Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says יהוה, the God of Israel: Let My people go that they may celebrate a festival for Me in the wilderness.”
They answered, “The God of the Hebrews has become manifest to us. Let us go, we pray, a distance of three days into the wilderness to sacrifice to our God יהוה, lest [God] strike us with pestilence or sword.”
But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you distract the people from their tasks? Get to your labors!”
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויאמר
257
אלהם
76
מלך
90
מצרים
380
למה
75
משה
345
ואהרן
262
תפריעו
766
אתהעם
516
ממעשיו
466
לכו
56
לסבלתיכם
592
Exodus 5:5
Gematria: 3566
ויאמרפרעההןרביםעתהעםהארץוהשבתםאתםמסבלתם
And Pharaoh continued, “The people of the land are already so numerous, The people of the land are already so numerous Samaritan “Even now they are more numerous than the people of the land,” i.e., than the native population (cf. Gen. 23.7). and you would have them cease from their labors!” from their labors See 1.5–11.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויאמר
257
פרעה
355
הןרבים
307
עתה
475
עם
110
הארץ
296
והשבתם
753
אתם
441
מסבלתם
572
Exodus 5:6
Gematria: 2666
ויצופרעהביוםההואאתהנגשיםבעםואתשטריולאמר
That same day Pharaoh charged the taskmasters and overseers of the people, saying,
But impose upon them the same quota of bricks as they have been making heretofore; do not reduce it, for they are shirkers; that is why they cry, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God!’
Word-by-Word Analysis
ואתמתכנת
1317
הלבנים
137
אשר
501
הם
45
עשים
420
תמול
476
שלשם
670
תשימו
756
עליהם
155
לא
31
תגרעו
679
ממנו
136
כינרפים
410
הם
45
עלכן
170
הם
45
צעקים
310
לאמר
271
נלכה
105
נזבחה
72
לאלהינו
132
Exodus 5:9
Gematria: 2658
תכבדהעבדהעלהאנשיםויעשובהואלישעובדברישקר
Let heavier work be laid upon those involved; ” Trad. “the men.” See the Dictionary under ’ish. let them keep at it and not pay attention to deceitful promises.”
Translation Notes
*those involved — Lit. “the [salient] participants.
And the overseers of the Israelites, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten. “Why,” they were asked, “did you not complete the prescribed amount of bricks, either yesterday or today, as you did before?”
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויכו
42
שטרי
519
בני
62
ישראל
541
אשרשמו
847
עלהם
145
נגשי
363
פרעה
355
לאמר
271
מדוע
120
לא
31
כליתם
500
חקכם
168
ללבן
112
כתמול
496
שלשם
670
גםתמול
519
גםהיום
104
Exodus 5:15
Gematria: 3097
ויבאושטריבניישראלויצעקואלפרעהלאמרלמהתעשהכהלעבדיך
Then the overseers of the Israelites came to Pharaoh and cried: “Why do you deal thus with your servants?
and they said to them, “May יהוה look upon you and punish you for making us loathsome to Pharaoh and his courtiers—putting a sword in their hands to slay us.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויאמרו
263
אלהם
76
ירא
211
יהוה
26
עליכם
170
וישפט
405
אשר
501
הבאשתם
748
אתריחנו
675
בעיני
142
פרעה
355
ובעיני
148
עבדיו
92
לתתחרב
1040
בידם
56
להרגנו
294
Exodus 5:22
Gematria: 2839
וישבמשהאליהוהויאמראדנילמההרעתהלעםהזהלמהזהשלחתני
Then Moses returned to יהוה and said, “O my lord, why did You bring harm upon this people? Why did You send me?
Word-by-Word Analysis
וישב
318
משה
345
אליהוה
57
ויאמר
257
אדני
65
למה
75
הרעתה
680
לעם
140
הזה
17
למה
75
זה
12
שלחתני
798
Exodus 5:23
Gematria: 3101
ומאזבאתיאלפרעהלדברבשמךהרעלעםהזהוהצללאהצלתאתעמך
Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has dealt worse with this people; and still You have not delivered Your people.”