Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way? New Living Translation So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. “Please don’t treat your servants like this,” they begged. English Standard Version Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? Berean Standard Bible So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way? King James Bible Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? New King James Version Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants? New American Standard Bible Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants? NASB 1995 Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants? NASB 1977 Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants? Legacy Standard Bible Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your slaves? Amplified Bible Then the Hebrew foremen came to Pharaoh and cried, “Why do you deal like this with your servants? Christian Standard Bible So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way? Holman Christian Standard Bible So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way? American Standard Version Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? Contemporary English Version Finally, the men in charge of the slaves went to the king and said, "Why are you treating us like this? English Revised Version Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? GOD'S WORD® Translation Then the Israelite foremen complained to Pharaoh. They asked, "Why are you treating us this way? Good News Translation Then the foremen went to the king and complained, "Why do you do this to us, Your Majesty? International Standard Version The Israeli supervisors came and cried out to Pharaoh, "Why are you doing this to us? Majority Standard Bible So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: ?Why are you treating your servants this way? NET Bible The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, "Why are you treating your servants this way? New Heart English Bible Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you deal this way with your servants? Webster's Bible Translation Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why dealest thou thus with thy servants? World English Bible Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants? Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd the authorities of the sons of Israel come in and cry to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you do thus to your servants? Young's Literal Translation And the authorities of the sons of Israel come in and cry unto Pharaoh, saying, 'Why dost thou thus to thy servants? Smith's Literal Translation And the scribes of the sons of Israel will come in, and will cry to Pharaoh, saying, For what wilt thou do this to thy servants? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd the officers of the children of Israel came, and cried out to Pharao, saying: Why dealest thou so with thy servants? Catholic Public Domain Version And the first among the sons of Israel came, and they cried out to Pharaoh, saying: “Why do act against your servants in this way? New American Bible Then the Israelite foremen came and cried out to Pharaoh: “Why do you treat your servants in this manner? New Revised Standard Version Then the Israelite supervisors came to Pharaoh and cried, “Why do you treat your servants like this? Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen the scribes of the children of Israel came and complained to Pharaoh, saying, Why are your servants treated in this manner? Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And the Scribes of the children of Israel came and they complained before Pharaoh, and they were saying, “Why is this done so to your Servants? OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying: 'Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? Brenton Septuagint Translation And the accountants of the children of Israel went in and cried to Pharao, saying, Why dost thou act thus to thy servants? Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Cry of the Israelites15So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way? 16No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”… Cross References Exodus 1:11-14 So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. / But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. / They worked the Israelites ruthlessly ... Exodus 2:23-25 After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God. / So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. / God saw the Israelites and took notice. Exodus 3:7-9 The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings. / I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. / And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians are oppressing them. Exodus 6:5-9 Furthermore, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered My covenant. / Therefore tell the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. / I will take you as My own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. ... Exodus 14:10-12 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians marching after them, and they were terrified and cried out to the LORD. / They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us into the wilderness to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? / Did we not say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” Numbers 20:3-5 The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD! / Why have you brought the LORD’s assembly into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here? / Why have you led us up out of Egypt to bring us to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain, figs, vines, or pomegranates—and there is no water to drink!” Deuteronomy 26:6-7 But the Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted us, putting us to hard labor. / So we called out to the LORD, the God of our fathers; and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, toil, and oppression. Nehemiah 9:9-10 You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt; You heard their cry at the Red Sea. / You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, all his officials, and all the people of his land, for You knew they had acted with arrogance against our fathers. You made a name for Yourself that endures to this day. Psalm 81:6-7 “I relieved his shoulder of the burden; his hands were freed from the basket. / You called out in distress, and I rescued you; I answered you from the cloud of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah Psalm 105:25-26 whose hearts He turned to hate His people, to conspire against His servants. / He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron, whom He had chosen. Isaiah 19:20 It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of Hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, He will send them a savior and defender to rescue them. Jeremiah 50:33-34 This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “The sons of Israel are oppressed, and the sons of Judah as well. All their captors hold them fast, refusing to release them. / Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of Hosts is His name. He will fervently plead their case so that He may bring rest to the earth, but turmoil to those who live in Babylon. Acts 7:24-25 And when he saw one of them being mistreated, Moses went to his defense and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him. / He assumed his brothers would understand that God was using him to deliver them, but they did not. Acts 7:34 I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’ Romans 9:17-18 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” / Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden. Treasury of Scripture Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why deal you thus with your servants? no reference Jump to Previous Acting Appealed Authorities Bondmen Children Cried Cry Deal Dealest Foremen Israel Israelite Officers Pharaoh Responsible Servants Treated Way WhereforeJump to Next Acting Appealed Authorities Bondmen Children Cried Cry Deal Dealest Foremen Israel Israelite Officers Pharaoh Responsible Servants Treated Way WhereforeExodus 5 1. Pharaoh chides Moses and Aaron for their message.6. He increases the Israelites' task. 16. He ignores their complaints. 19. They cry out to Moses and Aaron. 22. Moses complains to God. So the Israelite foremen The term "foremen" refers to the Hebrew overseers appointed by the Egyptians to manage the labor of the Israelites. In Hebrew, the word used is "שֹׁטְרִים" (shotrim), which can mean officers or overseers. These individuals were caught between the demands of the Egyptian taskmasters and the suffering of their fellow Israelites. Historically, this reflects the oppressive system of forced labor that the Israelites endured in Egypt, highlighting the severe social hierarchy and the burden placed on the Israelites. The foremen's role was crucial as they were responsible for ensuring the Israelites met their quotas, and their position made them direct witnesses to the harsh realities of slavery. went and appealed to Pharaoh Why are you treating your servants this way? Persons / Places / Events 1. Israelite ForemenThese were the Hebrew overseers appointed by the Egyptians to manage the labor of the Israelite slaves. They were caught between the demands of Pharaoh and the suffering of their people. 2. Pharaoh The ruler of Egypt, representing the oppressive power that enslaved the Israelites. His heart was hardened against the pleas of the Israelites and their God. 3. Egypt The land where the Israelites were enslaved. It symbolizes bondage and oppression in the biblical account. 4. Moses and Aaron Though not directly mentioned in this verse, they are key figures in the surrounding account, tasked by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. 5. The Appeal The act of the Israelite foremen going to Pharaoh represents a desperate plea for relief from their harsh conditions. Teaching Points The Burden of LeadershipThe Israelite foremen were in a difficult position, highlighting the challenges leaders face when caught between authority and the welfare of their people. Leaders today must navigate similar tensions with wisdom and integrity. Crying Out for Justice The foremen's appeal to Pharaoh reflects a universal human cry for justice. Believers are encouraged to bring their pleas to God, who hears and responds to the cries of the oppressed. The Hardness of Heart Pharaoh's refusal to listen is a warning against the dangers of a hardened heart. Christians are called to remain open to God's voice and the needs of others. God's Sovereignty in Oppression Despite Pharaoh's harshness, God was at work to fulfill His promises. Believers can trust in God's sovereignty and timing, even in difficult circumstances. Intercession and Advocacy The foremen's role as intermediaries points to the importance of intercession and advocacy for those who are suffering. Christians are called to stand in the gap for others in prayer and action.(15) The officers . . . came and cried unto Pharaoh.--The Egyptian monarchs were accessible to all. It was a part of their duty to hear complaints personally; and they, for the most part, devoted to this employment the earlier hours of each day (see Herod. ii. 173;. Those who came to them generally cried to them for justice, as is the Oriental wont.Verses 15-19. - Smarting under the sense of injustice, the Israelite officers "came and cried to Pharaoh" (ver. 15), supposing that he could not have intended such manifest unfairness and cruelty. They were conscious to themselves of having done their utmost, and of having failed simply because the thing required was impossible. Surely the king would understand this, if they pointed it out, and would either allow straw as before, or diminish the number of the bricks. But the king had no desire for justice, and did not even pretend to it. He asked for no particulars, ordered no inquiry into the ground of complaint; but turned upon the complainants with the cuckoo cry - "Idle, idle yourselves - else ye had no time to come here; go, work - go, work." Then the officers felt that they were indeed "in evil case" (ver. 19) - the king was determined not to do justice - no hope remained - they must be beaten again and again, until they died of the punishment (ver. 21). Verse 15. - Came and cried. The shrill "cry" of Orientals when making complaint has often been noticed by travellers, and is probably here alluded to. To Pharaoh. See the "Introductory paragraph" at the beginning of the chapter, where it has been noticed that complainants had free access to the presence of Egyptian kings. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew So the Israeliteבְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son foremen שֹֽׁטְרֵי֙ (šō·ṭə·rê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 7860: A scribe, an official superintendent, magistrate went וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ (way·yā·ḇō·’ū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go and appealed וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ (way·yiṣ·‘ă·qū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 6817: To shriek, to proclaim to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to Pharaoh: פַּרְעֹ֖ה (par·‘ōh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 6547: Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kings “Why לָ֧מָּה (lām·māh) Interrogative Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what are you treating תַעֲשֶׂ֦ה (ṯa·‘ă·śeh) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Strong's 6213: To do, make your servants לַעֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃ (la·‘ă·ḇā·ḏe·ḵā) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular Strong's 5650: Slave, servant this way? כֹ֖ה (ḵōh) Adverb Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now Links Exodus 5:15 NIVExodus 5:15 NLT Exodus 5:15 ESV Exodus 5:15 NASB Exodus 5:15 KJV Exodus 5:15 BibleApps.com Exodus 5:15 Biblia Paralela Exodus 5:15 Chinese Bible Exodus 5:15 French Bible Exodus 5:15 Catholic Bible OT Law: Exodus 5:15 Then the officers of the children (Exo. Ex) |