Moses and Aaron have received their charge from the Lord. The Lord has bestowed specific "miracle-type" powers on the two of them to use in convincing the Egyptian Pharaoh and the Israelites that they represent the Lord.

The Lord puts miracle power into Moses’ rod (Exodus 4:2-5), and bestows upon him other mystical powers, including the ability to change water into blood (Exodus 4:6-9). They use these powers to convince the Israelites in Egypt that the Lord has appointed the two of them to help free them from the Egyptian Pharaoh’s bondage (Exodus 4:29-31).

In Exodus Chapter 5, we learn that Moses and Aaron now confront the Pharaoh. They tell Pharaoh that they represent the Lord of the Israelites, and that the Lord instructs the Pharaoh to "Let my people go."

"Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?" Pharaoh responds. "I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." (Exodus 5:2).

Moses and Aaron again demand that Pharaoh free the Israelites from bondage, or the Lord with punish Egypt with "pestilence, or with the sword."

The Pharaoh grows angry and demands to know why Moses and Aaron want to free the Israelites from the heavy labor that the Pharaoh has prescribed for them. He order Moses and Aaron to get busy themselves with heavy labor. The Pharaoh then takes an additional punitive step. He orders the Egyptian officers to increase the burden on the Israelites. Previously, the Egyptians had gathered the straw that was used in the Israelites brick-making chores. Pharaoh orders that the Israelites must now gather straw themselves for brick making, and must do so without lowering their quota each day of bricks made. (Exodus 5:6-8).

Pharaoh also ordered the workload on the Israelites be further increased and told his officers to ignore any pleas of mercy by the Israelites. The Israelites were beaten and workloads substantially increased.

The heads of the Israelites tribes came personally to the Pharaoh and asked why the increased work load and beatings and other harsh treatment. The Pharaoh stood by his harsh demands, reinforcing his previous orders to increase the work loads and beatings.

As the Israelite leaders were leaving the Pharaoh’s quarters, Moses and Aaron were waiting for them to learn of the Pharaoh’s response to their request for mercy. The Israelites were critical of Moses and Aaron for making the Pharaoh mad at them. The Israelites told Moses that the Lord would judge him for making the Pharaoh so angry with them and increasing their labor burdens. (Exodus 5:21)

Moses listened to the Israelite leaders, and then returned to the Lord, asking why had the Lord instructed him and sent him to the Pharaoh, only with the result of increasing the pain of the Israelites. Moses questioned the Lord’s previous instructions:

"For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all." Exodus 5:23.

Moses was clearly discouraged because his appeal to the Pharaoh at the instruction of the Lord had only made things worse for the Israelites.

Next: The Lord renews his covenant with Moses

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