Exodus 5:13

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Exodus 5:13 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”

King James Version KJV

And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.

American Standard Version ASV

And the taskmasters were urgent saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.

Bible in Basic English BBE

And the overseers went on driving them and saying, Do your full day's work as before when there were dry stems for you.

Free Bible Version FBV

The slave drivers kept on forcing them, saying, “You still have to do the same work as you did when you had straw provided!”

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

And the taskemasters hasted them, saying, Finish your dayes worke euery dayes taske, as ye did when ye had strawe.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

and the exactors are making haste, saying, 'Complete your works, the matter of a day in its day, as when there is straw.'

World English Bible WEB

The taskmasters were urgent saying, “Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!”

Noah Webster Bible WBS

And the task-masters hastened them, saying, Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

And the overseers of the works pressed them, saying: Fulfill your work every day as before you were wont to do when straw was given you.

Translation for Translators T4T

The slave bosses kept telling them insistently, “Finish the work you are required to do each day, making the same amount of bricks as you did before, when we gave you straw!”

Study Highlights

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Berean Amplified Bible — Exodus 5:13

BAB

Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Exodus 5:13 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

HEB וְ/הַ/נֹּגְשִׂ֖ים אָצִ֣ים לֵ/אמֹ֑ר כַּלּ֤וּ מַעֲשֵׂי/כֶם֙ דְּבַר י֣וֹם בְּ/יוֹמ֔/וֹ כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּ/הְי֥וֹת הַ/תֶּֽבֶן

וְ/הַ/נֹּגְשִׂ֖ים nâgas H5065 to oppress Conj | Art | V-Qal

אָצִ֣ים ʼûwts H213 to hasten V-Qal

לֵ/אמֹ֑ר ʼâmar H559 to say Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a

כַּלּ֤וּ kâlâh H3615 to end V-Piel-Impv-2mp

מַעֲשֵׂי/כֶם֙ maʻăseh H4639 deed N-mp | Suff

דְּבַר dâbâr H1697 Chronicles N-ms

י֣וֹם yôwm H3117 day N-ms

בְּ/יוֹמ֔/וֹ yôwm H3117 day Prep | N-ms | Suff

כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֖ר ʼăsher H834 which Prep | Rel

בִּ/הְי֥וֹת hâyâh H1961 to be Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a

הַ/תֶּֽבֶן teben H8401 straw Art | N-ms

Hebrew Word Study

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Hebrew Word Reference — Exodus 5:13

וְ/הַ/נֹּגְשִׂ֖ים nâgas H5065 "to oppress" Conj | Art | V-Qal

To oppress or drive someone, like a taskmaster, and can also mean to exact or harass, as in Exodus 3:7.

Definition: 1) to press, drive, oppress, exact, exert demanding pressure 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to press, drive 1a2) to exact 1a3) driver, taskmaster, ruler, oppressor, tyrant, lord, exactor of tribute (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to be hard pressed

Usage: Occurs in 23 OT verses. KJV: distress, driver, exact(-or), oppress(-or), [idiom] raiser of taxes, taskmaster. See also: Exodus 3:7; Job 39:7; Isaiah 3:5.

אָצִ֣ים ʼûwts H213 "to hasten" V-Qal

This Hebrew word means to hurry or make haste, often used to describe urgency or pressure. It appears in various forms, such as in Psalm 38:22, where David asks God to hasten and help him. The word conveys a sense of urgency or being pressed for time.

Definition: 1) to press, be pressed, make haste, urge, be narrow 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to press, hasten 1a2) to be pressed, confined, narrow 1a3) to hasten, make haste 1a4) be narrow 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to urge, insist 1b2) to hasten

Usage: Occurs in 10 OT verses. KJV: (make) haste(-n, -y), labor, be narrow. See also: Genesis 19:15; Proverbs 21:5; Proverbs 19:2.

לֵ/אמֹ֑ר ʼâmar H559 "to say" Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a

This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.

Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.

כַּלּ֤וּ kâlâh H3615 "to end" V-Piel-Impv-2mp

This Hebrew word means to finish or end something, like completing a task or using up a resource, as seen in Genesis 2:2 where God finished creating the heavens and earth.

Definition: : finish 1) to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be complete, be at an end 1a2) to be completed, be finished 1a3) to be accomplished, be fulfilled 1a4) to be determined, be plotted (bad sense) 1a5) to be spent, be used up 1a6) to waste away, be exhausted, fail 1a7) to come to an end, vanish, perish, be destroyed 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to complete, bring to an end, finish 1b2) to complete (a period of time) 1b3) to finish (doing a thing) 1b4) to make an end, end 1b5) to accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass 1b6) to accomplish, determine (in thought) 1b7) to put an end to, cause to cease 1b8) to cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend 1b9) to destroy, exterminate 1c) (Pual) to be finished, be ended, be completed

Usage: Occurs in 199 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine, destroy (utterly), be (when... were) done, (be an) end (of), expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, [idiom] fully, [idiom] have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste. See also: Genesis 2:1; 2 Chronicles 29:17; Psalms 18:38.

מַעֲשֵׂי/כֶם֙ maʻăseh H4639 "deed" N-mp | Suff

This Hebrew word refers to an action or deed, which can be good or bad. It is used to describe various activities, such as work, business, or achievements. The KJV translates it as act, deed, or labor.

Definition: : judgement/punishment 1) deed, work 1a) deed, thing done, act 1b) work, labour 1c) business, pursuit 1d) undertaking, enterprise 1e) achievement 1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment) 1g) work, thing made 1h) work (of God) 1i) product

Usage: Occurs in 221 OT verses. KJV: act, art, [phrase] bakemeat, business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making, occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, [idiom] well, (handy-, needle-, net-) work(ing, -manship), wrought. See also: Genesis 5:29; Job 1:10; Psalms 8:4.

דְּבַר dâbâr H1697 "Chronicles" N-ms

A word or thing, like a matter or affair, as seen in the book of Chronicles where it refers to the events and words of kings. It can also mean a cause or reason for something.

Definition: This name means word, speaking

Usage: Occurs in 1290 OT verses. KJV: act, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dearth, decree, deed, [idiom] disease, due, duty, effect, [phrase] eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-) ness, [phrase] glory, [phrase] harm, hurt, [phrase] iniquity, [phrase] judgment, language, [phrase] lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, [idiom] ought, [idiom] parts, [phrase] pertaining, [phrase] please, portion, [phrase] power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, [idiom] (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, [phrase] sign, [phrase] so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, [phrase] song, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, task, [phrase] that, [idiom] there done, thing (concerning), thought, [phrase] thus, tidings, what(-soever), [phrase] wherewith, which, word, work. See also: Genesis 11:1; Exodus 23:8; Deuteronomy 18:21.

י֣וֹם yôwm H3117 "day" N-ms

The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.

Definition: : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

Usage: Occurs in 1930 OT verses. KJV: age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. See also: Genesis 1:5; Genesis 33:13; Exodus 23:15.

בְּ/יוֹמ֔/וֹ yôwm H3117 "day" Prep | N-ms | Suff

כַּ/אֲשֶׁ֖ר ʼăsher H834 "which" Prep | Rel

This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.

Definition: A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when

Usage: Occurs in 4440 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 20:9; Genesis 31:16.

בִּ/הְי֥וֹת hâyâh H1961 "to be" Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a

The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.

Definition: 1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) --- 1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass 1a1b) to come about, come to pass 1a2) to come into being, become 1a2a) to arise, appear, come 1a2b) to become 1a2b1) to become 1a2b2) to become like 1a2b3) to be instituted, be established 1a3) to be 1a3a) to exist, be in existence 1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time) 1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality) 1a3d) to accompany, be with 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about 1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Usage: Occurs in 3131 OT verses. KJV: beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use. See also: Genesis 1:2; Genesis 17:4; Genesis 36:11.

הַ/תֶּֽבֶן teben H8401 "straw" Art | N-ms

Teben refers to straw or stubble, often used as fodder for animals or building material. It is mentioned in the Bible as a material for constructing houses.

Definition: 1) straw, stubble 1a) as building material 1b) as fodder for livestock

Usage: Occurs in 16 OT verses. KJV: chaff, straw, stubble. See also: Genesis 24:25; Exodus 5:18; Isaiah 11:7.

Study Notes — Exodus 5:13

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Exodus 5:13 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Exodus 5:13
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 5:13
Trapp's Commentary on Exodus 5:13
Ellicott's Commentary on Exodus 5:13
Cambridge Bible on Exodus 5:13

Context — Bricks and Straw

11Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’” 12So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

13The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”

14Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?” 15So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way?

Exodus 5:13 Summary

In Exodus 5:13, we see that the taskmasters were pushing the Israelites to make the same number of bricks as they did before, even though they no longer had straw to make them with. This was a very difficult and unfair situation for the Israelites, but it can teach us about the importance of trusting God, even when things seem impossible (as in Jeremiah 32:17 and Matthew 19:26). We can also learn from the Israelites' experience about the need to persevere and not give up, even when faced with challenges and hardships (as encouraged in Romans 5:3-5 and Galatians 6:9). By trusting in God's power and provision, we can find the strength to keep going, just like the Israelites did.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why were the taskmasters so insistent that the Israelites fulfill their quota of bricks?

The taskmasters were trying to maintain the status quo and keep the Israelites under their control, as seen in Exodus 5:13, and they were likely motivated by a desire to please Pharaoh and avoid punishment themselves, as mentioned in Exodus 5:14.

What does this verse reveal about the character of the taskmasters?

This verse shows that the taskmasters were cruel and uncaring, more concerned with meeting their quotas than with the well-being of the Israelites, which is in contrast to the compassionate nature of God, as seen in Exodus 2:23-25 and Deuteronomy 15:13-15.

How does this verse relate to the larger story of the Israelites' deliverance from slavery?

This verse is part of the narrative of the Israelites' suffering in Egypt, which ultimately leads to their deliverance by God, as promised in Genesis 46:4 and fulfilled in Exodus 14:13-31.

What can we learn from the Israelites' experience in this verse?

We can learn about the importance of perseverance and trust in God, even in the face of adversity and oppression, as encouraged in Romans 5:3-5 and Hebrews 11:27.

Reflection Questions

How do I respond when faced with seemingly impossible tasks or demands, and what can I learn from the Israelites' experience in this verse?
In what ways can I identify with the Israelites' feelings of oppression and frustration, and how can I apply the lessons of this verse to my own life?
What are some areas in my life where I feel like I'm being 'pressed' to fulfill certain expectations or quotas, and how can I trust God to provide the strength and resources I need?
How can I balance the need to be responsible and diligent in my work or responsibilities with the need to trust God and not rely solely on my own strength, as seen in Proverbs 3:5-6 and Isaiah 40:31?

Gill's Exposition on Exodus 5:13

And the taskmasters hasted them, Kept them tight and close to their work, and were urgent on them to make quick dispatch of it: saying, fulfil your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw;

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 5:13

And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. Taskmasters hasted ... officers ... beaten.

Trapp's Commentary on Exodus 5:13

Exodus 5:13 And the taskmasters hasted [them], saying, Fulfil your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw.Ver. 13. And the taskmasters.] Who were Egyptians, as the officers under them were Israelities, and beaten.

Ellicott's Commentary on Exodus 5:13

(13) The taskmasters hasted them.—The Egyptian monuments show us foreign labourers engaged in brick-making under Egyptian overseers, or “taskmasters,” who are armed with sticks, and “haste” the labourers whenever they cease work for the purpose of resting themselves. The overseers are represented as continually saying to the workpeople, “Work without faintness.” (See Wilkinson, in Rawlinson’s Herodotus, vol. ii. p. 214.) As when there was straw.—Heb., as when there, was the straw—i.e., as. when the straw was furnished to you.

Cambridge Bible on Exodus 5:13

13–14. Although however the number of workers was thus materially diminished, the ‘taskmasters,’ carrying out the Pharaoh’s injunctions, still demand the same tale of bricks; and as it is not forthcoming, the ‘officers’ (v. 6) of the Israelites are held responsible for the deficit, and beaten.