51 And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh , " Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel , ' Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness .' " 2 But Pharaoh said , " Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go ? I do not know the Lord , and besides , I will not let Israel go ."
3 Then they said , " The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please , let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God , otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword ." 4 But the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron , why do you draw the people away from their work ? Get back to your labors !" 5 Again Pharaoh said , "Look , the people of the land are now many , and you would have them cease from their labors !" 6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen , saying , 7 "You are no longer to give the people straw to make brick as previously ; let them go and gather straw for themselves . 8 "But the quota of bricks which they were making previously , you shall impose on them; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are lazy , therefore e they cry out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God .' 9 "Let the labor be heavier on the men , and let them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 5:1-9
Commentary on Exodus 5:1-9
(Read Exodus 5:1-9)
God will own his people, though poor and despised, and will find a time to plead their cause. Pharaoh treated all he had heard with contempt. He had no knowledge of Jehovah, no fear of him, no love to him, and therefore refused to obey him. Thus Pharaoh's pride, ambition, covetousness, and political knowledge, hardened him to his own destruction. What Moses and Aaron ask is very reasonable, only to go three days' journey into the desert, and that on a good errand. We will sacrifice unto the Lord our God. Pharaoh was very unreasonable, in saying that the people were idle, and therefore talked of going to sacrifice. He thus misrepresents them, that he might have a pretence to add to their burdens. To this day we find many who are more disposed to find fault with their neighbours, for spending in the service of God a few hours spared from their wordly business, than to blame others, who give twice the time to sinful pleasures. Pharaoh's command was barbarous. Moses and Aaron themselves must get to the burdens. Persecutors take pleasure in putting contempt and hardship upon ministers. The usual tale of bricks must be made, without the usual allowance of straw to mix with the clay. Thus more work was to be laid upon the men, which, if they performed, they would be broken with labour; and if not, they would be punished.