Exodus 5

1 And after that Moses and Aaron went in, and said unto Pharaoh, Thus hath said the Everlasting One, the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”

2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Everlasting, whose voice I am to obey, to let Israel go? I know not the Everlasting, nor will I let Israel go.

Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go.”

3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, a three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with the pestilence, or with the sword.

They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword.”

4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, hinder the people from their works? get you unto your own affairs.

The king of Egypt said to them, “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!”

5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye disturb them in the pursuit of their labors.

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

6 And Pharaoh commanded on the same day the taskmasters of the people, and its officers, saying,

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

7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make the bricks, as yesterday and the day before; they themselves shall go and gather themselves straw.

“You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8 And the number of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall impose upon them, ye shall not diminish aught thereof; for they are idle: therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

You shall require from them the number of the bricks which they made before. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to our God.’

9 Let the work be made to lie heavily upon the men, that they may have enough to do therein; and that they may not pay attention to false words.

Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it. Do not let them pay any attention to lying words.”

10 And the taskmasters of the people and its officers went out, and they said to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you any straw.

The taskmasters of the people went out with their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you straw.

11 Go ye, get yourselves straw from wherever ye can find it; yet not the least shall be taken off from your work.

Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.’”

12 And the people scattered themselves abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

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

13 And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Fulfill your works, every day its due portion, just as when there was straw.

The taskmasters were urgent saying, “Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!”

14 And the officers of the children of Israel, whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had set over them, were beaten, as these said, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick as heretofore, both yesterday and today?

The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, “Why have not you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?”

15 And the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?

Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants?

16 Straw is not given unto thy servants, and, Make bricks, say they to us: and, behold, thy servants are beaten, and thy people are treated as sinners.

No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, ‘Make brick!’ and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.”

17 But he said, Idle are ye, idle; therefore say ye, Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.

But Pharaoh said, “You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to the LORD.’

18 And now go, work, and straw shall not be given you; yet the required number of bricks shall ye deliver.

Go therefore now, and work; for no straw shall be given to you; yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!”

19 And the officers of the children of Israel saw themselves in the evil necessity to say, Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, every day of its task.

The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble when it was said, “You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!”

20 And they met Moses and Aaron, standing in their way, as they came forth from Pharaoh.

They met Moses and Aaron, who stood along the way, as they came out from Pharaoh.

21 And they said unto them, May the Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

They said to them, “May the LORD look at you and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us!”

22 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou let so much evil come upon this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

Moses returned to the LORD, and said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me?

23 For, since I came unto Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done more evil to this people; but thou hast in nowise delivered thy people.

For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people. You have not rescued your people at all!”