Exodus 5

1 And afterward Moses and Aaron have entered, and they say to Pharaoh, “Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Send My people away, and they keep a celebration for Me in the wilderness”;

After these things, Moses and Aaron entered, and they said to Pharaoh: “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Release my people, so that they may sacrifice to me in the desert.”

2 and Pharaoh says, “Who [is] YHWH, that I listen to His voice to send Israel away? I have not known YHWH, and I also do not send Israel away.”

But he responded: “Who is the Lord, that I should listen to his voice and release Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not release Israel.”

3 And they say, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us; please let us go a journey of three days into the wilderness, and we sacrifice to our God YHWH, lest He meet us with pestilence or with sword.”

And they said: “The God of the Hebrews has called us, so that we may go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God. Otherwise, a pestilence or the sword may befall us.”

4 And the king of Egypt says to them, “Why, Moses and Aaron, do you free the people from its works? Go to your burdens.”

The king of Egypt said to them: “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, distract the people from their works? Go back to your burdens.”

5 Pharaoh also says, “Behold, the people of the land [are] numerous now, and you have caused them to cease from their burdens!”

And Pharaoh said: “The people of the land are many. You see that the turmoil has increased: how much more if you give them rest from the works?”

6 And on that day Pharaoh commands the exactors among the people and its authorities, saying,

Therefore, on the same day, he instructed the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters of the people, saying:

7 “You do not add to give straw to the people for the making of the bricks as before—they go and have gathered straw for themselves;

“You shall no longer give chaff to the people to form bricks, as before. But they may go and gather straw.

8 and you put on them the proper quantity of the bricks which they are making before, you do not diminish from it, for they are remiss, therefore they are crying, saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to our God;

And you shall impose upon them the same quota of bricks that they made before. Neither will you lessen anything, for they are idle, and therefore they cry out, saying: ‘We shall go and sacrifice to our God.’

9 let the service be heavy on the men, and let them work at it, and not be dazzled by lying words.”

They shall be oppressed with works, and these shall occupy them, so that they may not agree to lying words.”

10 And the exactors of the people, and its authorities, go out, and speak to the people, saying, “Thus said Pharaoh: I do not give you straw,

And so the overseers of the works and the taskmasters went out and said to the people: “Thus says Pharaoh: I give you no chaff.

11 you—go, take straw for yourselves where you can find [it], for there is nothing diminished of your service.”

Go, and collect it wherever you are able to find it. Neither will anything of your work be diminished.”

12 And the people are scattered over all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw,

And the people were dispersed through all the land of Egypt, in order to gather straw.

13 and the exactors are making haste, saying, “Complete your works, the matter of a day in its day, as when there is straw.”

Likewise, the overseers of the works pressured them, saying: “Complete your work each day, just as you were accustomed to do before, when straw was given to you.”

14 And the authorities of the sons of Israel, whom the exactors of Pharaoh have placed over them, are beaten, saying, “Why have you not completed your portion in making brick as before, both yesterday and today?”

And those who were first in the works of the sons of Israel were scourged by Pharaoh’s taskmasters, saying: “Why have you not filled the quota of bricks, neither yesterday, nor today, just as before?”

15 And the authorities of the sons of Israel come in and cry to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you do thus to your servants?

And the first among the sons of Israel came, and they cried out to Pharaoh, saying: “Why do act against your servants in this way?

16 Straw is not given to your servants, and they are saying to us, Make bricks, and behold, your servants are struck—and your people have sinned.”

Straw is not given to us, and yet the same amount of bricks is commanded. So we, your servants, are cut up by scourging, and injustice is done against your people.”

17 And he says, “Remiss—you are remiss, therefore you are saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to YHWH;

And he said: “You are idle. And for this reason you say, ‘We shall go and sacrifice to the Lord.’

18 and now, go, serve; and straw is not given to you, and you give the [required] measure of bricks.”

Therefore, go and work. Straw will not be given to you, and you will return the customary number of bricks.”

19 And the authorities of the sons of Israel see them in affliction, saying, “You do not diminish from your bricks; the matter of a day in its day.”

And the first among the sons of Israel saw themselves in a crisis, because it was said to them, “Nothing at all will be lessened from the bricks throughout each day.”

20 And they meet Moses and Aaron standing to meet them in their coming out from Pharaoh,

And they met with Moses and Aaron, who stood opposite them as they departed from Pharaoh.

21 and say to them, “YHWH look on you, and judge, because you have caused our fragrance to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants—to give a sword into their hand to slay us.”

And they said to them: “May the Lord see and judge, because you have caused our odor to become foul before Pharaoh and his servants, and you have provided him with a sword, in order to kill us.”

22 And Moses turns back to YHWH and says, “Lord, why have You done evil to this people? Why [is] this [that] You have sent me?

And Moses returned to the Lord, and he said: “Lord, why have you afflicted this people? Why have you sent me?

23 And since I have come to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, he has done evil to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.”

For from the time that I entered to Pharaoh, so as to speak in your name, he has afflicted your people. And you have not freed them.”