chosen people or as a distinct ethnic group with a religious identity, but primarily as a national resource—subjects or, more accurately, slaves of the land of Egypt. It dehumanizes them by classifying them as state property or a generic populace under his dominion.

• are now many: (Hebrew: rav, רַב). Directly echoes Pharaoh's earlier fear mentioned in Exod 1:9, "Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we." The Hebrew term rav implies a large, numerous quantity, signaling Pharaoh's primary concern regarding their vast population, which he views both as an asset for labor and a potential threat if united or if their labor is removed.

• and you make them rest: (Hebrew: hishbittem, הִשְׁבַּתֶּם). From the root shavat (שָׁבַת), meaning "to cease, desist, rest, celebrate Sabbath." This is a crucial word. Pharaoh accuses Moses and Aaron of causing the people to cease work, treating rest as idleness or disruption. Ironically, this very word later becomes central to God's commandment for the Sabbath, underscoring the stark contrast between Pharaoh's oppressive anti-rest ethos and Yahweh's life-giving command for regular cessation from labor. Pharaoh cannot conceive of legitimate rest for a slave, viewing it solely as economic loss and a rebellious act.

• from their burdens!: (Hebrew: missiblôtām, מִסִּבְלֹתָם). Siblôt refers to the "burdens," "forced labor," or "heavy tasks" laid upon the Israelites. Pharaoh views any cessation from these back-breaking tasks as a direct interference with the economic stability and productivity of Egypt, demonstrating his total exploitation of their labor and his callous disregard for their suffering.

• Words-Group Analysis:

  • "Behold, the people of the land are now many": This phrase encapsulates Pharaoh's perspective: he perceives the large Israelite population as a formidable workforce (asset) and potentially a national threat if their labor is interrupted or if they gain unity/freedom. This numerical growth, which God promised, is ironically what concerns Pharaoh most.
  • "and you make them rest from their burdens!": This directly confronts Moses and Aaron. Pharaoh frames their spiritual request for worship as a mischievous, subversive act designed to create idleness and detract from the vital labor sustaining his kingdom. It highlights the economic conflict at the heart of his opposition to God's will, where human lives are valued only for their output.

Exodus 5 5 Bonus section

This verse offers critical insight into the psychology of an oppressor. Pharaoh, despite Moses's initial request for worship, does not initially perceive it as a theological challenge. Instead, he views it first through the lens of economic and political stability, demonstrating that tyranny is often deeply pragmatic and self-serving. He understands the profound impact of organized cessation of work ("rest") on his labor-dependent empire. The strategic timing of Pharaoh's retort after Moses' initial request implies he quickly grasped the broader implications of freeing a massive, productive segment of his slave population. It showcases a clash between a worldview centered on human dominion and economic output versus God's plan for freedom, worship, and the well-being of His covenant people. Pharaoh's inability to comprehend "rest" for a slave population, beyond an economic cost, ultimately solidifies the need for God's overwhelming display of power.

Exodus 5 5 Commentary

Exodus 5:5 crystallizes the foundational conflict between God's design for His people and the tyrannical systems of the world. Pharaoh, operating purely from a material and power-centric worldview, perceives the numerous Israelites solely as a valuable commodity and labor source for his vast construction projects. He cannot fathom the concept of divine rest or a people having inherent worth beyond their productive capacity. His indignant accusation that Moses and Aaron "make them rest from their burdens" reveals his deeply ingrained economic mentality: any cessation of labor is a threat, an act of subversion, and a challenge to his ultimate authority. This verse beautifully foreshadows the future institution of the Sabbath (Exod 20:8-11; Deut 5:12-15), which God would command for His freed people—a concept antithetical to Pharaoh's system of ceaseless, forced labor. Pharaoh's response confirms that he views the Israelites not as a people with a God-given destiny and the right to worship, but as property to be controlled and exploited, thus necessitating God's mighty intervention.