“And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.”
Went in alone. Aaron was substituted instead of the ancients, chap. iii. 16. — Pharao Amasis, Cenchres, or Amenophis. (Usher.) — Sacrifice, which is the principal part of a religious festival. (Menochius)
“And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.”
The Lord. Is there any one above me?
“And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.”
Upon us. They include themselves in the common danger, in case of disobedience; and they admonish the king respectfully, that there is no resisting the God of the Hebrews with impunity.
“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.”
Get you. He knew not that Moses had been so long absent; and if he had known, he would not probably have treated him more mildly. (Haydock)
“And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.”
Increased, the edict against children being abrogated. (Menochius) — He insists upon their labour being so intense and toilsome, as to thin their ranks.
“And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,”
Overseers, natives of Egypt, who had under them some Hebrews for task-masters, as the people were more willing to obey them, ver. 14.
“Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore : let them go and gather straw for themselves.”
Straw, beaten small and mixed with clay, to make brick and mortar. See Ezechiel xiii. 11, 15; Chardin, Perse ii. p. 76.
“And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore , ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.”
Idle. Thus the impious speak of those who consecrate any part of their time to the service of God: and thus Protestants often condemn the holy-days prescribed by the Catholic Church!
“Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words. Let there: Heb. Let the work be heavy upon the men”
Lying words, alluding to the proposals of Moses. (Haydock) — Let them not spend their time in idle conversation. (Calmet)
“So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.”
Straw. While some continued at the works, (Menochius) others went about the fields to gather up every grain of chaff and piece of straw which they could find.
“And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore ?”
And they, the officers of the children of Israel, established over their brethren, as the Hebrew more clearly insinuates, were scourged, or bastinadoed on the soles of the feet, as smaller faults are commonly punished in the East; (Calmet) or they were beaten also with rods, ver. 16. (Haydock)
“There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.”
Withal. Hebrew, “the fault is in thy own people,” who require impossibilities. (Calmet) — They throw the blame upon the king’s officers, (Menochius) though it was his own. (Haydock)
“And they said unto them, 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. to be: Heb. to stink”
Kill us. You are the occasion of our more cruel treatment. You have made the king have a bad opinion of us. Hebrew, “you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharao.” So Jacob said, (Genesis xxxiv. 30,) you have made me stink or become odious. Those who attempt to do a kindness, unsuccessfully, often experience a similar ingratitude, chap. xiv. 11. (Menochius) — It does not appear from the original, whether the officers or Moses was coming from the king’s presence. They met in some appointed place. (Calmet)
“And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?”
Wherefore. These are not words of anger, but of earnest prayer. (St. Augustine, q. 14.) Moses does not attempt to satisfy the exasperated officers, but commits the whole to God. (Menochius) — In great undertakings, there are commonly many difficulties; which ought not to discourage us. (Tirinus)