וַיָּ֥פֶץ הָעָ֖ם בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לְקֹשֵׁ֥שׁ קַ֖שׁ לַתֶּֽבֶן׃
So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
Read kabbalistic (mystical) interpretation of Exodus 5:12: and classical mystical sources.