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◄ Exodus 5:21►

New International Version
and they said, “May the LORD look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

New Living Translation
The foremen said to them, “May the LORD judge and punish you for making us stink before Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!”

English Standard Version
and they said to them, “The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

Berean Standard Bible
“May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And they said to them, “Let the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

New American Standard Bible
And they said to them, “May the LORD look upon you and judgeyou, because you have made us repulsive in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us!”

NASB 1995
They said to them, “May the LORD look upon you and judge you, for you have made us odious in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

NASB 1977
And they said to them, “May the LORD look upon you and judgeyou, for you have made us odious in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And they said to them, “May Yahweh look upon you and judge, for you have made us a foul smell in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

Amplified Bible
And the foremen said to them, “May the LORD look upon you and judge you, because you have made us odious (something hated) in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and you have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

Christian Standard Bible
“May the LORD take note of you and judge,” they said to them, “because you have made us reek to Pharaoh and his officials—putting a sword in their hand to kill us! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
May the LORD take note of you and judge,” they said to them, “because you have made us reek in front of Pharaoh and his officials—putting a sword in their hand to kill us!”

American Standard Version
and they said unto them, Jehovah look upon you, and judge: because ye have made our savor 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.

Contemporary English Version
Then the men said, "We hope the LORD will punish both of you for making the king and his officials hate us. Now they even have an excuse to kill us."

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So they said, "May the LORD see what you have done and judge you! You have made Pharaoh and his officials hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us."

Good News Translation
They said to Moses and Aaron, "The LORD has seen what you have done and will punish you for making the king and his officers hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us."

International Standard Version
The supervisors told them, "May the LORD look on you and judge you! You have made us repulsive to Pharaoh and his servants. You have put a sword in their hands to kill us."

NET Bible
and they said to them, "May the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the opinion of Pharaoh and his servants, so that you have given them an excuse to kill us!"

New Heart English Bible
and they said to them, "May God look at you, and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us."

Webster's Bible Translation
And they said to them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hands to slay us.

Majority Text Translations

Majority Standard Bible
“May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”

World English Bible
They said to them, “May Yahweh look at you and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us!”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and say to them, “YHWH look on you, and judge, because you have caused our fragrance to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants—to give a sword into their hand to slay us.”

Young's Literal Translation
and say unto them, 'Jehovah look upon you, and judge, because ye have caused our fragrance to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants -- to give a sword into their hand to slay us.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will say to them, Jehovah will look upon you and will judge, because ye made our odor hateful in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to give a sword into their hand to kill us.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they said to them: The Lord see and judge, because you have made our savour to stink before Pharao and his servants, and you have given him a sword to kill us.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they said to them: “May the Lord see and judge, because you have caused our odor to become foul before Pharaoh and his servants, and you have provided him with a sword, in order to kill us.”

New American Bible
and said to them, “The LORD look upon you and judge! You have made us offensive to Pharaoh and his servants, putting a sword into their hands to kill us.”

New Revised Standard Version
They said to them, “The LORD look upon you and judge! You have brought us into bad odor with Pharaoh and his officials, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And they said to them, May the LORD look upon you and judge; because you have made us to be in disfavor in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hands to kill us.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they said to them, “May LORD JEHOVAH look upon you and judge that you have made our spirit evil in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his Servants, to make us as a sword in their hands to destroy us.”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
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.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they said to them, The Lord look upon you and judge you, for ye have made our savour abominable before Pharao, and before his servants, to put a sword into his hands to slay us.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Cry of the Israelites
…20When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.21“May the LORD look upon you and judge you,”the foremen said,“for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials;you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”22So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me?…

Berean Standard Bible ·Download

Cross References

Numbers 16:41
The next day the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the LORD’s people!”

Numbers 14:2
All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness!

Numbers 20:3
The people quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had perished with our brothers before the LORD!

Numbers 21:5
and spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you led us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!”

1 Samuel 8:7
And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.

1 Samuel 12:19
They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king.”

1 Kings 18:17-18
When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” / “I have not troubled Israel,” Elijah replied, “but you and your father’s house have, for you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and have followed the Baals.

Jeremiah 18:18
Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.”

Jeremiah 38:4
Then the officials said to the king, “This man ought to die, for he is discouraging the warriors who remain in this city, as well as all the people, by speaking such words to them; this man is not seeking the well-being of these people, but their ruin.”

Ezekiel 3:7
But the house of Israel will be unwilling to listen to you, since they are unwilling to listen to Me. For the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted.

Matthew 27:25
All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

Luke 23:21
but they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

John 19:15
At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests.

Acts 7:35
This Moses, whom they had rejected with the words, ‘Who made you ruler and judge?’ is the one whom God sent to be their ruler and redeemer through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

Acts 7:39
But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.

Treasury of Scripture

And they said to them, The LORD look on you, and judge; because you have made our smell 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.

the Lord

Exodus 4:31
And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

Exodus 6:9
And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

Genesis 16:5
And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrongbe upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

our savour

Ecclesiastes 10:1
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour:so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdomand honour.

Joel 2:20
But I will remove far off from you the northernarmy, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.

2 Corinthians 2:15,16
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: …

to be abhorred.

Genesis 34:30
And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and Ibeing few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

1 Samuel 13:4
And all Israel heard saythat Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, andthat Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

1 Samuel 27:12
And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

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Exodus 5

1.Pharaoh chides Moses and Aaron for their message.
6.He increases the Israelites' task.
16.He ignores their complaints.
19.They cry out to Moses and Aaron.
22.Moses complains to God.

Study Bible

Book ◦ Chapter

“May the LORD look upon you and judge you,”
This phrase reflects the foremen's deep frustration and desperation. In the context of ancient Israel, invoking the LORD's judgment was a serious matter, indicating that the foremen felt deeply wronged. The foremen were likely Israelites appointed by the Egyptians to oversee their fellow Hebrews. Their plea for divine judgment suggests they believed Moses and Aaron had acted wrongly by confronting Pharaoh, leading to increased burdens on the Israelites. This reflects a common biblical theme where leaders are held accountable before God for their actions, as seen in1 Samuel 12:3-5, where Samuel calls upon the LORD to witness his integrity.

“the foremen said,”
The foremen were intermediaries between the Egyptian taskmasters and the Hebrew slaves. Their role was crucial in maintaining order and ensuring the completion of labor. Historically, this reflects the Egyptian practice of using local leaders to manage labor forces, a method that allowed for more efficient control over large groups of people. The foremen's position was precarious, as they were caught between the demands of the Egyptians and the suffering of their own people.

“for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials;”
The metaphor of being a "stench" indicates a severe loss of favor and respect. In the ancient Near East, maintaining honor and avoiding shame were vital cultural values. The foremen's complaint suggests that Moses and Aaron's actions had brought disgrace upon the Israelites, making them detestable to Pharaoh and his court. This echoes the broader biblical narrative where God's people often face scorn and rejection from worldly powers, as seen inJohn 15:18-19, where Jesus speaks of the world's hatred for His followers.

“you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”
This hyperbolic expression underscores the perceived danger and increased oppression resulting from Moses and Aaron's confrontation with Pharaoh. The "sword" symbolizes the power and authority of the Egyptians to inflict harm. Historically, the Israelites were already under harsh conditions, but the demand to produce bricks without straw (Exodus 5:7-8) intensified their suffering. This situation foreshadows the deliverance theme in Exodus, where God ultimately rescues His people from bondage, prefiguring the salvation offered through Jesus Christ, who delivers believers from the bondage of sin (Romans 6:18).

Persons / Places / Events

1.Moses and Aaron
Leaders chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. They are the recipients of the Israelites' complaint in this verse.

2.Israelite Foremen
These are the leaders among the Israelites who were responsible for overseeing the work of their fellow Israelites under Egyptian oppression. They confront Moses and Aaron after Pharaoh increases their burdens.

3.Pharaoh
The ruler of Egypt who refuses to let the Israelites go and increases their labor, making their situation more difficult.

4.Egypt
The land where the Israelites are enslaved. It represents a place of bondage and oppression in the biblical account.

5.The LORD (Yahweh)
The God of Israel, who has promised to deliver His people from slavery. The foremen invoke His judgment upon Moses and Aaron.

Teaching Points

Trust in God's Timing
The Israelites' immediate reaction to increased hardship was to blame Moses and Aaron, forgetting God's promise of deliverance. Believers today are reminded to trust in God's timing, even when circumstances seem to worsen.

The Danger of Short-Sightedness
The foremen's focus on their immediate suffering led them to lose sight of the bigger picture of God's plan. Christians are encouraged to maintain a long-term perspective, trusting that God is working for their good.

Responding to Leadership
The Israelites' reaction to Moses and Aaron serves as a cautionary tale about how we respond to God-appointed leaders. It is important to support and pray for those in leadership, even when their decisions lead to temporary discomfort.

Faith in Adversity
This passage challenges believers to maintain faith during trials, recognizing that God often uses difficult circumstances to bring about His purposes.

Bible Study Questions and Answers

1.What is the meaning of Exodus 5:21?

2.How does Exodus 5:21 reveal the Israelites' reaction to increased oppression?

3.What can we learn about faith under pressure from Exodus 5:21?

4.How does Exodus 5:21 connect to trusting God's plan despite adversity?

5.How should we respond to leadership when facing trials, according to Exodus 5:21?

6.What does Exodus 5:21 teach about maintaining hope in God's deliverance?

7.Why did the Israelites blame Moses and Aaron for their increased suffering in Exodus 5:21?

8.How does Exodus 5:21 reflect the Israelites' lack of faith in God's plan?

9.What does Exodus 5:21 reveal about leadership challenges in times of crisis?

10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 5?

11.How does faith influence the characters' journey?

12.Exodus 5:20-21: Would enslaved leaders realistically have such direct access to Pharaoh and survive speaking against him?

13.Exodus 5:1: Where is the historical or archaeological evidence of Moses confronting an Egyptian Pharaoh as described?

14.What were the Ten Plagues of Egypt in the Bible?

What Does Exodus 5:21 Mean

May the LORD look upon you and judge you

- The foremen appeal to God as the righteous Judge, asking Him to weigh Moses and Aaron’s actions.

•Genesis 16:5 records Sarai invoking the LORD’s judgment when feeling wronged, showing this was a customary cry for divine arbitration.

•Psalm 7:8 echoes the confidence that “the LORD judges the peoples,” underscoring that ultimate justice comes from Him, not human rulers.

- Their words reveal shaken faith: only days earlier they “believed” after Moses’ signs (Exodus 4:31). Now hardship tempts them to view their deliverers as culprits.

- Yet Scripture presents the plea literally—God does see (Exodus 2:25) and will indeed judge, vindicating His plan despite their frustration.

the foremen said

- These overseers had just been beaten for failing to meet brick quotas (Exodus 5:14). Their firsthand suffering gives weight to their protest.

- Their conversation with Moses happens “as they were leaving Pharaoh” (Exodus 5:20), illustrating how quickly emotional wounds can overflow into accusations.

- Like Job’s friends (Job 19:2), they speak out of pain, reminding us that suffering often shapes speech more than sound theology.

for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials

- “A stench” conveys being detestable or loathsome, similar to Jacob’s complaint “You have brought trouble on me by making me obnoxious to the inhabitants of the land” (Genesis 34:30).

- Pharaoh now views Israel as rebellious, not oppressed. This shift intensifies oppression, yet God had foretold Pharaoh’s hard heart (Exodus 4:21).

-1 Samuel 13:4 notes Israel becoming “an abomination to the Philistines,” reminding us that faithful steps can initially worsen worldly hostility.

you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!

- Hyperbole born of fear, but grounded in real danger—Pharaoh’s order could lead to lethal beatings (Exodus 5:16).

- Similar language appears when David tells Nathan, “You have given the enemies of the LORD great occasion to blaspheme” (2 Samuel 12:14); unintended consequences can empower evil hands.

- Yet God will flip the script: the oppressor’s figurative “sword” will become literal judgment against Egypt (Exodus 12:29). What seems like a disastrous setback is the very road God uses to magnify His glory (Romans 9:17).

summary

The foremen’s outburst captures the tension between immediate suffering and God’s promised salvation. They beg the LORD to judge Moses, blame him for worsening their reputation with Pharaoh, and fear fatal consequences. Scripture records their complaint honestly, yet the narrative soon proves that God has indeed “looked upon” His people and will judge Egypt, not Israel. Their cry of despair is real, but so is God’s faithful deliverance that follows.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21)Ye have made our savour to be abhorred.--Heb.,to stink. An idiom common to the Hebrews with the Egyptians (Comp.Genesis 34:30;1Samuel 13:4;2Samuel 10:6, &c, withPapyr. Anastas. 1:27, 7), and very expressive. The English idiom, "to be in bad odour with a person," is similar, but lacks the force of the Hebrew phrase.

In the eyes.--Mixed metaphors occur in all languages, and may generally be accounted for by the literal meaning of some familiar expression having come to be forgotten. In Heb.,liphney, "in the face of," andbe'eyney, "in the eyes of," were mere prepositions, having the force of "before," "with," "in regard to."

A sword . . . to slay us.--This was not, perhaps, mere Oriental hyperbole. The officers may have feared that their inability to enforce the Pharaoh's impracticable demands would ultimately lead to their execution.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. -They said unto them. The officers were too full of their wrongs to wait until questioned. They took the word, and, without relating the result of their interview, implied it. The Lord look upon you, and judge, they said, meaning "the Lord (Jehovah) consider your conduct, and judge it" not exactly, "condemn it and punish it" (Keil and Delitzsch) - but "pass sentence on it," "judge whether it has been right or not." We make this appeal because ye have at any rate done us a great injury - ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh. (Note the mixed metaphor, which shows- perhaps rather that "in the eyes" had lost its original meaning, and come to signify no more than "with" or "in respect of," than that the literal meaning of making a person's savour to "stink" did not occur to the writer.) Nay, ye have done more - ye have put a sword in the hand of his servants to slay us. That is to say, "ye have armed them with a weapon wherewith we expect that they will take our lives." Either they will beat us to death - and death is a not infrequent result of a repeated employment of the bastinado - or when they find that punishment unavailing they will execute us as traitors. On the use of the bastinado as a punishment in Egypt, see Chabas, 'Melanges Egyptologiques,' 3me serie, vol. 1. pp. 100-6.

CHAPTER 5:22, 23

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

“May the LORD
יְהוָ֛ה(Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068:LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

look upon you
יֵ֧רֶא(yê·re)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200:To see

and judge you,”
וְיִשְׁפֹּ֑ט(wə·yiš·pōṭ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8199:To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate

[the foremen] said,
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ(way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559:To utter, say

“for
אֲשֶׁ֧ר(’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834:Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you have made us a stench
הִבְאַשְׁתֶּ֣ם(hiḇ·’aš·tem)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 887:To smell bad, to be offensive

before
בְּעֵינֵ֤י(bə·‘ê·nê)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc
Strong's 5869:An eye, a fountain

Pharaoh
פַרְעֹה֙(p̄ar·‘ōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6547:Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kings

and his officials;
עֲבָדָ֔יו(‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5650:Slave, servant

you have placed
לָֽתֶת־(lā·ṯeṯ-)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5414:To give, put, set

in their hand
בְּיָדָ֖ם(bə·yā·ḏām)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 3027:A hand

a sword
חֶ֥רֶב(ḥe·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719:Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

to kill us!”
לְהָרְגֵֽנוּ׃(lə·hā·rə·ḡê·nū)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common plural
Strong's 2026:To smite with deadly intent

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OT Law: Exodus 5:21 And they said to them May Yahweh (Exo. Ex)