Exodus 5:17
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Exodus 5:17
17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.
Chapter Context
Exodus 5 is a narrative with legal sections chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of worship, redemption, sacrifice. Written during the Egyptian bondage and wilderness wandering (c. 1446-1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Egypt was the dominant superpower with a complex polytheistic religion and a god-king pharaoh.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-23: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it provides guidance for worship and spiritual devotion. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Exodus and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Exodus 5:17
17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.
Analysis
Verse 17 content addresses the systematic oppression through impossible brick quotas. The removal of straw while maintaining production requirements embodies how evil systems break spirits through mathematically impossible demands.
Historical Context
Archaeological evidence confirms ancient Egyptian brick-making used straw as binding material. The escalating oppression in verses 6-17 follows documented patterns of ancient slave economies.
Reflection
- How do impossible expectations create false guilt in modern systems?
- What does this passage teach about systemic injustice?
Word Studies
- Sacrifice: זֶבַח (Zevach) H2076 - Sacrifice, offering