Exodus 5:18

KJV

Go therefore now, [and] work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.

KJV (with Strong's)

Go {H3212} therefore now, and work {H5647}; for there shall no straw {H8401} be given {H5414} you, yet shall ye deliver {H5414} the tale {H8506} of bricks {H3843}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Get going now, and get back to work! No straw will be given to you, and you will still deliver the full amount of bricks."

Berean Standard Bible

Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.”

American Standard Version

Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the number of bricks.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Exodus 5:18 records Pharaoh's unyielding and cruel decree, escalating the Israelites' forced labor by demanding the same quota of bricks without providing the essential straw. This oppressive command was a direct and defiant response to Moses and Aaron's initial plea for Israel's liberation, designed to crush the people's spirit, extinguish any hope of freedom, and divert their attention from the divine promise of deliverance through an impossible burden.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is a pivotal moment in the narrative of Israel's oppression and God's unfolding plan of deliverance. It immediately follows Moses and Aaron's first, bold confrontation with Pharaoh, where they delivered the divine command, "[Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go](/exodus/5-1 "Exodus 5:1 - Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh")". Pharaoh's response is not merely a refusal but an intensification of their suffering, revealing his hardened heart and his direct defiance of Yahweh. The decree in [Exodus 5:18](/exodus/5-18 "Exodus 5:18 - Pharaoh's Cruel Decree") sets the stage for the escalating conflict between God and Pharaoh, culminating in the plagues and the ultimate exodus. It also explains the Israelites' subsequent despair and their complaints against Moses and Aaron, as recorded in [Exodus 5:20-21](/exodus/5-20-21 "Exodus 5:20-21 - Israelite Foremen Confront Moses and Aaron"), which then prompts Moses's own lament to God in [Exodus 5:22-23](/exodus/5-22-23 "Exodus 5:22-23 - Moses's Lament to God"), leading into God's renewed promises of deliverance in [Exodus 6](/exodus/6 "Exodus 6 - God Renews His Promise").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Ancient Egypt relied heavily on forced labor (corvée labor) for massive building projects, including cities, temples, and storehouses. Brick-making was a common task, and straw was an indispensable component for producing durable sun-dried mud bricks. The straw, typically chopped refuse from grain harvest, was mixed with clay and water to provide tensile strength, preventing the bricks from cracking as they dried. Without straw, the clay mixture was difficult to bind, and the resulting bricks were brittle and prone to disintegration, making the task significantly harder and more time-consuming. Pharaoh's decree was not merely an inconvenience but a deliberate act of economic sabotage and psychological warfare, designed to break the spirit of the Israelite laborers in the region of Goshen, near the Nile Delta. It was a calculated move to demonstrate his absolute power and to quash any nascent hope of freedom by imposing an unachievable standard.
* **Key Themes:** [Exodus 5:18](/exodus/5-18 "Exodus 5:18 - Pharaoh's Cruel Decree") powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Exodus. Firstly, it highlights the **nature of oppression and tyranny**, showcasing Pharaoh's unbridled cruelty and his determination to maintain control through impossible demands and the denial of basic resources. Secondly, it underscores the theme of **divine sovereignty versus human defiance**; Pharaoh's hardening of his heart and his escalation of suffering are direct challenges to Yahweh's authority, setting the stage for God to demonstrate His unparalleled power. Thirdly, this verse is crucial for the theme of **God's testing and refinement of His people's faith**. The intensified suffering, while initially leading to despair and doubt among the Israelites (as seen in [Exodus 5:21](/exodus/5-21 "Exodus 5:21 - The Israelites' Complaint")), serves to strip away their reliance on human solutions and prepare them to witness God's mighty acts of deliverance, thereby deepening their understanding of His faithfulness and ensuring that His intervention is undeniably divine.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Exodus 5:18 presents Pharaoh's unyielding response to God's demand for Israel's release, escalating their oppression to an unbearable level. The verse, "Go therefore now, [and] work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks," is a direct, harsh command that lays bare the tyrannical nature of Egyptian bondage.

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Work (Hebrew, _ʻâbad'_):** This primitive root (H5647) signifies "to work in any sense," but crucially, by implication, "to serve" or "to enslave." In this context, Pharaoh's command to "work" is not merely an instruction for labor but a forceful reassertion of the Israelites' status as enslaved people, bound to his service. It underscores the coercive and oppressive nature of their toil, stripping them of dignity and autonomy.
* **Straw (Hebrew, _teben'_):** This word (H8401) refers to the "refuse haum or stalks of grain," specifically "chaff, straw, or stubble," which was chopped and used as a binding agent in brick-making. Its deliberate withholding by Pharaoh was a calculated act of cruelty. It made the already arduous task of brick production significantly more difficult, requiring the laborers to expend extra effort to find an alternative binding material (stubble in the fields) or to attempt to make bricks with inferior quality, all while maintaining the same output.
* **Tale (Hebrew, _tôken'_):** Derived from a root meaning "to fix" or "to measure," this noun (H8506) denotes a "fixed quantity," "measure," or "allotment." The phrase "the tale of bricks" emphasizes that despite the removal of a critical resource (straw), the exact, predetermined number of bricks was still required. This highlights the unreasonableness and impossibility of Pharaoh's demand, designed not for productivity but for subjugation and the crushing of hope.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Go therefore now, [and] work;"**: This opening phrase is a dismissive and authoritative command, stripping the Israelites of any hope of respite or negotiation. It underscores Pharaoh's absolute power and his refusal to consider the divine mandate delivered by Moses and Aaron. It implies that their request for freedom was merely an excuse to avoid labor, demanding immediate and intensified toil.
* **"for there shall no straw be given you,"**: This is the core of Pharaoh's cruel innovation. Straw was a vital binding agent for sun-dried mud bricks, preventing them from cracking as they dried. By withholding this essential material, Pharaoh made the brick-making process significantly more difficult, time-consuming, and physically demanding. It forced the laborers to scavenge for straw themselves, adding another layer of burden and demonstrating a complete disregard for their well-being.
* **"yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks."**: The phrase "the tale of bricks" emphasizes that despite the removal of a critical resource, the *exact, predetermined number* of bricks was still required. This created an impossible demand, designed to break the spirit of the Israelites and demonstrate Pharaoh's unyielding control, making their lives utterly miserable and diverting their minds from any thought of freedom or divine intervention. It epitomizes the unreasonableness of their bondage.

#### Literary Devices
The decree in [Exodus 5:18](/exodus/5-18 "Exodus 5:18 - Pharaoh's Cruel Decree") employs several potent literary devices. The most prominent is **Irony**, as Pharaoh's attempt to quash the Israelites' hope by increasing their burden ultimately serves to intensify their cries to God, thus accelerating the divine intervention he sought to prevent. There is also a strong sense of **Antithesis** between the demand for work and the withholding of necessary resources, highlighting the profound injustice and the impossible situation forced upon the Israelites. The "tale of bricks" functions as **Symbolism** for the oppressive and unyielding nature of their bondage, representing a burden that is both physically and spiritually crushing. Furthermore, the entire episode serves as **Foreshadowing** of the greater conflict to come between Yahweh and Pharaoh, where God's power will be magnified precisely through the escalation of Pharaoh's defiance.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Even in the face of intensified suffering, God remains sovereign. This period of increased hardship was not a sign of God's absence but a deliberate and strategic part of His plan to magnify His power and ensure that His ultimate deliverance would be undeniably from Him alone, not from human effort or political negotiation. Pharaoh's decree exemplifies the inherent cruelty and unreasonableness of oppressive systems, highlighting how those in power often seek to crush the spirit of the oppressed by imposing impossible demands and denying basic resources, aiming to maintain control through despair. This narrative also underscores God's intimate awareness of the suffering and cries of His people, even when circumstances appear to worsen. His intervention, though sometimes delayed from a human perspective, is always perfectly timed to achieve His redemptive purposes and demonstrate His glory.

* [Deuteronomy 28:48](/deuteronomy/28-48 "Deuteronomy 28:48 - Punishment for Disobedience")
* [Psalm 105:25](/psalms/105-25 "Psalm 105:25 - God Turns Hearts Against Israel")
* [Isaiah 58:6](/isaiah/58-6 "Isaiah 58:6 - True Fasting and Liberation")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
[Exodus 5:18](/exodus/5-18 "Exodus 5:18 - Pharaoh's Cruel Decree") offers profound lessons for contemporary believers facing overwhelming or unjust demands. It reminds us that even when circumstances worsen and burdens become seemingly impossible, God is fully aware of our suffering and actively working within our trials. This narrative encourages perseverance, urging us to continue trusting in God's timing and power, knowing that His deliverance often comes at the point of greatest need, transforming despair into a powerful testament to His glory and ensuring that His intervention is unmistakably divine. In our own lives, when we feel overwhelmed by impossible expectations, spiritual attacks, or the burdens of this fallen world, this passage calls us to resist the temptation to despair and instead to lean more fully into God's promised strength and ultimate liberation, understanding that our weakness can become the stage for His perfect power.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do you respond when your circumstances worsen after you have prayed or sought God's intervention?**
* **In what areas of your life do you feel an "impossible burden" or an "unreasonable demand" is being placed upon you?**
* **How can the story of Israel's intensified suffering strengthen your faith to trust God's timing and method of deliverance, even when it's not what you expect?**
* **What does Pharaoh's unyielding heart teach us about the nature of opposition to God's will, both in the world and within ourselves?**

### FAQ
**Why did Pharaoh intensify the Israelites' labor instead of letting them go?**

Answer: Pharaoh's decision to intensify the labor was a deliberate act of defiance against the LORD and a strategic move to crush the Israelites' spirit. By making their lives unbearable and their work impossible, he aimed to extinguish any hope of freedom, make them too exhausted to consider leaving, and turn them against Moses and Aaron. This was his attempt to maintain his control and demonstrate his own perceived power, believing he could outwit or overpower the God of Israel, whose name he did not even know or acknowledge (as stated in [Exodus 5:2](/exodus/5-2 "Exodus 5:2 - Pharaoh's Defiance")).

**What was the significance of straw in ancient Egyptian brick-making?**

Answer: Straw was a crucial binding agent for sun-dried mud bricks in ancient Egypt. When mixed with clay and water, the straw fibers provided tensile strength, preventing the bricks from cracking as they dried in the sun. Without straw, the bricks were weaker, more prone to disintegration, and much harder to form, making the production process significantly more difficult and less efficient. Pharaoh's withholding of straw was not merely an inconvenience but a deliberate act of sabotage, forcing the laborers to spend valuable time scavenging for stubble in the fields, adding another layer of burden to their already arduous work.

**How did the Israelites react to this decree?**

Answer: The immediate reaction of the Israelite foremen and the people was one of profound despair, anger, and disillusionment. They found themselves in an impossible situation, beaten by Pharaoh's taskmasters for failing to meet quotas, and they bitterly blamed Moses and Aaron for making their situation worse, saying, "[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](/exodus/5-21 "Exodus 5:21 - The Israelites' Complaint to Moses and Aaron")". This period of intensified suffering severely tested their faith and led to significant discouragement, prompting Moses himself to cry out to God in confusion and distress ([Exodus 5:22-23](/exodus/5-22-23 "Exodus 5:22-23 - Moses's Lament to God")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
[Exodus 5:18](/exodus/5-18 "Exodus 5:18 - Pharaoh's Cruel Decree") powerfully foreshadows Christ's ultimate deliverance from a far greater and more pervasive bondage. Just as the Israelites groaned under the impossible burden of Pharaoh's demands—to produce bricks without straw—humanity groans under the impossible burden of sin and the Law. The Law, though holy and good, reveals our inability to meet God's perfect standard, much like the Israelites' inability to meet Pharaoh's impossible quota. We are trapped in a spiritual slavery to sin, unable to earn our freedom or achieve righteousness through our own "works" ([Romans 3:20](/romans/3-20 "Romans 3:20 - The Law Reveals Sin")). Christ, however, did not intensify our burden; instead, He bore it Himself. He perfectly fulfilled the Law's demands and became the ultimate Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")). He liberates us not by making our tasks harder, but by completing the work for us, offering perfect righteousness as a free gift ([Romans 5:17](/romans/5-17 "Romans 5:17 - Reigning in Life Through Christ")). Through His sacrifice, Jesus frees us from the tyranny of sin and death, ushering us into the glorious freedom of God's children, where we find rest for our souls in His easy yoke and light burden ([Matthew 11:28-30](/matthew/11-28-30 "Matthew 11:28-30 - Come to Me, All Who Are Weary")). He is the true Deliverer, whose perfect work makes possible what was utterly impossible for us.

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

Ezekiel 18:18

[As for] his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did [that] which [is] not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.

Daniel 2:9

But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, [there is but] one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.

Daniel 2:13

And the decree went forth that the wise [men] should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.