**How Many Bricks Were Still Required?
In Exodus 5, the Israelites experienced one of the most severe moments of oppression under Pharaoh. After Moses and Aaron delivered God’s command—“Let My people go”—Pharaoh responded not with compliance, but with cruelty. A key aspect of this cruelty was the unrelenting brick-making quota. Understanding how many bricks were still required gives insight into the depth of their suffering and the nature of Pharaoh’s oppression.
1. The Original Brick Requirement
Before Moses confronted Pharaoh, the Israelites were already making bricks for Egypt’s construction projects. These bricks were typically composed of:
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Clay or mud
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Straw (chopped stubble used to bind the brick)
The workers were given the necessary straw, and daily quotas were enforced. Though the Bible does not specify the exact number of bricks required, historical Egyptian records show that:
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Quotas were strict
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Workers were punished if even a small number were missed
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Overseers had to report production daily
Thus, the Israelites already bore a heavy but consistent workload.
2. Pharaoh’s New Command: No Straw but Same Quota
When Pharaoh heard Moses’ demand, he interpreted it as a sign that the people were becoming “idle.” To increase their suffering and crush their hope, Pharaoh issued a harsh decree:
“You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, but the same number of bricks you shall require of them.”
— Exodus 5:7–8
This single command changed everything.
What did Pharaoh require?
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No reduction in the number of bricks
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No straw provided
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Workers had to gather their own straw
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Bricks still had to meet the exact quota as before
3. How Many Bricks Were Still Required?
Although Scripture does not give an exact numerical figure, it clearly states:
The entire quota remained the same.
This means:
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Every brick previously required was still required.
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No allowance was made for lost time spent searching for straw.
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Not a single brick could be missing from the daily tally.
The overseers repeatedly told them:
“Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.”
— Exodus 5:13
Thus, the answer is:
All bricks that had been required before were still required after.
There was zero reduction, zero flexibility, and zero mercy.
4. The Impact: Impossible Labor
With no straw supplied, the Israelites were forced to:
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Scatter across Egypt’s fields
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Collect stubble and leftover stalks
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Work from early morning until late night
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Attempt to keep the quota unchanged despite losing hours to gathering materials
As a result:
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The daily quota became impossible to meet.
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The Israelite foremen were beaten for failure to produce the required number of bricks.
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The people became exhausted, hopeless, and bitter.
This created a crisis that spread discouragement through the entire nation.
5. Why Pharaoh Enforced the Same Number of Bricks
Pharaoh’s goal was psychological as well as physical:
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To break their spirit
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To discredit Moses
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To make obedience to God appear costly
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To keep Israel enslaved through fear and impossibility
By refusing to lower the quota, Pharaoh ensured maximum suffering.
6. Theological Significance
The unchanged brick requirement demonstrates:
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The cruelty of human oppression
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The hopelessness of trying to please a wicked master
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How God allows pressure to increase before deliverance
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Why Israel needed divine salvation, not negotiation
God would soon show that no quota, no whip, and no command of Pharaoh could stop His plan.
Conclusion
How many bricks were still required?
Exactly the same number as before. Not one less.
Pharaoh kept the full quota in place to intensify Israel’s suffering. The Israelites had to produce all the bricks they had always produced, even though they were now forced to gather their own straw. This impossible demand set the stage for God’s mighty intervention and Israel’s deliverance.