Exodus 5

1 And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

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”;

2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should hearken unto his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go.

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.”

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

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.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

“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;

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

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;

9 Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard lying words.

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

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

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,

11 Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it: for nought of your work shall be diminished.

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

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

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

13 And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Fulfill your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw.

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

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

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?”

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

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

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

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.”

17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.

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

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

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

19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, when it was said, Ye shall not minish aught from your bricks, [your] daily tasks.

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.”

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

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

21 and they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye 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.

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.”

22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

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?

23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath evil entreated this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

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.”