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. 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.
After their appeal to Pharaoh failed and ended in harsher labor, the officers and the people were cruelly beaten under his increased cruelty, and as they came forth from Pharaoh they met Moses and Aaron standing in the way. There they charged Moses and Aaron with making Israel abhorred and hated and worsening their standing in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants and officials. They said this had put a sword in their hand and given them cause and position to slay and kill them. In this they laid all their suffering upon Moses and Aaron in the mistaken belief that Moses and Aaron had caused their danger. The words were spoken in distress and fear that the oppression would leave the Egyptians able to kill them.
The complaint showed that Israel had but little faith and was not yet prepared to be delivered. They were unwilling patiently to suffer and perseveringly to endure affliction until God should work for them a glorious deliverance. They expected to be brought out of bondage without any particular trial of faith or suffering on their part.
The laying of all the suffering upon him greatly distressed Moses and moved him almost to murmur because the Lord delayed to deliver His people. He returned unto the Lord asking why He had so evil entreated the people and why He had sent him. He asked why, since he had spoken in His name, Pharaoh had done evil and God had not delivered them at all.