Pharaoh was reluctant because he could not afford to lose the Israelite slave labor that sustained Egypt's economy.
Les Feldick teaches that Pharaoh had a choice and could have let the Jews go, but the basis of his refusal was economics. He could not lose all that slave labor without ruining the nation, and Egypt was indeed ruined when Israel left. Pharaoh's repeated answer after each plague was, “I'll not let them go.”
Exodus 1:11 — This verse records the taskmasters and the treasure cities Israel built, showing the slave labor Pharaoh depended on.
Exodus 1:14 — This verse describes the bitter bondage and hard service Israel performed, giving the economic context behind Pharaoh's reluctance.
In Exodus 1:11-14, the Bible records that the Egyptians set taskmasters over the children of Israel to afflict them with their burdens. Israel built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses, and served with rigor. Verse 14 says the Egyptians made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. This is the biblical picture of Israel as Egypt's workforce.
Les Feldick teaches that Pharaoh's refusal to let the Israelites go was fundamentally economic. He explains that Pharaoh could have let them go, but when he was brought to the point of making a tough decision, he chose his own direction. Les says the basis of Pharaoh's refusal was economics: he could not lose all that slave labor without ruining the nation, and it did ruin it when they left. Les also points to Pharaoh's hard-hearted pattern. After every plague, Moses would essentially ask whether Pharaoh was ready to let the Jews go, and Pharaoh's answer was consistently, “I'll not let them go.” Les applies this to human nature: when people are brought to make up their mind for or against God and say no, it becomes easier to say no the next time. Les further describes the result of Israel's departure. Egypt was destitute economically, and by the time the Israelites had left, Egypt was a complete shambles economically, socially, militarily, and in every other way.
In Exodus 1:11, the Egyptians set taskmasters over Israel to afflict them with their burdens, and Israel built treasure cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses. Verses 13-14 say Israel served with rigor, and their lives were made bitter with hard bondage in mortar, brick, and all manner of service in the field.
Les says Pharaoh was brought to the point of making a tough decision, and the basis for his refusal was economics. He could not lose all that slave labor without ruining the nation. Egypt was indeed ruined when the Israelites left.
After every plague, Moses would go back to Pharaoh and essentially ask if he was ready to let the Jews go. Pharaoh could have said yes, but instead he chose his own direction and said, “I'll not let them go.” Les points out that once a person says no to God, it becomes easier to say no the next time.
Les says Egypt was destitute economically, and by the time Israel left, Egypt was a complete shambles economically, socially, and militarily. Israel took the wealth of Egypt because God moved the Egyptians to give it to them.
The 3-Day Journey: How Exodus Foreshadows the Resurrection of Christ
bit. And in chapter 4, once again, we'll come down to verse 29, where we now know that Moses and Aaron have been joined together, because when Moses cried about the fact that he didn't have a tongue and he couldn't speak, God, in His anger, said, Well, I'll let Aaron be your mouthpiece. And so consequently, this is what brought the two gentlemen together. Remember, they're brothers.
Egypt's Economic Devastation
Les notes that Egypt was destitute economically in every which way by the time the Jews left, showing the economic impact of Israel's departure.
Pharaoh's Repeated Refusal
Les explains that after each plague, when Moses asked if Pharaoh was ready to let the Jews go, Pharaoh chose his own direction and said, "I'll not let them go." He also applies this to human nature, noting it gets easier to say no each time.
Economics as the Basis for Refusal
Les explicitly states that the basis for Pharaoh not wanting to let them go was economics: he could not lose all that slave labor without ruining the nation, and it did ruin it when they left.
Israel's Slave Labor in Scripture
Les reads Scripture showing taskmasters, treasure cities, rigorous service, and bitter bondage, demonstrating that Israel was Egypt's workforce.
Egypt Left in Shambles
Les says Egypt was a complete shambles economically, socially, militarily, and in everything else by the time Israel left, and that Israel simply took the wealth of Egypt.
Moses, the Ark, and the Second Coming: Unlocking the Prophetic Pattern
He had it all. And on top of that, he was probably the economist. He was probably the chairman of the federal, well, I lost my word, for the banking system. He was probably, see, yeah. And he was in charge of just about everything in Egypt. And there was a lot of economics involved.
God’s Promise to Abraham: Understanding Genesis 12 & 15
Now in those 400 and some years, they go from 70-some souls, 72 I think, to about a time when Moses will lead them out on that night of the Passover, they'll be anywhere from three to seven million people, not counting the mixed multitude that came with them. So always remember that the nation of Israel became a nation of people while they were in slavery in Egypt.
Exodus 1:11: Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
This verse shows Israel's assigned labor and the treasure cities they built for Pharaoh.
Exodus 1:13: And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
This verse describes the harsh service Israel performed under the Egyptians.
Exodus 1:14: And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
This verse shows the burdensome labor that lay behind Pharaoh's economic reluctance.
Les Feldick teaches that Pharaoh's refusal was based on economics. He could not afford to lose all that slave labor because it would ruin the nation, and Egypt was indeed ruined when Israel left.
Yes. After each plague, Moses asked whether Pharaoh was ready to let the Jews go, and Pharaoh could have said yes. Instead, he chose his own direction and said no.
Les says Egypt was a complete shambles economically, socially, militarily, and in every other way. Israel took the wealth of Egypt because God caused the Egyptians to give it to them.
Watch the Teaching: The 3-Day Journey: How Exodus Foreshadows the Resurrection of Christ