Exodus 5:5

Pharaoh was thinking, ¹  “The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor.”

Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working."

Again Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!"

Look, there are many people here in Egypt, and you are stopping them from doing their work."

Pharaoh went on, "Look, I've got all these people bumming around, and now you want to reward them with time off?"

And Pharaoh said, Truly, the people of the land are increasing in number, and you are keeping them back from their work.

Pharaoh continued, "Now they are more numerous than the people of the land and yet you want them to stop working!"

And Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!"

Pharaoh was thinking, ¹  “The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor.”

¹ tn Heb “And Pharaoh said.” This is not the kind of thing that Pharaoh is likely to have said to Moses, and so it probably is what he thought or reasoned within himself. Other passages (like Exod 2:14; 3:3) show that the verb “said” can do this. (See U. Cassuto, Exodus, 67.)