Exodus 5:10Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The extent of this burden can be understood by noting that rather than finding straw readily available, the Israelites were compelled to scavenge through the fields, gathering the remnants of the harvest to bring back to their worksite. After crushing it, they could then put it to use. This verse seemingly provides insight into the season, with Cook suggesting it likely occurred near the end of April, shortly after the initial harvest of winter wheat and barley. It's important to remember that the series of plagues in Egypt spanned a year, and the Hebrews departed from Egypt in the following April.