And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
The foremen faced a cruel bind: obey their taskmasters or protect those beneath them. Rather than tyrannize, they chose to suffer it themselves. They petitioned Pharaoh as they ought, yet their complaint only worsened their lot. Pharaoh mocked them for idleness while beating them senseless, calling their sacred obedience to God slothfulness toward his work. Men judge by appearance; God judges the heart.
AI summary
Commenting on Exodus 5:15-23
And they said unto them, the Lord look upon you and judge,.... Or, "will look upon you and judge" (q); and so it is either a prediction of what would be done to them, or an imprecation on them that God would take notice of their conduct, and punish them, or at least chastise them for acting the part they had, if not wickedly, yet...
And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us. (g) It is a grievous things for the servants of God to be accused of evil, especially by their brethren, when they do what their duty requires.