Exodus 5:10

KJV

¶ 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.

KJV (with Strong's)

And the taskmasters {H5065} of the people {H5971} went out {H3318}, and their officers {H7860}, and they spake {H559} to the people {H5971}, saying {H559}, Thus saith {H559} Pharaoh {H6547}, I will not give {H5414} you straw {H8401}.

Complete Jewish Bible

The people's slavemasters went out, their foremen too, and said to the people, "Here is what Pharaoh says: 'I will no longer give you straw.

Berean Standard Bible

So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am no longer giving you straw.

American Standard Version

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.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
[Exodus 5:10](/exodus/5-10 "Commentary on Exodus 5:10") details Pharaoh's immediate and severe escalation of oppression against the Israelites following Moses and Aaron's demand for their freedom, marking a critical turning point where the Egyptian taskmasters and their officers delivered the decree that no straw would be provided for brickmaking, yet the daily quota of bricks would remain unchanged.

### CONTEXT
This verse is situated at a pivotal juncture in the narrative of Israel's liberation from Egyptian bondage. It immediately follows [Moses and Aaron's initial confrontation with Pharaoh](/exodus/5-1 "Moses and Aaron's first demand to Pharaoh in Exodus 5:1"), where they conveyed God's command to "Let my people go." Pharaoh, in his hardened defiance, not only refused their request, famously retorting, "[Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice?](/exodus/5-2 "Pharaoh's defiant response in Exodus 5:2")" but also intensified the Israelites' suffering. In ancient Egypt, brickmaking was a fundamental industry, with straw serving as a crucial binding agent to prevent bricks from cracking. Pharaoh's edict, delivered through his *taskmasters* (Hebrew: שָׂרֵי מִסִּים, *sarei missim*, "chiefs of forced labor") and their *officers* (שֹׁטְרִים, *shotrim*, likely Israelite foremen caught between their oppressors and their people), was a calculated act designed to break the spirit of the Israelites, making their already arduous labor impossible and crushing any hope of deliverance.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
[Exodus 5:10](/exodus/5-10 "Understanding Exodus 5:10") vividly portrays the immediate and harsh implementation of Pharaoh's decree. The text states that "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." This command was not merely a withdrawal of resources but a deliberate act of cruelty designed to increase the burden exponentially, making an already demanding task virtually impossible.

* **Pharaoh's Cruelty and Defiance:** This verse demonstrates Pharaoh's hardened heart and his escalation of tyranny. Instead of relenting to God's command, he intensifies the suffering of the Israelites, showcasing his absolute refusal to acknowledge the God of Israel or His authority. His actions are a direct challenge to the divine will.
* **The Role of Taskmasters and Officers:** The *sarei missim* (taskmasters) were Egyptian overseers directly enforcing Pharaoh's will, while the *shotrim* (officers) were likely Israelite foremen. These Israelite officers were compelled to relay and enforce the impossible decree, placing them in an agonizing position between their oppressors and their own people, a tension that would soon erupt in [complaints against Moses and Aaron](/exodus/5-21 "Israelite officers complain to Moses in Exodus 5:21").
* **Immediate Consequences:** The direct result of this decree is seen in [Exodus 5:11](/exodus/5-11 "Command to gather straw for themselves in Exodus 5:11"), where the people are forced to gather stubble for straw, and [Exodus 5:12](/exodus/5-12 "Scattering throughout Egypt to gather stubble in Exodus 5:12"), which describes their desperate scattering throughout Egypt to find suitable material. This intensified burden led to the Israelite officers confronting Moses and Aaron, blaming them for their increased plight.
* **Setting the Stage for Divine Intervention:** This dark moment, however, serves as a crucial narrative device. It demonstrates the futility of human effort against such overwhelming oppression and sets the stage for God to reaffirm His covenant promises and declare His intention to deliver His people with a mighty hand, as promised in [Exodus 6:6-7](/exodus/6-6 "God's promise of deliverance in Exodus 6:6"), fulfilling the promise made when [God heard their groaning](/exodus/2-24 "God hears Israel's groaning in Exodus 2:24").

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
* **Increased Oppression Before Deliverance:** This passage highlights a recurring biblical pattern where suffering often intensifies just before God's mighty intervention. This period of intensified hardship serves to demonstrate God's power more clearly when He finally acts, leaving no doubt that only He could bring salvation.
* **God's Sovereignty in Suffering:** Even amidst this severe oppression, God remained sovereign. The suffering of the Israelites, while painful, was part of God's larger plan to bring judgment upon Egypt and to display His glory, ultimately leading to Israel's miraculous exodus. God uses the hardening of Pharaoh's heart and the increased suffering of His people to magnify His own power and faithfulness.
* **The Nature of Spiritual Warfare:** The escalation of Pharaoh's cruelty mirrors the reality of spiritual warfare, where opposition often intensifies before a breakthrough. It underscores that the enemy's aim is to discourage and break the spirit, but God uses such trials to refine faith and reveal His greater power.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
[Exodus 5:10](/exodus/5-10 "Applying Lessons from Exodus 5:10") offers profound lessons for believers today. It reminds us that even when circumstances seem to worsen and the burden becomes unbearable, God is intimately aware of our suffering. Challenges and increased pressure can be part of God's refining process, preparing us for a greater display of His power and deliverance. Just as the Israelites endured intensified suffering before their miraculous liberation, we are called to trust God's perfect timing and method for our deliverance, knowing that His ultimate victory is assured and that spiritual battles often involve escalating opposition before breakthrough, compelling us to rely fully on divine strength rather than human efforts.

### FAQ
**Why did Pharaoh refuse to provide straw for the bricks?**

Answer: Pharaoh's refusal to provide straw, while demanding the same quota of bricks, was a calculated act of oppression. Straw was an essential binding agent in ancient brickmaking, preventing bricks from cracking. By withholding it, Pharaoh intended to make the Israelites' labor impossible, crushing their spirit, increasing their suffering, and thereby extinguishing any hope of freedom that Moses and Aaron had instilled. It was a direct response to Moses' demand for Israel's release, designed to demonstrate Pharaoh's absolute power and defiance against the God of Israel.

**Who were the "taskmasters" and "officers" mentioned in this verse?**

Answer: The "taskmasters" (שָׂרֵי מִסִּים, *sarei missim*) were Egyptian officials directly responsible for overseeing the forced labor of the Israelites. They were the enforcers of Pharaoh's decrees. The "officers" (שֹׁטְרִים, *shotrim*) were likely Israelite foremen appointed by the Egyptians to supervise their own people. These Israelite officers were caught in a terrible dilemma, forced to relay and enforce the impossible demands of their oppressors, leading to their later complaint to Moses and Aaron.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
[Exodus 5:10](/exodus/5-10 "Christ's Fulfillment of Exodus 5:10 Themes") foreshadows the pattern of intensified suffering preceding ultimate deliverance, a pattern supremely fulfilled in Christ. Just as Israel's bondage worsened before their exodus, Christ endured the ultimate suffering on the cross, bearing the impossible burden of sin, before His glorious resurrection brought about the new exodus for all humanity. He is the true deliverer who, unlike the struggling Israelites under Pharaoh's impossible demands, perfectly fulfilled the righteous requirements of God's law. His work provides the **true "straw"** – the binding agent of grace and truth – for building God's kingdom, enabling believers to bear fruit not by their own impossible efforts but by His empowering Spirit, leading to an eternal freedom far greater than the physical liberation from Egypt.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Exodus 1:11

Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

Proverbs 29:12

¶ If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants [are] wicked.

Exodus 3:7

¶ And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;