Contradiction with Exodus 23:12
This verse promotes rest and refreshment for laborers, contradicting Exodus 5:7 where additional burdens are imposed on the workers.
Exodus 23:12: Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.
Contradiction with Matthew 11:28
This verse offers rest to those who are burdened, contrasting with the increased workload without straw depicted in Exodus 5:7.
Matthew 11:28: Come unto me, all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Contradiction with Leviticus 25:4
This verse establishes a Sabbath of rest for the land, suggesting relief from labor, opposing the continual workload mandated in Exodus 5:7.
Leviticus 25:4: But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
Contradiction with Isaiah 58:6
This verse encourages loosening the chains of injustice and setting the oppressed free, which contrasts with the oppressive instructions of Exodus 5:7.
Isaiah 58:6: [Is] not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? [the heavy...: Heb. the bundles of the yoke] [oppressed: Heb. broken]
Contradiction with Deuteronomy 5:14
This verse commands rest for everyone, including servants, on the Sabbath, contradicting the lack of rest and increased workload in Exodus 5:7.
Deuteronomy 5:14: But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
Paradox #1
Exodus 5:7 talks about the Israelites no longer being given straw to make bricks, which they had to gather themselves. A possible contradiction comes from the fact that some historical records suggest that in ancient Egypt, bricks were often made without straw, particularly in the Nile Delta region where mud was plentiful. This raises questions about the historical accuracy of the specific work conditions described in the verse.
Paradox #2
Exodus 5:7 involves Pharaoh's command to stop providing straw for the Israelites to make bricks, yet still demanding the same amount of production. The moral conflict here is the unjust treatment of the Israelites. They were expected to maintain productivity without necessary resources, highlighting oppression and inequality. This action contrasts with principles of fairness and compassion, suggesting a moral inconsistency between the command and ethical treatment of laborers.