Exodus 5:21

World English Bible

Contextual Overview

¹⁵ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you deal this way with your servants? ¹⁶ No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, 'Make brick!' 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 Yahweh.' ¹⁸ Go therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet shall you deliver the same number of bricks!" ¹⁹ The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, "You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!" ²⁰ They met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: ²¹ and they said to them, "May Yahweh look at you, and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us." ²² Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, "Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me? ²³ For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people; neither have you delivered your people at all."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

The Lord: Exodus 4:31, Exodus 6:9, Genesis 16:5

our savour: Ecclesiastes 10:1, Joel 2:20, 2 Corinthians 2:15, 2 Corinthians 2:16

to be abhorred: Heb. to stink, Genesis 34:30, 1 Samuel 13:4, 1 Samuel 27:12, 2 Samuel 10:6, 1 Chronicles 19:6

Reciprocal: Exodus 14:12 - Is not this Exodus 16:3 - to kill Exodus 17:2 - the people Numbers 20:4 - why 1 Kings 18:9 - What have I sinned Jeremiah 31:2 - The people

Cross-References

Luke 3:37
the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they said unto them, the Lord look upon you and judge,.... Or, "will look upon you and judge" q; and so it is either a prediction of what would be done to them, or an imprecation on them that God would take notice of their conduct, and punish them, or at least chastise them for acting the part they had, if not wickedly, yet imprudently:

because you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh; or to "stink" r; they were become vile, abominable, and hateful to him, he could not bear the sight of them, and treated them as the filth and offscouring of all things; they had lost their good name, credit, and reputation with him; for leave being asked for them to go three days' journey into the wilderness, to offer sacrifice, and keep a feast, they were looked upon as a parcel of idle slothful fellows:

and in the eyes of his servants; not the taskmasters only, but his nobles, counsellors, and courtiers:

to put a sword in their hands to slay us; a proverbial expression, signifying that they by their conduct had exposed them to the utmost danger, and had given their enemies an occasion against them, and an opportunity of destroying their whole nation, under a pretence of disobedience and disloyalty.

q ירא-וישפוט "videbit" "et judicabit", Rivet. r הבאשתם "fecisti foetere", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Drusius.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 5:21. The Lord look upon you, and judge — These were hasty and unkind expressions; but the afflicted must be allowed the privilege of complaining; it is all the solace that such sorrow can find; and if in such distress words are spoken which should not be justified, yet the considerate and benevolent will hear them with indulgence. God is merciful; and the stroke of this people was heavier even than their groaning.

Put a sword in their hand — Given them a pretence which they had not before, to oppress us even unto death.