The Meaning of Exodus 5:17 Explained

Exodus 5:17

KJV: But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.

YLT: And he saith, 'Remiss -- ye are remiss, therefore ye are saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to Jehovah;

Darby: And he said, Ye are idle, idle! therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to Jehovah.

ASV: But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But he said,  Ye [are] idle,  [ye are] idle:  therefore ye say,  Let us go  [and] do sacrifice  to the LORD. 

What does Exodus 5:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 5:15-23 - Moses Appeals From Pharaoh To God
God's way is to bring men to an end of themselves before He arises to their help. Our efforts to deliver ourselves only end in increasing our perplexities. The tale of bricks is doubled; the burdens augment; the strength of our purpose is broken; we are brought to the edge of despair. Probably this was the darkest hour in the life of the great leader. But from all the obloquy that was heaped on him, he took refuge in God. There is no other refuge for a limited man than "to return unto the Lord," Exodus 5:22. Return unto the Lord with your story of failure! Return unto Him for fresh instructions! Return unto Him with your appeal for his interposition! Be perfectly natural with your Heavenly Father! Humble yourself under His mighty hand! Even dare to reason with Him, saying: "Why!" Then the Lord will say to you, as to Moses: "Now thou shalt see what I will do." [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 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

What do the individual words in Exodus 5:17 mean?

But he said [are] idle you idle upon thus you say let us go [and] sacrifice to Yahweh
וַיֹּ֛אמֶר נִרְפִּ֥ים --אַתֶּ֖ם נִרְפִּ֑ים עַל־ כֵּן֙ אַתֶּ֣ם אֹֽמְרִ֔ים נֵלְכָ֖ה נִזְבְּחָ֥ה לַֽיהוָֽה

וַיֹּ֛אמֶר  But  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נִרְפִּ֥ים  [are]  idle 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: רָפָה  
Sense: to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened.
נִרְפִּ֑ים  idle 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: רָפָה  
Sense: to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
כֵּן֙  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
אֹֽמְרִ֔ים  say 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
נֵלְכָ֖ה  let  us  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
נִזְבְּחָ֥ה  [and]  sacrifice 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
לַֽיהוָֽה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.

What are the major concepts related to Exodus 5:17?

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