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 afterwards, Moses and Aaron went in and said unto Pharaoh, —Thus, saith Yahweh God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.

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.”

Then said Pharaoh, Who is Yahweh that I should hearken to his voice, to let Israel go? I know not Yahweh, and certainly. Israel, will I not let go!

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 said, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us, —let us go, we pray thee, a journey of three days into the desert and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, lest he fall upon 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 said unto them, Wherefore O Moses and Aaron should ye loose the people from their works? 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.”

And Pharaoh said, Lo! many—now, are the people of the land, —and are ye to make them rest from their burdens?

6 That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen:

So then Pharaoh gave command on that day, unto the taskmasters over the people and unto their overseers—saying:

7 “You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw.

Ye shall no more give straw unto the people, for making the bricks as heretofore: Let them, go, themselves, so shall they gather for themselves straw:

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.’

Nevertheless, the fixed number of bricks, which they have been making heretofore, shall ye lay upon them, ye shall not diminish therefrom, —for idle, they are, on this account, it is that they are making an outcry, saying, We must go our way, we must sacrifice to our God.

9 Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to these lies.”

The service must be made heavy on the men that they may labour on it, —and let them not pay regard to words of falsehood.

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 forth the taskmasters of the people and their overseers, and spake unto the people, —saying, —Thus, saith Pharaoh, I am not going to give you straw,

11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’”

Ye yourselves go fetch you straw, of any ye can find, —yet hath there not been diminished from your service a single thing.

12 So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

So the people dispersed themselves throughout 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.”

the taskmasters, meanwhile, being urgent saying, —Complete your works, The task of a day, in its day, as when the straw was provided.

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?”

Then were beaten the overseers of the sons of Israel, whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had set over them saying: Wherefore have ye not completed your task for making bricks, as heretofore, so also, yesterday and, to-day?

15 So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way?

Then came in the overseers of the sons of Israel, and made outcry unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore shouldst thou do thus to thy 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.”

No straw, is given to thy servants, yet bricks, —they keep saying to us—make ye! And lo, thy servants, are beaten—thou dost, therefore, wrong thy people.

17 “You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’

But he said: Idle, ye are—idle, on this account, are, ye, saying, We must take our journey, we must sacrifice to Yahweh.

18 Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.”

Now, therefore, go labour, but, straw, shall not be given you, —yet the tale of bricks, shall ye render.

19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.”

Then did the overseers of the sons of Israel see themselves to be in an evil case, when it was said, —Ye shall not diminish from your bricks—the task of a day, in its day

20 When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.

So they fell upon Moses and upon Aaron, stationing themselves to meet them, —as they came forth 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 they said unto them, Yahweh look upon you and judge, —in that ye have made us odious in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants, putting 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 returned unto Yahweh and said, —O My Lord wherefore hast thou caused harm to this people? Wherefore now didst thou send 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.”

seeing that from what time I came in unto Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done harm to this people, and thou hast not delivered, thy people,