Exodus 5
1 And after this went in Moses and Aaron to Pharao, and they said to him, These things says the Lord God of Israel, Send my people away, that they may keep a feast to me in the wilderness.
After these things happened, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so they can have a festival for me in the wilderness.'”
2 And Pharao said, Who is he that I should hearken to his voice, so that I should send away the children of Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.
Pharaoh said, “Who is Yahweh? Why should I listen to his voice and let Israel go? I do not know Yahweh; moreover, I will not let Israel go.”
3 And they say to him, The God of the Hebrews has called us to him: we will go therefore a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest at any time death or slaughter happen to us.
They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to Yahweh our God so that he does not attack us with plague or with the sword.”
4 And the king of Egypt said to them, Why do ye, Moses and Aaron, turn the people from their works? depart each of you to your works.
But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people from their work? Go back to your work.”
5 And Pharao said, Behold now, the people is very numerous; let us not then give them rest from their work.
He also said, “There are now many people in our land, and you are making them stop their work.”
6 And Pharao gave orders to the task-masters of the people and the accountants, saying,
On that same day, Pharaoh gave a command to the people's taskmasters and foremen. He said,
7 Ye shall no longer give straw to the people for brick-making as yesterday and the third day; but let them go themselves, and collect straw for themselves.
“Unlike before, you must no longer give the people straw to make bricks. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8 And thou shalt impose on them daily the rate of brick-making which they perform: thou shalt not abate anything, for they are idle; therefore have they cried, saying, Let us arise and do sacrifice to our God.
However, you must still demand from them the same number of bricks as they made before. Do not accept any fewer, because they are lazy. That is why they are calling out and saying, 'Allow us to go and sacrifice to our God.'
9 Let the works of these men be made grievous, and let them care for these things, and not care for vain words.
Increase the workload for the men so that they keep at it and pay no more attention to deceptive words.”
10 And the taskmasters and the accountants hastened them, and they spoke to the people, saying, thus says Pharao, I [will] give you straw no longer.
So the people's taskmasters and foremen went out and informed the people. They said, “This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will no longer give you any straw.
11 Go ye, yourselves, get for yourselves straw whencesoever ye can find it, for nothing is diminished from your rate.
You yourselves must go and get straw wherever you can find it, but your workload will not be reduced.'”
12 So the people were dispersed in all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.
So the people scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
13 and the taskmasters hastened them, saying, Fulfil your regular daily tasks, even as when straw was given you.
The taskmasters kept urging them and saying, “Finish your work, just as when straw was given to you.”
14 And the accountants of the race of the children of Israel, who were set over them by the masters of Pharao, were scourged, [[and questioned, ] men] saying, Why have ye not fulfilled your rates of brick-work as yesterday and the third day, to-day also?
Pharaoh's taskmasters beat the Israelite foremen, those same men whom they had put in charge of the workers. The taskmasters kept asking them, “Why have you not produced all the bricks required of you, either yesterday and today, as you used to do in the past?”
15 And the accountants of the children of Israel went in and cried to Pharao, saying, Why dost thou act thus to thy servants?
So the Israelite foremen came to Pharaoh and cried out to him. They said, “Why are you treating your servants this way?
16 Straw is not given to thy servants, and they tell us to make brick; and behold thy servants have been scourged: thou wilt therefore injure thy people.
No straw is being given to your servants anymore, but they are still telling us, 'Make bricks!' We, your servants, are even beaten now, but it is the fault of your own people.”
17 And he said to them, Ye are idle, ye are idlers: therefore ye say, Let us go [and] do sacrifice to our God.
But Pharaoh said, “You are lazy! You are lazy! You say, 'Allow us to go sacrifice to Yahweh.'
18 Now then go and work, for straw shall not be given to you, yet ye shall return the rate of bricks.
So now go back to work. No more straw will be given to you, but you must still make the same number of bricks.”
19 And the accountants of the children of Israel saw themselves in an evil plight, [men] saying, Ye shall not fail to deliver the daily rate of the brick-making.
The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily number of bricks.”
20 And they met Moses and Aaron coming forth to meet them, as they came forth from Pharao.
They met Moses and Aaron, who were standing outside the palace, as they went away from Pharaoh.
21 And they said to them, The Lord look upon you and judge you, for ye have made our savour abominable before Pharao, and before his servants, to put a sword into his hands to slay us.
They said to Moses and Aaron, “May Yahweh look at you and punish you, because you have made us offensive in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants. You have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
22 And Moses turned to the Lord, and said, I pray, Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? and wherefore hast thou sent me?
Moses went back to Yahweh and said, “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you send me in the first place?
23 For from the time that I went to Pharao to speak in thy name, he has afflicted this people, and thou hast not delivered thy people.
Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak to him in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have not set your people free at all.”
