The Meaning of Exodus 5:4 Explained

Exodus 5:4

KJV: And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

YLT: And the king of Egypt saith unto them, 'Why, Moses and Aaron, do ye free the people from its works? go to your burdens.'

Darby: And the king of Egypt said to them, Why do ye, Moses and Aaron, wish to have the people go off from their works? Away, to your burdens!

ASV: And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, loose the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

Discover Exodus 5:4

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Exodus 5:4?

MEANING: What does Exodus 5:4 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Exodus 5:4 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Exodus 5:4?

What is the context of Exodus 5:4?

Moses Confronts Pharaoh (Exodus 5:1-5)
Moses and Aaron Speak to Pharaoh (Exodus 5:1-5)
Pharaoh Refuses to Let the People Go (Exodus 5:1-5)
Pharaoh Rejects Yahweh’s Authority and Makes Israel’s Troubles Worse (Exodus 5:1-14)
First Encounter with Pharaoh (Exodus 5:1-21)
Bricks Without Straw (Exodus 5:1-21)
Israel’s Labor Increased (Exodus 5:1-23)
Making Bricks Without Straw (Exodus 5:1-23)

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

What does Exodus 5:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 5:1-14 - The Request To Worship Jehovah Answered By Oppression

The bondage of Israel in Egypt is an apt type of our bondage to sin. See John 8:34-36; Romans 7:23-25. The weary tyranny of our besetting sins; the imperious demands of Satan; the absence of all reward to our hopeless toils-these are striking points of analogy. Though we weep and struggle, there is no help for us but in God. No straw! No lessening of the tale of bricks! The charge of idleness! Cruel beatings! Deliverance apparently more distant than ever! But the darkest hour precedes dawn.

The hue and cry is always raised when a prisoner is escaping. The tyrant, who has so long held his prey, is not minded to surrender it without a struggle. The devil convulsed the child, as he was about to depart. Moreover, Israel must be taught to look beyond Moses or Aaron to the Eternal Jehovah. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 5

¹ Pharaoh chides Moses and Aaron for their message
⁶ He increases the Israelites' task
¹⁶ He ignores their complaints
¹⁹ They cry out to Moses and Aaron
²² Moses complains to God

What do the individual words in Exodus 5:4 mean?

And said to them the king of Egypt why Moses and Aaron do you take - the people from their work Get [back] to your labor

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לָ֚מָּה מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן תַּפְרִ֥יעוּ אֶת־ הָעָ֖ם ؟ מִמַּֽעֲשָׂ֑יו לְכ֖וּ לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶֽם

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר	And said
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular Root: אָמַר Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵהֶם֙	to them
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural Root: אֶל Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
מֶ֣לֶךְ	the king
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct Root: מֶלֶךְ Sense: king.
מִצְרַ֔יִם	of Egypt
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular Root: מִצְרַיִם Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
לָ֚מָּה	why
Parse: Interrogative Root: לָמָּה Sense: what, how, of what kind.
מֹשֶׁ֣ה	Moses
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: מֹשֶׁה Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן	and Aaron
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular Root: אַהֲרֹון Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
תַּפְרִ֥יעוּ	do you take
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural Root: פָּרַע Sense: to lead, act as leader.
אֶת־	-
Parse: Direct object marker Root: אֹות Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעָ֖ם	the people
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular Root: עַם Sense: nation, people.
؟ מִמַּֽעֲשָׂ֑יו	from their work
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular Root: מַעֲשֶׂה Sense: deed, work.
לְכ֖וּ	Get [back]
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural Root: הָלַךְ Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶֽם	to your labor
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine plural Root: סִבְלֹות Sense: burden, forced labour, compulsory service, burden bearing.

What are the major concepts related to Exodus 5:4?

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Similar Scriptures for Exodus 5:4

		Exodus 1:11 [5]
		Amos 7:10 [2]
		Acts 16:20-21 [2]
		Luke 23:2 [2]
		Acts 24:5 [2]
		Jeremiah 38:4 [2]