EXODUS 5
10 So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” 12 So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.” 14 And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?”15 Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? 16 No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” 17 But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.” – Exodus 5:10-18
EXODUS 5 MORE INJUSTICE FOR THE ISRAELITES
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
After Moses asked Pharaoh to let the Israelites worship God
Pharaoh ordered his taskmasters to give them more work
The Israelites have to get their own straw to make bricks
Their foremen were beaten up and told that they were idle.
The Israelites didn’t know that the Lord made Pharaoh’s heart hardened. Only Moses and Aaron knew this, so it is only understandable that they would ask Moses why there’s more abuse done to them. Because the king didn’t know the Lord, he was dubious about their practice to worship their God in the mountains. Instead of believing them, he suspected they were trying to use that excuse to be idle.
When we don’t know God, we will automatically live in the lies that the world system propagates. The world’s system is about control and power and subjugation. So, the king only did what he knew best, to add more burden to the Israelites and terrorize them.
REFLECTION
- What should Christians do when injustice is done to them?
