Exodus 5

1 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.

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.

2 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.

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.

3 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.

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.

4 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.

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.

5 Pharaoh saide furthermore, Behold, much people is nowe in the lande, and ye make them leaue their burdens.

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

6 Therefore Pharaoh gaue commandement the same day vnto the taskemasters of the people, and to their officers, saying,

And Pharao gave orders to the task-masters of the people and the accountants, saying,

7 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:

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.

8 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.

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.

9 Lay more worke vpon the men, and cause them to do it, and let the not regard vaine words.

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

10 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.

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.

11 Goe your selues, get you strawe where yee can finde it, yet shall nothing of your labour bee diminished.

Go ye, yourselves, get for yourselves straw whencesoever ye can find it, for nothing is diminished from your rate.

12 Then were the people scattered abroade throughout all the land of Egypt, for to gather stubble in steade of strawe.

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

13 And the taskemasters hasted them, saying, Finish your dayes worke euery dayes taske, as ye did when ye had strawe.

and the taskmasters hastened them, saying, Fulfil your regular daily tasks, even as when straw was given you.

14 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?

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?

15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came, and cryed vnto Pharaoh, saying, Wherfore dealest thou thus with thy seruants?

And the accountants of the children of Israel went in and cried to Pharao, saying, Why dost thou act thus to thy servants?

16 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.

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.

17 But he said, Ye are to much idle: therfore ye say, Let vs goe to offer sacrifice to the Lord.

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

18 Goe therefore nowe and worke: for there shall no strawe be giuen you, yet shall yee deliuer the whole tale of bricke.

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

19 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.

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.

20 And they met Moses and Aaron, which stood in their way as they came out from Pharaoh,

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

21 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.

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.

22 Wherefore Moses returned to the Lord, and saide, Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou thus sent me?

And Moses turned to the Lord, and said, I pray, Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? and wherefore hast thou sent me?

23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speake in thy Name, he hath vexed this people, and yet thou hast not deliuered thy people.

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.