People Ordered to Gather Their Own Straw to Make Bricks

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Contention

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 (English Standard Version)


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