Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
Pharaoh spoke these words the same day Moses and Aaron asked only for leave for Israel to go three days into the wilderness to sacrifice and worship God, answering that he did not know the LORD and would not let them go. He ordered the taskmasters and officers to give the people no more straw for brickmaking as before but to make them go and gather straw and stubble for themselves, while still laying on them the full former number of bricks. Since straw was mixed with clay to hold sun-dried bricks together and brickmaking employed many laborers, forcing them to find the material themselves made the bondage more cruel and oppressive and exposed workers and their officers to beating when the unchanged quota could not be met. The demand was haughty defiance of God and delight in power over those he could control, yet God purposed to overrule it until the proud ruler bowed and acknowledged His authority as supreme. Withholding what was needed while still demanding the work is unjust and shortsighted, and it stands as a warning against burdening God's workers without regard for their needs, whether by denying missionaries needed facilities and means or by pushing the work beyond available resources.
Pharaoh's Harsher Bondage
The command was given the same day Moses and Aaron made their modest request for only a three days' journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to God and worship Him, which Pharaoh answered by claiming not to know the LORD and refusing to let Israel go. He called the people idle for crying to go and sacrifice to their God, and on that ground laid the full former tale of bricks upon them. Pharaoh commanded the Egyptian taskmasters and their officers that the people should no longer be given straw for brickmaking as before but must go and gather straw and stubble for themselves, while the unchanged quota of bricks was still required.
Straw was mixed with clay or earth to hold sun-dried bricks together, and brickmaking employed many Israelite laborers. Having to find the material themselves while still meeting the same tale of bricks made the slavery more cruel and oppressive. The order was meant to leave them no time for resistance, and when the unchanged demand could not be met the Hebrew workers and their officers were beaten and punished for the shortfall.
The demand displayed Pharaoh's haughty defiance of God's authority and his delight in showing his power as ruler over those he could control by refusing to acknowledge God and bow to His authority. After this demand Moses declared that the God whom Pharaoh pretended not to know would compel him to yield to His claims and acknowledge His authority as supreme ruler. God purposed to overrule such defiance so that proud rulers would bow. Withholding straw while still demanding brick made the conditions of labor again and again harder and more exacting in an attempt to force Israel to labor through the week and crowd out Sabbath rest. This brought the Sabbath institution prominently before the people just before God delivered them to a place where they could observe unmolested all His precepts. For the Hebrews it was an unexpected trial of faith and suffering instead of the easy deliverance without hardship many had expected.
Working Without Needed Means
The verse pictures essential and demanding work that must be carried forward under added burdens and with fewer resources, where workers are ordered to produce without being given what the work requires, so that the work cannot advance. To demand production while withholding its means is unjust, the product of shortsighted ambition that lays burdens on workers without regard for their needs and feelings. It stands as a warning not to oppress or unfairly judge those laboring in God's work.
The image fits mission workers burdened by difficulties and decisions created by others and left to labor without necessary support. It is like requiring missionaries in foreign fields to work without the facilities and means they need, and like telling workers to go without providing facilities or help. The new missionary work in Melbourne was in that same condition, expected to carry on demanding work while the resources needed for it were withheld through the hindering decisions of others.
Brickmaking depended on a supply of straw, and without that essential material the work was hindered and could not be done. In the same way working without money is difficult, and lack of money and equipment handicaps building work. Lack of money and facilities handicapped the starting and enlarging of the work in Australia because needed support had not been provided. The work at Cooranbong was handicapped without money and equipment, needing book royalties and practical resources including a printing press to support the school's work. The Huntsville school likewise could not proceed without practical assistance and resources, especially the money needed to support it.
The phrase also describes workers making desperate efforts to advance their work while burdened by severe difficulties beyond their control. To demand the preparation of books while denying the means to pay the workers and meet printing costs is such an impossible burden. Mission work left without resources through mismanagement and misuse of funds elsewhere yet determined to continue illustrates the same deprivation, so that money was borrowed to advance it. The attempt at Nashville to push the publishing work beyond available resources into debt shows the opposite danger, warning that God's work should not be pushed forward faster than available means allow, even when this means waiting.
Pharaoh spoke these words the same day Moses and Aaron asked only for leave for Israel to go three days into the wilderness to sacrifice and worship God, answering that he did not know the LORD and would not let them go. He ordered the taskmasters and officers to give the people no more straw for brickmaking as before but to make them go and gather straw and stubble for themselves, while still laying on them the full former number of bricks. Since straw was mixed with clay to hold sun-dried bricks together and brickmaking employed many laborers, forcing them to find the material themselves made the bondage more cruel and oppressive and exposed workers and their officers to beating when the unchanged quota could not be met. The demand was haughty defiance of God and delight in power over those he could control, yet God purposed to overrule it until the proud ruler bowed and acknowledged His authority as supreme. Withholding what was needed while still demanding the work is unjust and shortsighted, and it stands as a warning against burdening God's workers without regard for their needs, whether by denying missionaries needed facilities and means or by pushing the work beyond available resources.
Pharaoh's Harsher Bondage
The command was given the same day Moses and Aaron made their modest request for only a three days' journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to God and worship Him, which Pharaoh answered by claiming not to know the LORD and refusing to let Israel go. He called the people idle for crying to go and sacrifice to their God, and on that ground laid the full former tale of bricks upon them. Pharaoh commanded the Egyptian taskmasters and their officers that the people should no longer be given straw for brickmaking as before but must go and gather straw and stubble for themselves, while the unchanged quota of bricks was still required.
Straw was mixed with clay or earth to hold sun-dried bricks together, and brickmaking employed many Israelite laborers. Having to find the material themselves while still meeting the same tale of bricks made the slavery more cruel and oppressive. The order was meant to leave them no time for resistance, and when the unchanged demand could not be met the Hebrew workers and their officers were beaten and punished for the shortfall.
The demand displayed Pharaoh's haughty defiance of God's authority and his delight in showing his power as ruler over those he could control by refusing to acknowledge God and bow to His authority. After this demand Moses declared that the God whom Pharaoh pretended not to know would compel him to yield to His claims and acknowledge His authority as supreme ruler. God purposed to overrule such defiance so that proud rulers would bow. Withholding straw while still demanding brick made the conditions of labor again and again harder and more exacting in an attempt to force Israel to labor through the week and crowd out Sabbath rest. This brought the Sabbath institution prominently before the people just before God delivered them to a place where they could observe unmolested all His precepts. For the Hebrews it was an unexpected trial of faith and suffering instead of the easy deliverance without hardship many had expected.
Working Without Needed Means
The verse pictures essential and demanding work that must be carried forward under added burdens and with fewer resources, where workers are ordered to produce without being given what the work requires, so that the work cannot advance. To demand production while withholding its means is unjust, the product of shortsighted ambition that lays burdens on workers without regard for their needs and feelings. It stands as a warning not to oppress or unfairly judge those laboring in God's work.
The image fits mission workers burdened by difficulties and decisions created by others and left to labor without necessary support. It is like requiring missionaries in foreign fields to work without the facilities and means they need, and like telling workers to go without providing facilities or help. The new missionary work in Melbourne was in that same condition, expected to carry on demanding work while the resources needed for it were withheld through the hindering decisions of others.
Brickmaking depended on a supply of straw, and without that essential material the work was hindered and could not be done. In the same way working without money is difficult, and lack of money and equipment handicaps building work. Lack of money and facilities handicapped the starting and enlarging of the work in Australia because needed support had not been provided. The work at Cooranbong was handicapped without money and equipment, needing book royalties and practical resources including a printing press to support the school's work. The Huntsville school likewise could not proceed without practical assistance and resources, especially the money needed to support it.
The phrase also describes workers making desperate efforts to advance their work while burdened by severe difficulties beyond their control. To demand the preparation of books while denying the means to pay the workers and meet printing costs is such an impossible burden. Mission work left without resources through mismanagement and misuse of funds elsewhere yet determined to continue illustrates the same deprivation, so that money was borrowed to advance it. The attempt at Nashville to push the publishing work beyond available resources into debt shows the opposite danger, warning that God's work should not be pushed forward faster than available means allow, even when this means waiting.