Exodus 5 · Verse 22

Exodus 5:22

And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?
Exodus 5:22, King James Version

Exodus 5:22 in other translations

BSBSo Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me?
WEBMoses returned to the LORD, and said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me?
ASVAnd Moses returned unto Jehovah, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou dealt ill with this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?
YLTAnd Moses turneth back unto Jehovah, and saith, ‘Lord, why hast Thou done evil to this people? why is this? --Thou hast sent me!
DARBYAnd Moses returned to Jehovah, and said, Lord, why hast thou done evil to this people? why now hast thou sent me?
BBEAnd Moses went back to the Lord and said, Lord, why have you done evil to this people? why have you sent me?
WebsterAnd Moses returned to the LORD, and said, Lord, why hast thou so ill treated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

What does Exodus 5:22 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 And Moses returned unto the Lord - This may imply, either that there was a particular place into which Moses ordinarily went to commune with Jehovah; or it may mean that kind of turning of heart and affection to God, which every pious mind feels itself disposed to practice in any time or place. The old adage will apply here: "A praying heart never lacks a praying place." Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? - It is certain that in this address Moses uses great plainness of speech. Whether the offspring of a testy impatience and undue familiarity, or of strong faith which gave him more than ordinary access to the throne of his gracious Sovereign, it would be difficult to say. The latter appears to be the most probable, as we do not find, from the succeeding chapter, that God was displeased with his freedom; we may therefore suppose that it was kept within due bounds, and that the principles and motives were all pure and good. However, it should be noted, that such freedom of speech with the Most High should never be used but on very special occasions, and then only by his extraordinary messengers.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 5:10-23

The Egyptian task-masters were very severe. See what need we have to pray that we may be delivered from wicked men. The head-workmen justly complained to Pharaoh: but he taunted them. The malice of Satan has often represented the service and worship of God, as fit employment only for those who have nothing else to do, and the business only of the idle; whereas, it is the duty of those who are most busy in the world…

Read the full comment on Exodus 5:10-23 →

Exodus 5:22 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיָּ֧שָׁבvai.Ya.shovand he returnedH7725
מֹשֶׁ֛הmo.ShehMosesH4872
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
וַיֹּאמַ֑רvai.yo.Marand he saidH559
אֲדֹנָ֗י'a.do.NaiO LordH136
לָמָ֤הla.Mah<to> why?H4100
הֲרֵעֹ֙תָה֙ha.re.'O.tahhave you done harmH7489
לָעָ֣םla.'Amto the peopleH5971
הַזֶּ֔הha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
לָ֥מָּהLa.mah<to> why?H4100
זֶּ֖הzehthisH2088
שְׁלַחְתָּֽנִי\׃she.lach.Ta.nidid you send meH7971

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 5:22

  • Jeremiah 20:7

    O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.

  • 1 Kings 19:10

    And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

  • Numbers 11:14-15

    I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

  • 1 Kings 19:4

    But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

  • Numbers 11:11

    And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

  • 1 Samuel 30:6

    And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

  • Habakkuk 2:3

    For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

  • Psalms 73:25

    Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

  • Exodus 17:4

    And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.

  • Jeremiah 12:1

    Righteous art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
returned.
17:4; 1Sa 30:6; Ps 73:25; Jer 12:1
why is it.
Nu 11:14,15; 1Ki 19:4,10; Jer 20:7; Hab 2:3

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 5:21

    And they said unto them, The Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

  • Exodus 5:22

    And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

  • Exodus 5:23

    For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

Read all of Exodus 5

Exodus 5:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces Moisés se volvió á Jehová, y dijo: Señor, ¿por qué afliges á este pueblo? ¿para qué me enviaste?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Moïse retourna vers l’ Éternel, et dit: Seigneur, pourquoi as-tu fait du mal à ce peuple? Pourquoi donc m’as-tu envoyé?
German
Elberfelder 1871
Da wandte sich Mose zu Jehova und sprach: Herr, warum hast du so übel an diesem Volke getan? warum doch hast du mich gesandt?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Reversusque est Moyses ad Dominum, et ait: Domine, cur afflixisti populum istum? quare misisti me?