1 A nd afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “ Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘ Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”

After this, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says this: ‘Let My people go, that they may have a special supper to honor Me in the desert.’”

2 B ut Pharaoh said, “ Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”

But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord. And I will not let Israel go.”

3 T hen they said, “ The 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.”

Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. We ask of you, let us travel into the desert three days, to give a gift on an altar in worship to the Lord our God. Or He may send death to us by disease or by the sword.”

4 B ut the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labors!”

But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Return to your work!”

5 A gain Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!”

Then Pharaoh said, “See, the people of the land are now many. And you would have them stop working!”

6 S o the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying,

That same day Pharaoh told the men who made the people work,

7 “ You are no longer to give the people straw to make brick as previously; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

“Do not give the people straw for making clay blocks any more. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8 B ut 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 lazy, therefore they cry out, ‘ Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’

But have them make the same number of clay blocks as before, and no less. They are crying, ‘Let us go and give a gift in worship to our God,’ because they are lazy.

9 L et the labor be heavier on the men, and let them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words.”

Let more work be given to the men so they will not have time to listen to lies.”

10 S o the 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.

So the men who made the people work went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you straw.

11 Y ou go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but none of your labor will be reduced.’”

You go and get straw for yourselves where you can find it. But you will not work any less than before.’”

12 S o the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

So the people went out through all the land of Egypt to gather what they could use for straw.

13 T he taskmasters pressed them, saying, “Complete your work quota, your daily amount, just as when you had straw.”

The men who made them work made them hurry, saying, “Finish your full day’s work as you did when there was straw.”

14 M oreover, the foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not completed your required amount either yesterday or today in making brick as previously?”

And the Hebrew men who had been made to rule over the people by Pharaoh’s work-leaders were beaten. They were asked, “Why have you not made as many clay blocks yesterday or today as you made before?”

15 T hen the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants?

Then the Hebrew men who made the people work went to Pharaoh and cried, “Why do you act this way toward your servants?

16 T here 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.”

There is no straw given to your servants. Yet they still say to us, ‘Make clay blocks!’ See, your servants are being beaten. But your own people are to blame.”

17 B ut he said, “You are lazy, very lazy; therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’

But Pharaoh said, “You are lazy, very lazy. So you say, ‘Let us go and give a gift on an altar in worship to the Lord.’

18 S o go now and work; for you will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the quota of bricks.”

Go now and work. You will be given no straw. Yet you must make the same number of clay blocks.”

19 T he foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in trouble because they were told, “You must not reduce your daily amount of bricks.”

The Hebrew men who made the people work knew that they were in trouble because they were told, “You must make the same number of clay blocks each day.”

20 W hen they left Pharaoh’s presence, they met Moses and Aaron as they were waiting for them.

When they came from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them.

21 T hey said to them, “ May the Lord look upon you and judge you, for you have made us odious in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

They said to Moses and Aaron, “May the Lord look upon you and judge you. For you have caused us to be hated by Pharaoh and his servants. You have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” God’s Promise to Israel

22 T hen Moses returned to the Lord and said, “ O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me?

Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have You hurt these people? Why did you ever send me?

23 E ver since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.”

For since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has hurt these people. You have not set Your people free at all.”