Exodus 5
1 After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”
Then afterwarde Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may celebrate a feast vnto me in the wildernesse.
2 But Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.”
And Pharaoh saide, Who is the Lord, that I should heare his voyce, and let Israel go? I knowe not the Lord, neither will I let Israel goe.
3 “The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they answered. “Please let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD our God, or He may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”
And they saide, We worship the God of the Ebrewes: we pray thee, let vs goe three daies iourney in the desert, and sacrifice vnto the Lord our God, least he bring vpon vs the pestilence or sword.
4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labor!”
Then saide the King of Egypt vnto them, Moses and Aaron, why cause ye the people to cease from their workes? get you to your burdens.
5 Pharaoh also said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you would be stopping them from their labor.”
Pharaoh saide furthermore, Behold, much people is nowe in the lande, and ye make them leaue their burdens.
6 That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen:
Therefore Pharaoh gaue commandement the same day vnto the taskemasters of the people, and to their officers, saying,
7 “You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw.
Ye shall giue the people no more strawe, to make bricke (as in time past) but let them goe and gather them strawe them selues:
8 But require of them the same quota of bricks as before; do not reduce it. For they are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
Notwithstanding lay vpon them the nober of bricke, which they made in time past, diminish nothing thereof: for they be idle, therefore they crie, saying, Let vs go to offer sacrifice vnto our God.
9 Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to these lies.”
Lay more worke vpon the men, and cause them to do it, and let the not regard vaine words.
10 So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am no longer giving you straw.
Then went the taskemasters of the people and their officers out, and tolde the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will giue you no more strawe.
11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’”
Goe your selues, get you strawe where yee can finde it, yet shall nothing of your labour bee diminished.
12 So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
Then were the people scattered abroade throughout all the land of Egypt, for to gather stubble in steade of strawe.
13 The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”
And the taskemasters hasted them, saying, Finish your dayes worke euery dayes taske, as ye did when ye had strawe.
14 Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?”
And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaohs taskemasters had set ouer them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore haue ye not fulfilled your taske in making bricke yesterday and to daye, as in times past?
15 So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way?
Then the officers of the children of Israel came, and cryed vnto Pharaoh, saying, Wherfore dealest thou thus with thy seruants?
16 No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
There is no strawe giuen to thy seruantes, and they say vnto vs, Make bricke: and loe, thy seruants are beaten, and thy people is blamed.
17 “You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’
But he said, Ye are to much idle: therfore ye say, Let vs goe to offer sacrifice to the Lord.
18 Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.”
Goe therefore nowe and worke: for there shall no strawe be giuen you, yet shall yee deliuer the whole tale of bricke.
19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.”
Then the officers of the children of Israel sawe them selues in an euill case, because it was saide, Ye shall diminish nothing of your bricke, nor of euery dayes taske.
20 When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.
And they met Moses and Aaron, which stood in their way as they came out from Pharaoh,
21 “May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”
To whom they said, The Lord looke vpon you and iudge: for yee haue made our sauour to stinke before Pharaoh and before his seruants, in that ye haue put a sword in their hand to slay vs.
22 So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me?
Wherefore Moses returned to the Lord, and saide, Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou thus sent me?
23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and You have not delivered Your people in any way.”
For since I came to Pharaoh to speake in thy Name, he hath vexed this people, and yet thou hast not deliuered thy people.
