Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 5:13
And the taskmasters hasted [them], saying, Fulfill your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw.
13. your daily tasks ] Heb. the matter of a day in its day, a Heb. idiom implying a daily portion, amount, or duty. See Exo 16:4, Lev 23:37 (RV. ‘each on its own day’), 1Ki 8:59, 2Ki 25:30 al. demanded
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
13-19. And the taskmasters hastedthem . . . officers . . . beatenAs the nearest fields werebared and the people had to go farther for stubble, it was impossiblefor them to meet the demand by the usual tale of bricks. “Thebeating of the officers is just what might have been expected from anEastern tyrant, especially in the valley of the Nile, as it appearsfrom the monuments, that ancient Egypt, like modern China, wasprincipally governed by the stick” [TAYLOR].”The mode of beating was by the offender being laid flat on theground and generally held by the hands and feet while thechastisement was administered” [WILKINSON].(De 25:2). A picturerepresenting the Hebrews on a brick field, exactly as described inthis chapter, was found in an Egyptian tomb at Thebes.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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; they insisted upon it, that they did the same business at the brickkilns, made the same number of bricks every day, as they used to do when they had straw at hand. See Ex 5:11.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
, the quantity fixed for every day, “ just as when the straw was (there),” i.e., was given out for the work.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(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 Rawlinsons Herodotus, vol. ii. p. 214.)
As when there was straw.Heb., as when there, was the strawi.e., as. when the straw was furnished to you.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 5:13. The taskmasters hasted them, &c. Bad men will usually find bad instruments to serve them. The taskmasters severely urge the people: and though, without straw, it was impossible to fulfil their tale of bricks, they are beaten. What a blessing is liberty ! How highly should we value it?
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jas 2:13 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 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. Exo 5:14
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
daily tasks: Heb. a matter of a day in his day
Reciprocal: Exo 5:6 – taskmasters Exo 5:11 – not ought Ezr 3:4 – as the duty of every day required Job 39:7 – driver