And afterward Moses
and Aaron
came
and said
to Pharaoh
, " aThus
says
the LORD
, the God
of Israel
, ` bLet
My people
go
that they may celebrate
a feast
to Me in the wilderness
.' "
But Pharaoh said
, " aWho
is the LORD
that I should obey
His voice
to let
Israel
go
? I do not know
the LORD
, and besides
, bI will not let
Israel
go
."
Then they said, " aThe God
of the Hebrews
has met
with us. Please
, let us go
a three
days'
journey
into the wilderness
that we may sacrifice
to the LORD
our God
, otherwise
He will fall
upon us with pestilence
or
with the sword
."
But the king of Egypt
said
to them, "Moses
and Aaron
, why
do you 1draw
the people
away
from their 2work
? Get
back to your 3 alabors
!"
Again Pharaoh said
, "Look
, athe people
of the land
are now
many
, and you would have them cease
from their labors
!"
So the same day
Pharaoh
commanded
athe taskmasters
over the people
and their bforemen
, saying
,
"You are no longer
to give
the people
straw
to make
brick
as previously
; let them go
and gather
straw
for themselves
.
"But the quota of bricks
which
they were making
previously
, you shall impose
on them; you are not to reduce
any
of it. Because
they are alazy
, therefore
they cry
out, ` 1Let us go
and sacrifice
to our God
.'
"Let the labor be heavier
on the men
, and let them work
at it so that they will pay
no
attention
to false
words
."
So athe taskmasters of the people
and their foremen
went
out and spoke
to the people
, saying
, "Thus
says
Pharaoh
, `I am not going to give
you any straw
.
`You go and get
straw
for yourselves wherever
you can find
it, but none
of your labor
will be reduced
.' "
So the people scattered
through all
the land
of Egypt
to gather
stubble
for straw
.
The taskmasters pressed
them, saying
, "Complete
your 1work
quota
, 2your daily
amount
, just
as when 3you had
straw
."
Moreover, athe foremen of the sons
of Israel
, whom
Pharaoh's
taskmasters
had set
over
them, bwere beaten
1and were asked
, "Why
have you not completed
your required
amount
either
yesterday
or
today
in making
brick
as previously
?"
Then the foremen of the sons
of Israel
came
and cried
out to Pharaoh
, saying
, "Why
do you deal
this
way
with your servants
?
"There is no
straw
given
to your servants
, yet they keep saying
to us, `Make
bricks
!' And behold
, your servants
are being beaten
; but it is the fault
of your own people
."
But he said, "You are alazy
, very lazy
; therefore
you say
, `Let us go
and sacrifice
to the LORD
.'
"So go now
and work
; for you will be given
no
straw
, yet you must deliver
the quota
of bricks
."
The foremen of the sons
of Israel
saw
that they were in trouble
1because they were told
, "You must not reduce
2your daily
amount
of bricks
."
When they left Pharaoh's
presence
, they met
Moses
and Aaron
as they were 1waiting
for them.
aThey said to them, " bMay the LORD
look
upon you and judge
you, for you have cmade
1us odious
in Pharaoh's
sight
and in the sight
of his servants
, to put
a sword
in their hand
to kill
us."
Then Moses returned
to the LORD
and said
, " aO Lord
, why
have You brought
harm
to this
people
? Why
did You ever
send
me?
"Ever since I came
to Pharaoh
to speak
in Your name
, he has done
harm
to this
people
, aand You have not delivered
Your people
at all
."