Exodus 5:15 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

Then the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him, saying, 'Why are you treating your servants this way?'

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

The Israelite supervisors desperately appealed to Pharaoh, asking why he was treating them so harshly.

📚 Historical Context

This occurs during Moses' confrontation with Pharaoh about freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. After Moses' initial request, Pharaoh had made the Israelites' work conditions even harder by forcing them to gather their own straw while maintaining the same brick quotas. The Israelite foremen, caught between Pharaoh's impossible demands and their people's suffering, made this desperate plea for relief.

Explore Similar Verses

Leviticus 25:39

If your fellow Israelite who lives near you becomes poor and has to sell himself to you as a servant, don't treat him like a slave.

Leviticus 25:40

Instead, he should be treated like a hired worker or temporary resident living with you, and he will work for you only until the Year of Jubilee.

Deuteronomy 15:15

And you must remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God rescued you from that slavery. That's why I'm commanding you to do this today.

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📚 Historical Context

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