The Meaning of Exodus 5:16 Explained

Exodus 5:16

KJV: There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.

YLT: Straw is not given to thy servants, and they are saying to us, Make bricks, and lo, thy servants are smitten -- and thy people hath sinned.'

Darby: There is no straw given to thy bondmen, and they say to us, Make brick; and behold, thy bondmen are beaten, but it is the fault of thy people.

ASV: There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault it in thine own people.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

There is no straw  given  unto thy servants,  and they say  to us, Make  brick:  and, behold, thy servants  [are] beaten;  but the fault  [is] in thine own people. 

What does Exodus 5:16 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 5:16 mean?

straw no there is given to your servants and bricks they tell to us to make and indeed your servants [are] beaten but the fault [is] in your people
תֶּ֗בֶן אֵ֤ין נִתָּן֙ לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ וּלְבֵנִ֛ים אֹמְרִ֥ים לָ֖נוּ ! עֲשׂ֑וּ וְהִנֵּ֧ה עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ מֻכִּ֖ים וְחָטָ֥את עַמֶּֽךָ

תֶּ֗בֶן  straw 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: תֶּבֶן  
Sense: straw, stubble.
אֵ֤ין  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
נִתָּן֙  there  is  given 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ  to  your  servants 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
וּלְבֵנִ֛ים  and  bricks 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural
Root: לְבֵנָה  
Sense: tile, brick.
אֹמְרִ֥ים  they  tell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָ֖נוּ  to  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
! עֲשׂ֑וּ  to  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וְהִנֵּ֧ה  and  indeed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ  your  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
מֻכִּ֖ים  [are]  beaten 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
וְחָטָ֥את  but  the  fault 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
עַמֶּֽךָ  [is]  in  your  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.

What are the major concepts related to Exodus 5:16?

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