Exodus 5:16-18
New English Translation
16 No straw is given to your servants, but we are told,[a] ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are even[b] being beaten, but the fault[c] is with your people.”
17 But Pharaoh replied,[d] “You are slackers! Slackers![e] That is why you are saying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to the Lord.’” 18 So now, get back to work![f] You will not be given straw, but you must still produce[g] your quota[h] of bricks!”
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- Exodus 5:16 tn Heb “[they] are saying to us,” the line can be rendered as a passive since there is no expressed subject for the participle.
- Exodus 5:16 tn הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to the action reflected in the passive participle מֻכִּים (mukkim): “look, your servants are being beaten.”
- Exodus 5:16 tn The word rendered “fault” is the basic OT verb for “sin”—וְחָטָאת (vekhataʾt). The problem is that it is pointed as a perfect tense, feminine singular verb. Some other form of the verb would be expected, or a noun. But the basic word-group means “to err, sin, miss the mark, way, goal.” The word in this context seems to indicate that the people of Pharaoh—the slave masters—have failed to provide the straw. Hence: “fault” or “they failed.” But, as indicated, the line has difficult grammar, for it would literally translate: “and you [fem.] sin your people.” Many commentators (so GKC 206 §74.g) wish to emend the text to read with the Greek and the Syriac, thus: “you sin against your own people” (meaning the Israelites are his loyal subjects).
- Exodus 5:17 tn Heb “And he said.”
- Exodus 5:17 tn Or “loafers.” The form נִרְפִּים (nirpim) is derived from the verb רָפָה (rafah), meaning “to be weak, to let oneself go.”
- Exodus 5:18 tn The text has two imperatives: “go, work.” They may be used together to convey one complex idea (so a use of hendiadys): “go back to work.”
- Exodus 5:18 tn The imperfect תִּתֵּנּוּ (tittennu) is here taken as an obligatory imperfect: “you must give” or “you must produce.”
- Exodus 5:18 sn B. Jacob is amazed at the wealth of this tyrant’s vocabulary in describing the work of others. Here, תֹכֶן (tokhen) is another word for “quota” of bricks, the fifth word used to describe their duty (Exodus, 137).
Exodus 5:16-18
New International Version
16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
17 Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy!(A) That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Now get to work.(B) You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”
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