Exodus 5:22

JPS Old Testament

And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said: 'Lord, wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with this people? why is it that Thou hast sent me?

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Moshe returned to the LORD, and said, "Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me?

King James Version
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?

Lexham English Bible
And Moses returned to Yahweh and said, "Lord, why have you brought trouble to this people? Why ever did you send me?

New Century Version
Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, "Lord, why have you brought this trouble on your people? Is this why you sent me here?

New English Translation
Moses returned to the Lord , and said, "Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you ever send me?

Amplified Bible
Then Moses turned again to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have You brought harm and oppression to this people? Why did You ever send me? [I cannot understand Your purpose!]

New American Standard Bible
Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore Moses returned to the Lorde, and saide, Lorde, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou thus sent me?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Moses returned to Yahweh and said, "O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me?

Contemporary English Version
Moses left them and prayed, "Our Lord , why have you brought so much trouble on your people? Is that why you sent me here?

Complete Jewish Bible
(Maftir) Moshe returned to Adonai and said, " Adonai , why have you treated this people so terribly? What has been the value of sending me?

Darby Translation
And Moses returned to Jehovah, and said, Lord, why hast thou done evil to this people? why now hast thou sent me?

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Moses prayed to the Lord and said, "Lord, why have you done this terrible thing to your people? Why did you send me here?

English Standard Version
Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, "O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me?

George Lamsa Translation
And Moses returned to the LORD and said, O my LORD, Why hast thou caused this people to be ill-treated? And why didst thou send me here?

Good News Translation
Then Moses turned to the Lord again and said, "Lord, why do you mistreat your people? Why did you send me here?

Christian Standard Bible®
So Moses went back to the Lord and asked, “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? And why did you ever send me?

Literal Translation
And Moses returned to Jehovah and said, Lord, why have You done evil to this people? Why then have You sent me?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But Moses came agayne vnto the LORDE, and sayde: LORDE, wherfore dealest thou so euell wt this people? Wherfore hast thou sent me?

American Standard Version
And Moses returned unto Jehovah, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou dealt ill with this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

Bible in Basic English
And Moses went back to the Lord and said, Lord, why have you done evil to this people? why have you sent me?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Moyses returned vnto the Lorde, and sayd: Lorde, wherfore hast thou so euyll intreated this people? And wherfore hast thou sent me?

King James Version (1611)
And Moses returned vnto the Lord, and said, Lord, Wherefore hast thou so euill intreated this people? Why is it that thou hast sent me?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Moses turned to the Lord, and said, I pray, Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? and wherefore hast thou sent me?

English Revised Version
And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

Berean Standard Bible
So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, "Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Moises turnede ayen to the Lord, and seide, Lord, whi hast thou turmentid this puple? why sentist thou me?

Young's Literal Translation
And Moses turneth back unto Jehovah, and saith, `Lord, why hast Thou done evil to this people? why [is] this? -- Thou hast sent me!

Update Bible Version
And Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, Lord, why have you dealt ill with this people? why is it that you have sent me?

Webster's Bible Translation
And Moses returned to the LORD, and said, Lord, why hast thou [so] ill treated this people? why [is] it [that] thou hast sent me?

World English Bible
Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, "Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me?

New King James Version
Exodus 3:1-4:17">[xr] So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me?

New Living Translation
Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, "Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me?

New Life Bible
Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, "O Lord, why have You hurt these people? Why did you ever send me?

New Revised Standard
Then Moses turned again to the Lord and said, "O Lord , why have you mistreated this people? Why did you ever send me?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Moses returned unto Yahweh and said, - O My Lord wherefore hast thou caused harm to this people? Wherefore now didst thou send me?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Moses returned to the Lord, and said: Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou sent me?

Revised Standard Version
Then Moses turned again to the LORD and said, "O LORD, why hast thou done evil to this people? Why didst thou ever send me?

THE MESSAGE
Moses went back to God and said, "My Master, why are you treating this people so badly? And why did you ever send me? From the moment I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, things have only gotten worse for this people. And rescue? Does this look like rescue to you?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me?

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying: 'Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? 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.' ¹⁷ But he said: 'Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore ye say: Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD. ¹⁸ Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.' ¹⁹ And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were set on mischief, when they said: 'Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, your daily task.' ²⁰ And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh; 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.' ²² And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said: 'Lord, wherefore hast Thou dealt ill with this people? why is it that Thou hast sent me? ²³ For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Thy name, he hath dealt ill with this people; neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at all.'

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

returned: Exodus 17:4, 1 Samuel 30:6, Psalms 73:25, Jeremiah 12:1

why is it: Numbers 11:14, Numbers 11:15, 1 Kings 19:4, 1 Kings 19:10, Jeremiah 20:7, Habakkuk 2:3

Reciprocal: Exodus 14:11 - wherefore Joshua 7:7 - wherefore Isaiah 26:18 - we have not 2 Corinthians 7:8 - though I did

Cross-References

Genesis 5:5
And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.

Genesis 5:6
And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begot Enosh.

Genesis 5:24
And Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for God took him.

Genesis 6:9
These are the generations of Noah. Noah was in his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted; Noah walked with God.

Genesis 17:1
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him: 'I am God Almighty; walk before Me, and be thou wholehearted.

Genesis 24:40
And he said unto me: The LORD, before whom I walk, will send His angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house;

Genesis 48:15
And he blessed Joseph, and said: 'The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God who hath been my shepherd all my life long unto this day,

Exodus 16:4
Then said the LORD unto Moses: 'Behold, I will cause to rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in My law, or not.

Leviticus 26:12
And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be My people.

Deuteronomy 5:33
span data-lang="eng" data-trans="jps" data-ref="deu.5.1" class="versetxt"> And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and observe to do them. The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day. The LORD spoke with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire-- I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to declare unto you the word of the LORD; for ye were afraid because of the fire, and went not up into the mount--saying: I am the LORD thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, even any manner of likeness, of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down unto them, nor serve them; for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the third and upon the fourth generation of them that hate Me, and showing mercy unto the thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD thy God commanded thee. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a sabbath unto the LORD thy God, in it thou shalt not do any manner of work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as thou. And thou shalt remember that thou was a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day. Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God commanded thee; that thy days may be long, and that it may go well with thee, upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not murder. Neither shalt thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal. Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. Neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's wife; neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's house, his field, or his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's. These words the LORD spoke unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice, and it went on no more. And He wrote them upon two tables of stone, and gave them unto me. And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain did burn with fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; and ye said: 'Behold, the LORD our God hath shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice out of the midst of the fire; we have seen this day that God doth speak with man, and he liveth. Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die. For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God may say; and thou shalt speak unto us all that the LORD our God may speak unto thee; and we will hear it and do it.' And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spoke unto me; and the LORD said unto me: 'I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee; they have well said all that they have spoken. Oh that they had such a heart as this alway, to fear Me, and keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! Go say to them: Return ye to your tents. But as for thee, stand thou here by Me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.' Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you; ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Moses returned unto the Lord,.... Bishop Patrick thinks, that this not only intimates that the Lord had appeared to Moses since he came into Egypt, but that there was some settled place where he appeared, and where he might resort to him on all occasions, and therefore is said to return to him; though it may signify no more, than that, instead of staying to give an answer to the officers, which he might be at a loss to do, he went to God, to the throne of grace, by prayer, as he was wont to do in cases of difficulty:

and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? or afflicted them, and suffered them to be thus afflicted; which to ascribe to God was right, whatever were the means or instruments; for all afflictions are of him, and who has always wise reasons for what he does, as he now had; to try the faith and patience of his people; to make the Egyptians more odious to them, and so take them off from following their manners, customs, rites, and superstitions, and make them more desirous of departing from thence to the land of Canaan, nor seek a return to Egypt again; and that his vengeance on the Egyptians for such cruelty and inhumanity might appear the more just, and his power might be seen in the plagues he inflicted on them, and in the deliverance of his people when reduced to the utmost extremity:

why is it that thou hast sent me? he seems to wish he had never been sent, and could be glad to be recalled, something of the same disposition still remaining in him as when first called; since no end was answered by his mission, no deliverance wrought, yea, the people were more afflicted and oppressed than before; and therefore he was at a loss how to account for it that he should be sent at all, seeing nothing came of it to the good of the people.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 5:22. And Moses returned unto the Lord — This may imply, either that there was a particular place into which Moses ordinarily went to commune with Jehovah; or it may mean that kind of turning of heart and affection to God, which every pious mind feels itself disposed to practise in any time or place. The old adage will apply here: "A praying heart never lacks a praying place."

Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? — It is certain that in this address Moses uses great plainness of speech. Whether the offspring of a testy impatience and undue familiarity, or of strong faith which gave him more than ordinary access to the throne of his gracious Sovereign, it would be difficult to say. The latter appears to be the most probable, as we do not find, from the succeeding chapter, that God was displeased with his freedom; we may therefore suppose that it was kept within due bounds, and that the principles and motives were all pure and good. However, it should be noted, that such freedom of speech with the Most High should never be used but on very special occasions, and then only by his extraordinary messengers.