Exodus 5 9

Exodus 5:9 kjv

Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard vain words.

Exodus 5:9 nkjv

Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words."

Exodus 5:9 niv

Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies."

Exodus 5:9 esv

Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words."

Exodus 5:9 nlt

Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!"

Exodus 5 verses

Exodus 5 9 meaning

Exodus 5:9 encapsulates Pharaoh's oppressive policy to counter Moses and Aaron's message of liberation. Pharaoh decrees that the Israelite men must bear an increased and intensified workload. The explicit purpose of this escalated burden is to physically exhaust the people, preventing them from entertaining or believing the "lying words" of freedom and divine deliverance spoken by Moses and Aaron. It reflects Pharaoh's strategic attempt to crush their hope, silence their pleas to Yahweh, and reaffirm his absolute dominion over them.

Exodus 5 9 Context

Exodus 5:9 immediately follows Moses and Aaron's initial confrontation with Pharaoh. Moses, empowered by Yahweh, had delivered God's command: "Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness." Pharaoh, in his imperial pride and denial of Yahweh's authority, scoffed, "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." He accused Moses and Aaron of distracting the people from their labor, calling them idle. Pharaoh's response in this verse is a punitive and calculated strategic move. By intensifying the forced labor (specifically, no longer providing straw for brick-making but requiring the same quota), he sought to remove any leisure time that might allow the Israelites to contemplate freedom or believe in Moses' message, aiming to crush their spirit through sheer physical exhaustion and despair.

Exodus 5 9 Word analysis

• "Let heavier work" (יִכְבַּד הָעֲבֹדָה - yikhbad ha'avodah):

  • yikhbad (יִכְבַּד) derives from the root kavad (כָּבַד), meaning "to be heavy," "to be weighty," "to be burdensome," but also "to be glorious" or "to honor." Here, it signifies increasing the severity or difficulty of the work. Pharaoh intends for the work to be overwhelmingly oppressive, making it "heavy" in suffering.
  • ha'avodah (הָעֲבֹדָה) means "the work" or "the labor," referring specifically to their forced service as slaves.
  • The implication is not just more work, but work that weighs them down mentally and physically, designed to eliminate any inclination toward disobedience or rebellion fueled by hope.

• "be laid on the men" (עַל־הָאֲנָשִׁים - al-ha'anashim):

  • al (עַל) means "upon" or "on."
  • ha'anashim (הָאֲנָשִׁים) means "the men," specifically referring to the Israelite male laborers. This focus on the men suggests Pharaoh aimed to break the male leaders and providers, thereby demoralizing the entire community. It was a direct attack on their strength and spirit.

• "that they may toil in it" (וְיַעֲשׂוּ־בָהּ - v'ya'asu-vah):

  • v'ya'asu (וְיַעֲשׂוּ) is from the root asah (עָשָׂה), "to do," "to make," "to labor," often with a sense of continuous or arduous effort.
  • vah (בָהּ) means "in it," referring back to "the work."
  • The phrase expresses the explicit purpose of the increased burden: to immerse them so completely in demanding labor that no capacity remains for thought of freedom or external influence.

• "and pay no regard" (וְאַל־יִשְׁעוּ - v'al-yish'u):

  • v'al (וְאַל) means "and not," functioning as a strong negative command ("do not").
  • yish'u (יִשְׁעוּ) is from the root sha'ah (שָׁעָה), meaning "to look," "to gaze," "to turn attention to," "to regard," or "to turn aside for."
  • This is Pharaoh's key psychological weapon. He desires that the Israelites do not even glance at, consider, or entertain the message of liberation. It's a command to ignore or completely dismiss Moses' words.

• "to lying words" (אֶל־דִּבְרֵי־שָׁקֶר - el-dibrey-shaqer):

  • el (אֶל) means "to" or "toward."
  • dibrey (דִּבְרֵי) means "words of," from davar (דָּבָר), "word."
  • shaqer (שָׁקֶר) means "falsehood," "deceit," "lies."
  • Pharaoh, in his arrogance and denial of Yahweh, dismisses Moses' divinely inspired message as mere falsehood and empty rhetoric. He refuses to acknowledge any truth or power behind the claim of Yahweh's authority. This phrase highlights Pharaoh's polemical stance against the God of Israel.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may toil in it": This reveals Pharaoh's coercive strategy: to use relentless physical oppression as a means of psychological control. He believes that by pushing the Israelites to their physical limits, he can prevent them from thinking about freedom or forming any resistance. This demonstrates Pharaoh's belief in the ultimate power of his decrees over human spirit.
  • "and pay no regard to lying words": This directly addresses the spiritual and psychological conflict. Pharaoh attempts to silence Yahweh's true promise by labeling it as deceptive. His goal is to eliminate any alternative narrative of hope and liberation, forcing the Israelites to accept their slavery as an unalterable reality, with Pharaoh as their unchallenged supreme ruler.

Exodus 5 9 Bonus section

• Spiritual Warfare: This verse clearly depicts spiritual warfare. Pharaoh, a human king, positions himself as superior to Yahweh, directly attacking Yahweh's authority and His prophetic word delivered through Moses. By labeling God's promise as "lying words," Pharaoh attempts to nullify the divine truth and discredit God's messengers.
• Theology of Work and Rest: Pharaoh’s view contrasts sharply with a biblical understanding of work and rest. He believes total work prevents spiritual contemplation. Yet, God institutes the Sabbath (rest from work) for reflection and worship. Pharaoh seeks to remove any space for God in the Israelites' lives.
• Divine Irony: Pharaoh's attempt to quash hope by intensifying suffering ultimately serves God's greater plan. The increased severity of their bondage solidifies the Israelites' desperation and provides irrefutable evidence that only a miraculous act of God could deliver them, thus precluding any self-congratulation on their part. It makes God's subsequent salvation even more profound.
• A Precedent for Oppression: Pharaoh's tactics—increasing hardship to crush dissent and labeling truth as lies—are historically echoed by many oppressive regimes that seek to control their populace through exhaustion, fear, and misinformation.

Exodus 5 9 Commentary

Exodus 5:9 encapsulates Pharaoh's oppressive logic and deep spiritual blindness. Upon hearing Moses' command from Yahweh, Pharaoh does not merely refuse; he actively intensifies the suffering of the Israelites. His decree to lay "heavier work" upon them serves a dual purpose: it maximizes their productivity while, more importantly, psychologically breaking their will. By drowning them in unbearable toil, he intends to make them too exhausted and despairing to entertain the idea of freedom or believe in the words spoken by Moses and Aaron. He labels these divine messages as "lying words" (dibrey shaqer), openly defying Yahweh's truth and sovereignty.

Pharaoh's strategy reveals his worldview: he believes control over physical conditions can determine spiritual belief. He sees faith as an outcome of idleness, not a divine gift. This command sets the stage for God to reveal His power in a way that utterly refutes Pharaoh's self-proclaimed dominion. The Israelites' initial reaction to the increased hardship (Exo 6:9), characterized by "anguish of spirit and cruel bondage," shows Pharaoh's immediate success in crushing their hope. Yet, it also establishes the depth of the oppression from which God's powerful deliverance will save them, magnifying His glory. Pharaoh’s increased oppression, ironically, drives the people deeper into dependence on the very God whose words he labeled lies, proving only divine intervention can set them free. This principle reminds believers that periods of intense pressure can refine faith and highlight the necessity of God's power in deliverance.