Exodus 5 · Verse 8

Exodus 5:8

And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
Exodus 5:8, King James Version

Exodus 5:8 in other translations

BSBBut require of them the same quota of bricks as before; do not reduce it. For they are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
WEBYou shall require from them the number of the bricks which they made before. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to our God.’
ASVAnd the number of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof: for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
YLTand the proper quantity of the bricks which they are making heretofore ye do put on them, ye do not diminish from it, for they are remiss, therefore they are crying, saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to our God;
DARBYAnd the number of the bricks they have made heretofore shall ye lay upon them: ye shall not diminish any of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
BBEBut see that they make the same number of bricks as before, and no less: for they have no love for work; and so they are crying out and saying, Let us go and make an offering to our God.
WebsterAnd the number of the bricks which they made heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof; for they are idle: therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

What does Exodus 5:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. tale--an appointed number of bricks. The materials of their labor were to be no longer supplied, and yet, as the same amount of produce was exacted daily, it is impossible to imagine more aggravated cruelty--a perfect specimen of Oriental despotism.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 And the tale of the bricks - Tale signifies the number, from the Anglo-Saxon to number, to count, etc. For they be idle; therefore they cry - Let us go and sacrifice - Thus their desire to worship the true God in a proper manner was attributed to their unwillingness to work; a reflection which the Egyptians (in principle) of the present day cast on these who, while they are fervent in spirit serving the Lord, are not slothful in business. See Clarke below Exo 5:17 (note).

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 5:1-9

God will own his people, though poor and despised, and will find a time to plead their cause. Pharaoh treated all he had heard with contempt. He had no knowledge of Jehovah, no fear of him, no love to him, and therefore refused to obey him. Thus Pharaoh's pride, ambition, covetousness, and political knowledge, hardened him to his own destruction. What Moses and Aaron ask is very reasonable, only to go three days'…

Read the full comment on Exodus 5:1-9 →

Exodus 5:8 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.

וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
מַתְכֹּ֨נֶתmat.Ko.net[the] measurement ofH4971
הַלְּבֵנִ֜יםha.le.ve.Nimthe bricksH3843
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
הֵם֩hemtheyH1992
עֹשִׂ֨ים'o.Sim[were] makingH6213
תְּמ֤וֹלte.MolyesterdayH8543
שִׁלְשֹׁם֙shil.Shomthree days agoH8032
תָּשִׂ֣ימוּta.Si.muyou will placeH7760
עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם'a.lei.Hemon themH5921
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
תִגְרְע֖וּtig.re.'Uyou will diminishH1639
מִמֶּ֑נּוּmi.Me.nufrom itH4480
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
נִרְפִּ֣יםnir.Pim[are] idleH7503
הֵ֔םHemtheyH1992
עַל\־'al-there-H5921
כֵּ֗ןKen-foreH3651
הֵ֤םhemtheyH1992
צֹֽעֲקִים֙tzo.'a.Kim[are] crying outH6817
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
נֵלְכָ֖הne.le.Khahlet us goH1980
נִזְבְּחָ֥הniz.be.Chahlet us sacrificeH2076
לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ\׃le.lo.Hei.nuto God ourH430

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

Cross references for Exodus 5:8

  • Psalms 106:41

    And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
tale.Tale denotes number, from the Anglo-Saxon {tællan,} to number, count, etc.
ye shall lay.
Ps 106:41

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

Context

  • Exodus 5:7

    Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

  • Exodus 5:8

    And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

  • Exodus 5:9

    Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.

Read all of Exodus 5

Exodus 5:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y habéis de ponerles la tarea del ladrillo que hacían antes, y no les disminuiréis nada; porque están ociosos, y por eso levantan la voz diciendo: Vamos y sacrificaremos á nuestro Dios.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et vous leur imposerez la quantité de briques qu’ils faisaient auparavant. Vous n’en retrancherez rien, car ils sont paresseux; c’est pourquoi ils crient, disant: Allons, et sacrifions à notre Dieu.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Anzahl Ziegel, die sie früher gemacht haben, sollt ihr ihnen auflegen; ihr sollt nichts daran mindern, denn sie sind träge; darum schreien sie und sprechen: Wir wollen hinziehen, wir wollen unserem Gott opfern!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et mensuram laterum, quam prius faciebant, imponetis super eos, nec minuetis quidquam: vacant enim, et idcirco vociferantur, dicentes: Eamus, et sacrificemus Deo nostro.