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Exodus 5:16

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Exodus 5:16 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault it in thine own people.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault it in thine own people.
Exodus 5:16 — American Standard Version

Context — Exodus 5

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
13And the taskmasters were urgent saying, Fulfil your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw.
14And the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh`s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task both yesterday and to-day, in making brick as heretofore?
15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
16There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault it in thine own people.
17But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to Jehovah.
18Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the number of bricks.
19And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, when it was said, Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, [your] daily tasks.
← Exodus 5:15Exodus 5:17 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“There is no straw given unto thy servants, etc.] As used to be, which they supposed Pharaoh knew nothing of, and by which it appears that the order given by Pharaoh, (<020506>Exodus 5:6,7) was not given in the hearing of the officers, only to the taskmasters, and by them to be made known to the officers, though indeed both are there mentioned, and both represent this to the people, (<020510>Exodus 5:10) and they say to us, make brick, though they had no straw to make or burn it with: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; because the same number of bricks is not made as heretofore, but the fault is in thine own people; the taskmasters, who sent the people abroad to get straw or stubble…”
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Related study paths

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Sources and verification