People Ordered to Gather Their Own Straw to Make Bricks
August 11, 2020
Commentary
Part of the work of the Hebrew slaves was to take clay and shape it into bricks. They had to mix finely cut-up straw or reeds with the clay so that it would make strong bricks. After Moses and Aaron had gone to Pharaoh asking him to let the Israelite people go, Pharaoh felt that the people in bondage only dream of freedom when they have excessive free time. Therefore, his remedy was to stop supplying straw and at the same time require them to find their own straw and produce the same amount of bricks each day (vv. 10-11). So the people went all over Egypt looking for straw (v. 12).
The slave bosses continued to be hard on the people and kept saying, “Each day you have to make as many bricks as you did when you were given straw” (v. 13). Since Israel could no longer produce their daily quota the Israelite overseers were beaten (v.14). Finally, these Hebrew foreman went to the king asking why they were being treated like this (vv. 15-16). They said, “It is your own people who are to blame because they will not bring us any straw.
Pharaoh told them they were lazy and to get back to work. He no doubt had anticipated this reaction and planned to use it to turn the people against Moses, whom he considered to be a trouble maker. His plan worked and immediately there was contention within the ranks of Israel and Moses received the blame for this unjust treatment (vv. 17-21). He then prays and asks why so much trouble has been brought on his people and since he came to speak to Pharoah (vv. 22-23).
Application
Unfortunately, the people of Israel looked to Pharaoh for help and not to the Lord who had promised to deliver them. When I feel like I am not being treated fairly I need to look to the Lord for help and not other people.
Exodus 5:10– 23 (NET)
10 So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I am not giving you straw. 11 You go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.’” 12 So the people spread out through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. 13 The slave masters were pressuring them, saying, “Complete your work for each day, just like when there was straw!” 14 The Israelite foremen whom Pharaoh’s slave masters had set over them were beaten and were asked, “Why did you not complete your requirement for brickmaking as in the past—both yesterday and today?”
15 The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, “Why are you treating your servants this way? 16 No straw is given to your servants, but we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are even being beaten, but the fault is with your people.”
17 But Pharaoh replied, “You are slackers! Slackers! That is why you are saying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to the Lord.’” 18 So now, get back to work! You will not be given straw, but you must still produce your quota of bricks!” 19 The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily quota of your bricks.”
20 When they went out from Pharaoh, they encountered Moses and Aaron standing there to meet them, 21 and they said to them, “May the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the opinion of Pharaoh and his servants, so that you have given them an excuse to kill us!”
22 Moses returned to the Lord, and said, “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 From the time I went to speak to Pharaoh in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have certainly not rescued them!”
Illustration: Woman Honored on The Way to The Complaint Department
Entering a department store, a little old lady was startled when a band began to play and a dignified executive pinned an orchid on her dress and handed her a crisp hundred dollar bill. She was the store’s millionth customer. Television cameras were focused on her and reporters began interviewing. “Tell me,” one asked, “just what did you come here for today?"The lady hesitated for a minute, then answered, “I’m on my way to the Complaint Department. (Lou Nicholes – Missionary/Author).