Exodus 5 6

Exodus 5:6 kjv

And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

Exodus 5:6 nkjv

So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,

Exodus 5:6 niv

That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people:

Exodus 5:6 esv

The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen,

Exodus 5:6 nlt

That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen:

Exodus 5 verses

Exodus 5 6 meaning

Exodus 5:6 describes Pharaoh's immediate, authoritative decree to his Egyptian taskmasters and their Israelite foremen to increase the burden on the Israelites by requiring them to gather their own straw while still producing the same quota of bricks. This action directly follows Moses and Aaron's initial demand for Israel's release, signifying Pharaoh's obstinate refusal to acknowledge the God of Israel and his deliberate act of intensifying their servitude. It reveals his intent to break their spirit and deter further pleas for freedom by making their lives even more miserable.

Exodus 5 6 Context

Exodus chapter 5 marks the direct confrontation between Moses and Aaron, representing the LORD God, and Pharaoh, the embodiment of Egyptian power and divinity. The verse immediately precedes Pharaoh's direct decree for increasing the workload on the Israelite slaves. Following Moses and Aaron's first demand ("Let My people go!"), Pharaoh's response in verses 2-4 ("Who is the LORD... I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go... You yourselves go to your burdens!") escalates into this specific command. Historically and culturally, ancient Egypt's economy relied heavily on forced labor, with the Pharaoh as an absolute ruler often considered divine, or at least a mediator to the gods. Pharaoh's decision in this verse is a calculated political and economic move to suppress any revolutionary thought, and it serves as a theological statement, a direct rejection of YHWH's authority by a self-proclaimed god. This command also highlights the systemic oppression and brutal efficiency of Egyptian slave-keeping, while establishing the stage for the true power of YHWH to be demonstrated against a hardened human oppressor.

Exodus 5 6 Word analysis

• And: Links directly to the preceding events, indicating a swift and immediate consequence of Moses and Aaron's visit.
• the same: Emphasizes the immediacy and direct connection between Moses and Aaron's request and Pharaoh's negative, retaliatory action.
• day: Reinforces the swiftness and resolve of Pharaoh's decree. No deliberation, immediate counteraction.
• Pharaoh: (Hebrew: Par'oh, פַּרְעֹה) The absolute monarch of Egypt, claiming divine status. His command represents the supreme human authority directly opposing God's will. This is a core theological polemic: Pharaoh's alleged divine power vs. YHWH's actual sovereign power.
• commanded: (Hebrew: wayetzaw, וַיְצַו, from the root tzawah (צָוָה) meaning to command, instruct, appoint, decree). This is an active verb, denoting a forceful, authoritative, and direct order, leaving no room for negotiation or dissent. It underscores Pharaoh's complete dominion over the laborers.
• the: Specifies the recipients of the command.
• taskmasters: (Hebrew: sarim, שָׂרִים, plural of sar (שַׂר), meaning prince, chief, captain, official). These were likely high-ranking Egyptian officials, managers, or overseers, directly responsible to Pharaoh for the productivity of the enslaved population. They represented the primary administrative arm of the oppression.
• of the people: Referring to the Israelites, specifically marking them as the group under the direct and cruel administration of these officials.
• and their: Links the primary Egyptian taskmasters with their immediate subordinates.
• foremen: (Hebrew: shotrim, שׁוֹטְרִים, meaning scribes, officials, police officers, or those who keep records and inflict punishment). In the context of Exodus, these were likely Israelite elders or leaders who were appointed by the Egyptians to manage their own people, serving as intermediaries between the Egyptian sarim and the common laborers. This dual layer of authority created an even more potent system of control and oppression, also causing significant internal pressure and later leading to a deep conflict for the Israelite foremen (Ex 5:14-21).
• saying: Introduces the precise terms of Pharaoh's decree.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "the same day Pharaoh commanded": Highlights Pharaoh's immediate, personal, and authoritative retaliation. It's a demonstration of raw power against God's direct message.
• "the taskmasters of the people and their foremen": This crucial phrase reveals the sophisticated and brutal system of oppression. The existence of both Egyptian "taskmasters" (sarim) and Israelite "foremen" (shotrim) indicates a deeply hierarchical and effective mechanism of control, designed to extract maximum labor and break any will to resist. The Israelite foremen were put in an impossible position, accountable for quotas they could not meet, making them direct agents and victims of Pharaoh's intensified cruelty.

Exodus 5 6 Bonus section

Pharaoh's command was not just a knee-jerk reaction but a strategic maneuver. By forcing the Israelites to find their own straw, he shifted a critical part of the production burden onto the laborers, ensuring that "they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words" (Ex 5:9). This was a deliberate attempt to monopolize their thoughts with grueling labor, making them too exhausted and despairing to entertain thoughts of freedom or worship. This act solidified the internal tension within the Israelite community, as the Israelite foremen bore the brunt of Pharaoh's command, being beaten for unfulfilled quotas (Ex 5:14), and then turning on Moses and Aaron (Ex 5:20-21). This also demonstrates the initial failure of human effort, and the worsening of circumstances, which is often a necessary precursor for God to act decisively and manifest His full glory in deliverance, showing that the victory is entirely His. This event sets the stage for a dramatic contest not merely between Moses and Pharaoh, but between the true God of Israel and the false gods and tyrannical systems of the world.

Exodus 5 6 Commentary

Exodus 5:6 is a pivotal verse, encapsulating Pharaoh's initial response to God's demand: not submission, but escalated oppression. Pharaoh, consumed by his own power and denial of YHWH, views Moses' request as a threat to his economic system and authority, believing it is an attempt to sow idleness and rebellion among the laborers. His command to remove straw while maintaining the brick quota is a shrewd, cruel tactic designed to increase physical burden and crush the spirit of the people, effectively turning any thought of freedom into an unbearable burden of labor. This hardened response of Pharaoh serves God's greater purpose, allowing the miraculous power of the LORD to be demonstrated more profoundly against a stubborn and seemingly unmovable force. It forces the Israelites into a deeper realization of their desperate state, intensifying their cry to God, and preparing them for a truly divine, impossible rescue, solidifying His identity as their deliverer. It demonstrates that initial obedience to God's call (Moses confronting Pharaoh) may lead to increased hardship before deliverance.