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 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.’”

2 And Pharao said, Who is he that I should listen 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.

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.”

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.

“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.”

4 And the king of Egypt said to them, Why do you, 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 do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labor!”

5 And Pharao said, Behold now, the people is very numerous; let us not then give them rest from their work.

Pharaoh also said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you would be stopping them from their labor.”

6 And Pharao gave orders to the taskmasters of the people and the accountants, saying,

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

7 You 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.

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

8 And you shall impose on them daily the rate of brick-making which they perform: you shall not abate anything, for they are idle; therefore have they cried, saying, Let us arise and do sacrifice to our God.

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.’

9 Let the works of these men be made grievous, and let them care for these things, and not care for vain words.

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

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 taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am no longer giving you straw.

11 Go you, yourselves, get for yourselves straw whenever you can find it, for nothing is diminished from your rate.

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

12 So the people were dispersed in all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.

So the people scattered all over 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 pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”

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 you not fulfilled your rates of brick work as yesterday and the third day, today also?

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?”

15 And the accountants of the children of Israel went in and cried to Pharao, saying, Why do you act thus to your servants?

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

16 Straw is not given to your servants, and they tell us to make brick; and behold your servants have been scourged: you will therefore injure your people.

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.”

17 And he said to them, You are idle, you are idlers: therefore you say, Let us go [and] do sacrifice to our God.

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

18 Now then go and work, for straw shall not be given to you, yet you shall return the rate of bricks.

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

19 And the accountants of the children of Israel saw themselves in an evil plight, [men] saying, You shall not fail to deliver the daily rate of the brick-making.

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

20 And they met Moses and Aaron coming forth to meet them, as they came forth from Pharao.

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

21 And they said to them, The Lord look upon you and judge you, for you have made our savour abominable before Pharao, and before his servants, to put a sword into his hands to kill us.

“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!”

22 And Moses turned to the Lord, and said, I pray, Lord, why have you afflicted this people? and therefore have you sent me?

So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me?

23 For from the time that I went to Pharao to speak in your name, he has afflicted this people, and you have not delivered your people.

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.”