Exodus 5:13 The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, "Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw."

◄ Exodus 5:13 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, "Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw."

English Standard Version
The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.”

New American Standard Bible
The taskmasters pressed them, saying, "Complete your work quota, your daily amount, just as when you had straw."

King James Bible
And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The overseers insisted, "Finish your assigned work each day, just as you did when straw was provided."

International Standard Version
The taskmasters pressured them by saying, "Finish your work—each day's quota —just as when you were given straw."

American Standard Version
And the taskmasters were urgent saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the overseers of the works pressed them, saying: Fulfill your work every day as before you were wont to do when straw was given you.

Darby Bible Translation
And the taskmasters urged them, saying, Fulfil your labours, the daily work, as when there was straw.

Young's Literal Translation
and the exactors are making haste, saying, 'Complete your works, the matter of a day in its day, as when there is straw.'

Cross References

Exodus 1:11
Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

Exodus 5:6
And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

Exodus 5:12
So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

Exodus 5:14
And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

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Amount Complete Daily Drivers Driving Dry Exactors Fulfil Fulfill Full Haste Hasted Hastened Kept Labours Making Matter Overseers Pressed Pressing Quota Required Slave Stems Straw Task Taskmasters Task-Masters Tasks Urged Urgent Work Works

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

5:10-23 The Egyptian task-masters were very severe. See what need we have to pray that we may be delivered from wicked men. The head-workmen justly complained to Pharaoh: but he taunted them. The malice of Satan has often represented the service and worship of God, as fit employment only for those who have nothing else to do, and the business only of the idle; whereas, it is the duty of those who are most busy in the world. Those who are diligent in doing sacrifice to the Lord, will, before God, escape the doom of the slothful servant, though with men they do not. The Israelites should have humbled themselves before God, and have taken to themselves the shame of their sin; but instead of that, they quarrel with those who were to be their deliverers. Moses returned to the Lord. He knew that what he had said and done, was by God's direction; and therefore appeals to him. When we find ourselves at any time perplexed in the way of our duty, we ought to go to God, and lay open our case before him by fervent prayer. Disappointments in our work must not drive us from our God, but still we must ponder why they are sent.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

13-19. And the taskmasters hasted them … officers … beaten—As the nearest fields were bared and the people had to go farther for stubble, it was impossible for them to meet the demand by the usual tale of bricks. "The beating of the officers is just what might have been expected from an Eastern tyrant, especially in the valley of the Nile, as it appears from the monuments, that ancient Egypt, like modern China, was principally governed by the stick" [Taylor]. "The mode of beating was by the offender being laid flat on the ground and generally held by the hands and feet while the chastisement was administered" [Wilkinson]. (De 25:2). A picture representing the Hebrews on a brick field, exactly as described in this chapter, was found in an Egyptian tomb at Thebes.