Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto
Pharaoh, saying, wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
How justly they complained to Pharaoh: They came and cried unto Pharaoh, Ex 5:15. Whither should they go with a remonstrance of their grievances but to the supreme power, which is ordained for the protection of the injured? As bad as Pharaoh was his oppressed subjects had liberty to complain to him; there was no law against petitioning: it was a very modest, but moving, representation that they made of their condition (Ex 5:16): Thy servants are beaten (severely enough, no doubt, when things were in such a ferment), and yet the fault is in thy own people, the task-masters, who deny us what is necessary for carrying on our work. Note, It is common for those to be most rigorous in blaming others who are most blameworthy themselves. But what did they get by this complaint? It did but make bad worse.
16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make
brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.
17 But he said, ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do
sacrifice to the Lord.
Pharaoh taunted them (Ex 5:17); when they were almost killed with working, he told them they were idle: they underwent the fatigue of industry, and yet lay under the imputation of slothfulness, while nothing appeared to ground the charge upon but this, that they said, Let us go and do sacrifice. Note, It is common for the best actions to be mentioned under the worst names; holy diligence in the best business is censured by many as a culpable carelessness in the business of the world. It is well for us that men are not to be our judges, but a God who knows what the principles are on which we act. Those that are diligent in doing sacrifice to the Lord will, with God, escape the doom of the slothful servant, though, with men, they do not. 2. He bound on their burdens: Go now and work. Ex 5:18. Note, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked; what can be expected from unrighteous men but more unrighteousness?