Commentators note the tragic irony in this scene. The Israelite officers, following the custom of appealing directly to the king for justice, cried out to Pharaoh, believing he was unaware of their suffering. As John Gill explains, they had no idea that Pharaoh himself was the author of their misery. Their plea for relief was directed at the very source of their oppression, highlighting the futility of placing ultimate hope in worldly powers that may be the cause of the problem.