But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.

EXODUS 5:17KJV
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Exodus 5:17 (KJV)

What does Exodus 5:17 mean?

Exodus 5:17 records Pharaoh accusing the Israelites of being lazy, saying that their request to go and sacrifice to the LORD is just an excuse to avoid work. Pharaoh insists that their desire to worship is a sign of idleness, not a genuine religious need.

In this scene, Pharaoh is speaking to the Israelite foremen after they have complained about the harsh labor demands. He repeats the charge of laziness ("Ye are idle, ye are idle") to dismiss their plea for time off to worship God. Pharaoh’s words show his refusal to recognize the Israelites’ spiritual concerns and his intent to keep them focused on their labor.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 5:17

  • "idle" (רָפָה, raphah): This word often means to be slack, weak, or lacking in effort. Pharaoh uses it to accuse the Israelites of shirking their duties, suggesting that their wish to worship is just a cover for laziness.
  • "sacrifice" (זָבַח, zavach): This word refers to offering a sacrifice, usually as an act of worship. Pharaoh’s mention of sacrifice shows he understands the Israelites’ request, but he treats it as a pretext rather than a sincere act of faith.
  • "LORD" (יְהוָה, YHWH): This is the personal name of the God of Israel. Pharaoh’s use of this name shows he knows exactly which God the Israelites want to worship, but he still refuses to take their request seriously.

Why Exodus 5:17 matters

  • This verse highlights Pharaoh’s hard-heartedness and unwillingness to acknowledge the Israelites’ needs or their God, setting the stage for the conflict that follows.
  • Pharaoh’s repeated accusation of laziness reveals his strategy to control the Israelites by discrediting their motives and increasing their burdens.
  • Understanding Pharaoh’s attitude here helps explain why God’s later actions against Egypt are so dramatic—Pharaoh is shown as stubborn and dismissive from the start.

Where else these words appear

“idle” Hebrew H7503 · used in 45 verses

  • Exodus 4:26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
  • 2 Samuel 4:1 And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.
  • Proverbs 4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.

“sacrifice” Hebrew H2076 · used in 127 verses

  • Genesis 31:54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.
  • 1 Samuel 2:13 And the priests' custom with the people was, that, when any man offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand;
  • 2 Chronicles 15:11 And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.