Exodus 5:11
ESV
Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’"
NIV
Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.’ "
NASB
You go, get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it; but none of your labor will be reduced.’?'
CSB
Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.’"
NLT
Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!'
KJV
Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.
NKJV
Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’ ”
What does Exodus 5:11 mean?
After Moses and Aaron confronted Pharaoh with the Lord's command (Exodus 5:1–4), the Egyptian king decided to send a message. He gives a new command to the slave drivers—the "taskmasters"—and their Jewish foremen. Israel, enslaved for centuries (Exodus 1:13–14), is to continue making bricks but without being provided with a major raw material (Exodus 5:10). Instead, they are to scrounge and search for it themselves.Mud and sand were not hard to find in Egypt, but grasses were not plentiful. If Egyptians are not providing leftovers from farming, the Israelites will have a difficult time making up the difference. This is part of the Pharaoh's plan: to humiliate and punish Isreal for listening to Moses (Exodus 5:5–9). This will also provide an excuse for further punishment (Exodus 5:14). That, in turn, will make the Hebrews angry with Moses for provoking more suffering (Exodus 5:20–21).
Faced with impossible demands, Moses will express doubts about God's mission (Exodus 5:22–23). The Lord will reply with assurances and a reminder that this is part of His plan (Exodus 6:1).
