Exo 5:7-8 | NETfull | STEP | “You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect straw for themselves.

Exodus 5:7-8

7 “You must no longer ^{▼▼ The construction is a verbal hendiadys: לֹא תֹאסִפוּן לָתֵת (lo’ to’sifun latet, “you must not add to give”). The imperfect tense acts adverbially, and the infinitive becomes the main verb of the clause: “you must no longer give.”} give straw to the people for making bricks ^{▼▼ The expression “for making bricks” is made of the infinitive construct followed by its cognate accusative: לִלְבֹּן הַלְּבֵנִים (lilbon hall^evenim).} as before. ^{▼▼ Heb “as yesterday and three days ago” or “as yesterday and before that.” This is idiomatic for “as previously” or “as in the past.”} Let them go ^{▼▼ The jussive יֵלְכוּ (yel^ekhu) and its following sequential verb would have the force of decree and not permission or advice. He is telling them to go and find straw or stubble for the bricks.} and collect straw for themselves. 8 But you must require ^{▼▼ The verb is the Qal imperfect of שִׂים (sim, “place, put”). The form could be an imperfect of instruction: “You will place upon them the quota.” Or, as here, it may be an obligatory imperfect: “You must place.”} of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. ^{▼▼ Heb “yesterday and three days ago” or “yesterday and before that” is idiomatic for “previously” or “in the past.”} Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. ^{▼▼ Or “loafers.” The form נִרְפִּים (nirpim) is derived from the verb רָפָה (rafah), meaning “to be weak, to let oneself go.” They had been letting the work go, Pharaoh reasoned, and being idle is why they had time to think about going to worship.} That is why they are crying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to our God.’