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.’”
And afterward Moses and Aaron have entered, and they say to Pharaoh, “Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Send My people away, and they keep a celebration for Me in the wilderness”;
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 says, “Who [is] YHWH, that I listen to His voice to send Israel away? I have not known YHWH, and I also do not send Israel away.”
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 say, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us; please let us go a journey of three days into the wilderness, and we sacrifice to our God YHWH, lest He meet us with pestilence or with 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!”
And the king of Egypt says to them, “Why, Moses and Aaron, do you free the people from its works? Go 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 also says, “Behold, the people of the land [are] numerous now, and you have caused them to cease from their burdens!”
6 That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen:
And on that day Pharaoh commands the exactors among the people and its authorities, saying,
7 “You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw.
“You do not add to give straw to the people for the making of the bricks as before—they go and have gathered straw for themselves;
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.’
and you put on them the proper quantity of the bricks which they are making before, you do not diminish from it, for they are remiss, therefore they are crying, saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to our God;
9 Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to these lies.”
let the service be heavy on the men, and let them work at it, and not be dazzled by lying 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.
And the exactors of the people, and its authorities, go out, and speak to the people, saying, “Thus said Pharaoh: I do not give you straw,
11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’”
you—go, take straw for yourselves where you can find [it], for there is nothing diminished of your service.”
12 So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
And the people are scattered over all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw,
13 The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”
and the exactors are making haste, saying, “Complete your works, the matter of a day in its day, as when there is straw.”
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 authorities of the sons of Israel, whom the exactors of Pharaoh have placed over them, are beaten, saying, “Why have you not completed your portion in making brick as before, both yesterday and today?”
15 So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way?
And the authorities of the sons of Israel come in and cry to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you do thus to your servants?
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.”
Straw is not given to your servants, and they are saying to us, Make bricks, and behold, your servants are struck—and your people have sinned.”
17 “You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’
And he says, “Remiss—you are remiss, therefore you are saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to YHWH;
18 Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.”
and now, go, serve; and straw is not given to you, and you give the [required] measure of bricks.”
19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.”
And the authorities of the sons of Israel see them in affliction, saying, “You do not diminish from your bricks; the matter of a day in its day.”
20 When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.
And they meet Moses and Aaron standing to meet them in their coming 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!”
and say to them, “YHWH look on you, and judge, because you have caused our fragrance to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants—to give a sword into their hand to slay us.”
22 So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me?
And Moses turns back to YHWH and says, “Lord, why have You done evil to this people? Why [is] this [that] You have 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.”
And since I have come to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, he has done evil to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.”
