The king refuses Moses
Exo 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
Pharaoh allowed Moses and Aaron to come before him. Was it because that Moses had been a son of a Pharaohs daughter a prince of Egypt? God made an open door for them.
Psa 119:46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.
Psa 119:47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.
Exo 5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
Pharaoh did not know this LORD. Why should I obey his voice? Pharaoh was thought to be the god of Egypt and they had other gods. The miracles of Moses would unveil these gods as useless. Pharaoh will be shown the glory of the God of Israel.
Psa 72:11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
Psa 72:18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.
Psa 72:19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.
Exo 5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
Exo 5:4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
Pharaoh accuses them of not doing their required work. Get to work!
Exo 5:5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
Exo 5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
Exo 5:7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
Exo 5:8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
Exo 5:9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.
Pharaoh was saying, you are many Hebrews and you stand around and make demands of me? I will give you more work so that you will not have time to dream up these things you ask of me. Go find your own straw for the bricks and the same amount of bricks shall be required of you each day. No more vain words, stop your murmuring. Pharaoh had no respect of God's people nor did he fear their God.
Exo 5:10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
Exo 5:11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.
Exo 5:12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
Exo 5:13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
The task masters hasted them. To haste, to be pressed, confined, to urge. They put them under pressure, as we would say.
Exo 5:14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?
The Hebrew job foremen were beaten because they had not met the required brick talley.
Exo 5:15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
Exo 5:16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.
Exo 5:17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.
Exo 5:18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.
The officers of the children of Israel complained to Pharaoh about this unfair demand, but it was Pharaoh who gave the order, he had no mercy for them. Do not expect grace and mercy from the devil.
Exo 5:19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.
Exo 5:20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
Exo 5:21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
The officers blamed Moses and Aaron for Pharaoh's wrath towards them. The devil doesn't let go easily. Even when free he still tries to put you into bondage.
Exo 5:22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?
Exo 5:23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.
Moses turns to God and blames him for things not working out. Sometimes we are all alone, the people reject you and you wonder if God is with you. We see from this that if we are moving in to take back from satan that there will be a fight. We must continue in faith. Remember how all of David's men turned from him and blamed him? He had to encourage himself in the Lord. We too must learn to do this.
1Sa 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
Like Pharaoh, you will meet mean spirited people who delight in tearing you down and your faith. Keep going, God is with you.
Exodus 6
Exodus 4
Exodus 1 Table of contents
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