English Explanation

1. “But he said”

The speaker in this verse is Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. Moses and Aaron had approached him because God had commanded them to tell Pharaoh to release the Israelites so that they could worship Him.

Rather than responding with humility, Pharaoh became increasingly hostile. His answer demonstrates the hardness of his heart and his refusal to recognize God’s authority.

Pharaoh did not see Moses’ request as a genuine command from God. Instead, he treated it as an excuse invented by people who supposedly wanted to escape their responsibilities.

2. “Ye are idle, ye are idle”

The word “idle” means inactive or having nothing useful to do. Pharaoh repeated the word to emphasize his accusation.

From Pharaoh’s perspective, the Israelites were asking for time away from their labor because they supposedly had too much free time. But the surrounding verses show that this accusation was unjust. The Israelites were already suffering under forced labor.

Pharaoh’s statement is important because it shows how a cruel ruler can misinterpret the legitimate needs of oppressed people. Instead of recognizing their suffering, he blamed them for it.

The repetition—“Ye are idle, ye are idle”—also shows Pharaoh’s determination. He was not interested in understanding the Israelites. He had already decided that their request was simply an excuse.

3. “Therefore ye say”

Pharaoh connected what he believed was the Israelites’ supposed idleness with their desire to worship God.

His reasoning was essentially: You are asking to leave because you do not have enough work.

But this reasoning was false. The Israelites were not seeking worship because they had nothing to do. They were seeking to obey the command of God.

This teaches an important spiritual lesson: people may misunderstand obedience to God, especially when obedience conflicts with worldly expectations.

4. “Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD”

The Israelites’ request was centered on worship. Moses had told Pharaoh that the LORD required His people to go into the wilderness and hold a feast and offer sacrifices to Him.

The phrase “to the LORD” is significant. The Israelites were not merely looking for recreation or personal comfort. They were responding to God’s command.

Worship was part of God’s purpose in bringing Israel out of Egypt. Their deliverance was not only about removing them from physical slavery. God was establishing them as His people and calling them to serve Him.

5. Pharaoh’s misunderstanding of worship

Pharaoh considered worship a distraction from labor. He wanted the Israelites to remain focused entirely on producing bricks and serving Egypt.

This presents a powerful contrast:

• Pharaoh demanded labor for Egypt.
• God called Israel to worship and serve Him.
• Pharaoh sought to increase their burden.
• God was preparing to bring them into freedom.

The verse therefore belongs to a larger story about God’s deliverance.

6. A lesson about difficult circumstances

Sometimes people may face circumstances where doing what is right appears to make life more difficult. The Israelites experienced this immediately after Moses delivered God’s message to Pharaoh.

Instead of becoming easier, their work became harder.

This can be an important lesson for believers. Difficult circumstances do not necessarily mean that God’s purpose has failed. In Exodus, the increased pressure became part of the story leading toward God’s dramatic deliverance of Israel.

The verse encourages readers to distinguish between temporary circumstances and God’s ultimate purpose.

7. Pharaoh’s accusation was not the final word

Pharaoh called the Israelites idle, but his accusation did not determine their identity or their future.

God had already heard their cries and remembered His covenant. The story would eventually lead to the Exodus, when the Israelites would leave Egypt.

This reminds readers that human authority is limited. A powerful ruler may make accusations, impose burdens, or attempt to prevent God’s purposes, but God’s plan does not depend upon human approval.

Spiritual Lessons from Exodus 5:17

Worship is not wasted time

Pharaoh treated worship as an interruption to productive work. Scripture presents worship very differently. Worship acknowledges God’s authority and reminds people that their lives are ultimately accountable to Him.

Do not judge a situation only by immediate circumstances

After Moses spoke to Pharaoh, the Israelites experienced greater hardship. From their immediate perspective, the situation seemed to become worse.

However, the larger story shows that God was still working. Difficult circumstances should therefore be considered in light of God’s greater purposes.

Oppression can distort people’s understanding

Pharaoh interpreted the Israelites’ request through his own desire for productivity and control. He did not understand their spiritual need or God’s command.

This warns us against judging others without understanding their circumstances.

God’s purposes cannot be permanently stopped

Pharaoh had enormous political power, but he could not ultimately prevent God’s plan for Israel.

The Exodus demonstrates that God’s purposes can continue even when powerful people oppose them.

Urdu Explanation

“But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle”

اس آیت میں فرعون بنی اسرائیل کی درخواست کا جواب دے رہا ہے۔ موسیٰ اور ہارون نے فرعون کے سامنے God کا حکم پیش کیا تھا کہ بنی اسرائیل کو جانے دیا جائے تاکہ وہ wilderness میں جا کر LORD کی عبادت کریں اور قربانی پیش کریں۔

لیکن فرعون نے ان کی بات ماننے کے بجائے ان پر الزام لگایا کہ وہ idle یعنی فارغ ہیں۔

فرعون کا خیال تھا کہ اگر بنی اسرائیل عبادت کرنے کے لیے جانے کی بات کر رہے ہیں تو اس کی وجہ یہ ہے کہ ان کے پاس کام کم ہے۔ لیکن حقیقت اس کے بالکل برعکس تھی۔ بنی اسرائیل پہلے ہی سخت مشقت اور غلامی میں زندگی گزار رہے تھے۔

“Ye are idle, ye are idle”

فرعون نے “idle” کا لفظ دو مرتبہ استعمال کیا۔ اس تکرار سے اس کی سختی اور الزام لگانے کا انداز ظاہر ہوتا ہے۔

وہ بنی اسرائیل کی تکلیف کو سمجھنے کے بجائے ان ہی کو قصوروار قرار دے رہا تھا۔ اس نے یہ سمجھنے کی کوشش نہیں کی کہ وہ کیوں عبادت کرنا چاہتے ہیں اور ان کی حالت کیا ہے۔

یہ ہمارے لیے ایک اہم سبق ہے کہ بعض اوقات طاقتور لوگ دوسروں کے حقیقی مسائل کو سمجھنے کے بجائے ان پر الزام لگا دیتے ہیں۔

“Therefore ye say”

فرعون نے بنی اسرائیل کی عبادت کی خواہش کو ان کی مبینہ فراغت سے جوڑ دیا۔

لیکن بنی اسرائیل عبادت اس لیے نہیں کرنا چاہتے تھے کہ ان کے پاس کوئی کام نہیں تھا۔ وہ God کے حکم کی پیروی کرنا چاہتے تھے۔

یہاں ہمیں معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ God کی فرمانبرداری ہمیشہ دنیاوی لوگوں کو قابلِ قبول نہیں ہوتی۔ بعض اوقات جو چیز God کے نزدیک فرمانبرداری ہوتی ہے، دنیا اسے بہانہ یا کمزوری سمجھ سکتی ہے۔

“Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD”

یہ الفاظ بنی اسرائیل کی اصل خواہش کو ظاہر کرتے ہیں۔ وہ LORD کی عبادت کرنا اور قربانی پیش کرنا چاہتے تھے۔

God کا مقصد صرف بنی اسرائیل کو مصر کی غلامی سے نکالنا نہیں تھا بلکہ انہیں اپنی قوم کے طور پر قائم کرنا اور اپنی عبادت کے لیے بلانا بھی تھا۔

اس لیے عبادت بنی اسرائیل کے لیے غیر ضروری سرگرمی نہیں تھی۔ یہ ان کے God کے ساتھ تعلق کا بنیادی حصہ تھی۔

فرعون اور God کے مقصد میں فرق

اس واقعے میں فرعون اور God کے مقصد کے درمیان واضح فرق نظر آتا ہے۔

فرعون چاہتا تھا کہ بنی اسرائیل مسلسل مصر کے لیے کام کرتے رہیں، جبکہ God انہیں غلامی سے نکال کر اپنی خدمت اور عبادت کے لیے آزاد کرنا چاہتا تھا۔

فرعون نے ان کا بوجھ بڑھا دیا، لیکن God ان کی آزادی کی طرف کام کر رہا تھا۔

یہ ہمیں یاد دلاتا ہے کہ ظاہری حالات ہمیشہ God کے آخری مقصد کو ظاہر نہیں کرتے۔

مشکل حالات میں ایمان

موسیٰ کے فرعون کے پاس جانے کے بعد بنی اسرائیل کی مشکلات کم نہیں ہوئیں بلکہ بڑھ گئیں۔ انہیں پہلے سے زیادہ مشکل حالات کا سامنا کرنا پڑا۔

اس سے یہ سبق ملتا ہے کہ God کی فرمانبرداری کا مطلب یہ نہیں کہ ہر مسئلہ فوراً ختم ہو جائے گا۔ بعض اوقات God کے مقصد کی تکمیل کے دوران حالات وقتی طور پر زیادہ مشکل محسوس ہو سکتے ہیں۔

لیکن Exodus کی پوری کہانی ظاہر کرتی ہے کہ God بنی اسرائیل کو نہیں بھولا تھا۔ آخرکار وہ انہیں مصر سے باہر لے آیا۔