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.

And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus says the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto 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.

And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I 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.

And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us: let us go, we pray you, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, 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.

And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do all of you, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

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

And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and all of you make them rest from their burdens.

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

And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

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.

All of you shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as in time past: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

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.

And the tale of the bricks, which they did make in time past, all of you shall lay upon them; all of you shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, 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.

Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain 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.

And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.

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

Go all of you, get you straw where all of you can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.

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

So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

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

And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.

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?

And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have all of you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as in time past?

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

Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore deal you thus with your servants?

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.

There is no straw given unto your servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in 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.

But he said, All of you are idle, all of you are idle: therefore all of you say, Let us go and do 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.

Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall all of you deliver the tale 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.

And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, All of you shall not diminish ought from your bricks of your daily task.

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

And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:

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

And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because all of you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay 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?

And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, LORD, wherefore have you so evil pleaded this people? why is it that you have 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.

For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have you delivered your people at all.