Year of the Bible
Exodus 5
Access your family's weekly resource for the Year of the Bible HERE
Commentary on the Book of Exodus, Chapter 5:
Moses initiates his mission by asking Pharaoh to allow the Hebrews to worship in the wilderness, a trip that should take about a week of time. Pharaoh refuses and increases the burdens on the Hebrews, enlisting the help of the Egyptian taskmasters and the Hebrew foremen. Similar to the previous Pharaoh’s efforts to oppress the Hebrews (Exodus 1:8-22), this Pharaoh does the same through reducing resources while requiring the same output of work. The Hebrew foremen eventually are beaten, and they, in what will become a common complaint, blame Moses and Aaron for creating a situation where the only outcome they can imagine is death. The chapter closes by revealing Moses’ own frustrations. He asks why the Lord sent him when the Lord, in Moses’ view, has not kept His promise to save His people.
The Book of Exodus, Chapter 5:
Bricks without Straw
1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should heed his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover I will not let Israel go.” 3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us; let us go, we beg, a three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” 4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get to your burdens.”
5And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many and you make them rest from their burdens!” 6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the task-masters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks which they made heretofore you shall lay upon them, you shall by no means lessen it; for they are idle; therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid upon the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”
10 So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go yourselves, get your straw wherever you can find it; but your work will not be lessened in the least.’ ” 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw. 13 The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task, as when there was straw.” 14 And the foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s task-masters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today, as before?”
15 Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you deal thus with your servants? 16 No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” 17 But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Go now, and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks.” 19 The foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in evil plight, when they said, “You shall by no means lessen your daily number of bricks.
20 They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came forth from Pharaoh; 21 and they said to them, “The Lord look upon you and judge, because you have made us offensive in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
22 Then Moses turned again to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 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.”
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
Striving to follow God's plan often leads to trouble with people who are not striving. God patiently works through others hardness of heart to achieve great things, but our perseverance is required. Pray today for perseverance and trust in God's patient timing.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further.
1 Más tarde Moisés y Aarón se presentaron
al Faraón y le dijeron:
–Así dice el Señor, Dios de Israel:
«Deja salir a mi pueblo para que me celebre
una fiesta en el desierto».
2 Respondió el Faraón:
–¿Quién es el Señor para que tenga
que escuchar su voz y dejar salir a Israel?
No conozco al Señor, y no pienso
dejar salir a Israel.
3 Ellos dijeron:
–El Dios de los hebreos se nos ha
manifestado y tenemos que hacer una
salida de tres días por el desierto y ofrecer
sacrificios al Señor, nuestro Dios; de
lo contrario nos castigará con peste o
con espada.
4 El rey de Egipto les replicó:
–¿Por qué vosotros, Moisés y Aarón,
soliviantáis al pueblo en sus trabajos?
Volved a vuestras tareas.
5 Y añadió el Faraón:
–Ahora que el pueblo de la tierra es
numeroso, ¿queréis interrumpir sus tareas?
6 Aquel mismo día el Faraón dio órdenes
a los capataces del pueblo y a sus
responsables:
7 –No volváis a dar al pueblo paja
para los ladrillos como anteriormente;
que vayan ellos a buscársela; 8 pero les
exigiréis la misma cantidad de ladrillos
que antes, sin rebajarla; pues son unos
holgazanes, y por eso claman diciendo:
«Tenemos que ir a ofrecer sacrificios a
nuestro Dios». 9 Que se imponga a esos
hombres un trabajo más pesado y que lo
hagan; y que no presten atención a palabras
engañosas.
10 Salieron los capataces del pueblo y
sus responsables y hablaron al pueblo:
–Así dice el Faraón: no os daré más
paja; 11 id vosotros a recogerla donde la
encontréis; pero no disminuirá en nada
vuestra tarea.
12 El pueblo se dispersó por todo el
país de Egipto para recoger la paja. 13 Los
capataces les apremiaron diciendo:
–Terminad vuestra tarea, la asignada
para cada día, como cuando había
paja.
14 Y a los responsables de los hijos de
Israel que los capataces del Faraón habían
puesto al frente, se les golpeaba diciendo:
–¿Por qué no habéis completado ni
ayer ni hoy la misma cantidad de ladrillos
que antes?
15 Los responsables de los hijos de Israel
fueron entonces a quejarse al Faraón,
diciendo:
–¿Por qué tratas así a tus siervos?
16 No se les da paja a tus siervos, y se nos
exige hacer los mismos ladrillos. He
aquí que tus siervos son golpeados, pero
la culpa es de tu propio pueblo.
17 Él contestó:
–¡Holgazanes! ¡Sois unos holgazanes!
Por eso decís: «Tenemos que ir a
ofrecer sacrificios al Señor». 18 Y ahora,
id a trabajar. No se os dará paja; habéis
de entregar, sin embargo, la cantidad
asignada de ladrillos.
19 Los responsables de los hijos de Israel
se vieron en gran aprieto cuando
les dijeron: «No disminuiréis en nada la
asignación diaria de ladrillos». 20 Se encontraron
con Moisés y Aarón que les
estaban esperando a la salida de su visita
al Faraón, 21 y les dijeron:
–Que el Señor os examine y os juzgue,
pues nos habéis hecho odiosos ante
el Faraón y ante sus siervos, y habéis
puesto en su mano una espada para matarnos.
22 Se volvió entonces Moisés hacia el
Señor y le dijo:
–Señor, ¿por qué maltratas a este
pueblo? ¿Por qué me has enviado?
23 Desde que me presenté al Faraón para
hablarle en tu nombre, está maltratando
a este pueblo y tú no te decides a librar
a tu pueblo.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).