What is the meaning of Exodus 5:21? May the LORD look upon you and judge you - The foremen appeal to God as the righteous Judge, asking Him to weigh Moses and Aaron’s actions. • Genesis 16:5 records Sarai invoking the LORD’s judgment when feeling wronged, showing this was a customary cry for divine arbitration. • Psalm 7:8 echoes the confidence that “the LORD judges the peoples,” underscoring that ultimate justice comes from Him, not human rulers. - Their words reveal shaken faith: only days earlier they “believed” after Moses’ signs (Exodus 4:31). Now hardship tempts them to view their deliverers as culprits. - Yet Scripture presents the plea literally—God does see (Exodus 2:25) and will indeed judge, vindicating His plan despite their frustration. the foremen said - These overseers had just been beaten for failing to meet brick quotas (Exodus 5:14). Their firsthand suffering gives weight to their protest. - Their conversation with Moses happens “as they were leaving Pharaoh” (Exodus 5:20), illustrating how quickly emotional wounds can overflow into accusations. - Like Job’s friends (Job 19:2), they speak out of pain, reminding us that suffering often shapes speech more than sound theology. for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials - “A stench” conveys being detestable or loathsome, similar to Jacob’s complaint “You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the inhabitants of the land” (Genesis 34:30). - Pharaoh now views Israel as rebellious, not oppressed. This shift intensifies oppression, yet God had foretold Pharaoh’s hard heart (Exodus 4:21). - 1 Samuel 13:4 notes Israel becoming “an abomination to the Philistines,” reminding us that faithful steps can initially worsen worldly hostility. you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us! - Hyperbole born of fear, but grounded in real danger—Pharaoh’s order could lead to lethal beatings (Exodus 5:16). - Similar language appears when David tells Nathan, “You have given the enemies of the LORD great occasion to blaspheme” (2 Samuel 12:14); unintended consequences can empower evil hands. - Yet God will flip the script: the oppressor’s figurative “sword” will become literal judgment against Egypt (Exodus 12:29). What seems like a disastrous setback is the very road God uses to magnify His glory (Romans 9:17). summary The foremen’s outburst captures the tension between immediate suffering and God’s promised salvation. They beg the LORD to judge Moses, blame him for worsening their reputation with Pharaoh, and fear fatal consequences. Scripture records their complaint honestly, yet the narrative soon proves that God has indeed “looked upon” His people and will judge Egypt, not Israel. Their cry of despair is real, but so is God’s faithful deliverance that follows. |
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