Discovery BoxExodus 5:16 
Context5:16 No straw is given to your servants, but we are told, 1 ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are even 2 being beaten, but the fault 3 is with your people.”
Exodus 21:13
Context21:13 But if he does not do it with premeditation, 4 but it happens by accident, 5 then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.
Exodus 32:32
Context32:32 But now, if you will forgive their sin…, 6 but if not, wipe me out 7 from your book that you have written.” 8
1 tn Heb “[they] are saying to us,” the line can be rendered as a passive since there is no expressed subject for the participle.
2 tn הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to the action reflected in the passive participle מֻכִּים (mukkim): “look, your servants are being beaten.”
3 tn The word rendered “fault” is the basic OT verb for “sin” – וְחָטָאת (vÿkhata’t). The problem is that it is pointed as a perfect tense, feminine singular verb. Some other form of the verb would be expected, or a noun. But the basic word-group means “to err, sin, miss the mark, way, goal.” The word in this context seems to indicate that the people of Pharaoh – the slave masters – have failed to provide the straw. Hence: “fault” or “they failed.” But, as indicated, the line has difficult grammar, for it would literally translate: “and you [fem.] sin your people.” Many commentators (so GKC 206 §74.g) wish to emend the text to read with the Greek and the Syriac, thus: “you sin against your own people” (meaning the Israelites are his loyal subjects).
4 tn Heb “if he does not lie in wait” (NASB similar).
5 tn Heb “and God brought into his hand.” The death is unintended, its circumstances outside human control.
6 tn The apodosis is not expressed; it would be understood as “good.” It is not stated because of the intensity of the expression (the figure is aposiopesis, a sudden silence). It is also possible to take this first clause as a desire and not a conditional clause, rendering it “Oh that you would forgive!”
7 tn The word “wipe” is a figure of speech indicating “remove me” (meaning he wants to die). The translation “blot” is traditional, but not very satisfactory, since it does not convey complete removal.
8 sn The book that is referred to here should not be interpreted as the NT “book of life” which is portrayed (figuratively) as a register of all the names of the saints who are redeemed and will inherit eternal life. Here it refers to the names of those who are living and serving in this life, whose names, it was imagined, were on the roster in the heavenly courts as belonging to the chosen. Moses would rather die than live if these people are not forgiven (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 356).
