1 A nd afterwards have Moses and Aaron entered, and they say unto Pharaoh, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Send My people away, and they keep 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 a nd Pharaoh saith, `Who Jehovah, that I hearken to His voice, to send Israel away? I have not known Jehovah, and Israel also I do not send away.'

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 A nd they say, `The God of the Hebrews hath met with us, let us go, we pray thee, a journey of three days into the wilderness, and we sacrifice to Jehovah our God, lest He meet us with pestilence or with 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 A nd the king of Egypt saith unto them, `Why, Moses and Aaron, do ye free the people from its works? go to your burdens.'

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 P haraoh also saith, `Lo, numerous now the people of the land, and ye have caused them to cease from their burdens!'

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

6 A nd Pharaoh commandeth, on that day, the exactors among the people and its authorities, saying,

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

7 ` Ye do not add to give straw to the people for the making of the bricks, as heretofore -- they go and have gathered straw for themselves;

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

8 a nd the proper quantity of the bricks which they are making heretofore ye do put on them, ye do not diminish from it, for they are remiss, therefore they are crying, saying, Let us go, let us 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 service be heavy on the men, and let them work at it, and not be dazzled by lying words.'

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

10 A nd the exactors of the people, and its authorities, go out, and speak unto the people, saying, `Thus said Pharaoh, I do not give you 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 e -- go ye, take for yourselves straw where ye find, for there is nothing of your service diminished.'

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

12 A nd the people is scattered over 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 a nd the exactors are making haste, saying, `Complete your works, the matter of a day in its day, as when there is 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 A nd the authorities of the sons of Israel, whom the exactors of Pharaoh have placed over them, are beaten, saying, `Wherefore have ye not completed your portion in making brick as heretofore, both yesterday and to-day?'

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 A nd the authorities of the sons of Israel come in and cry unto Pharaoh, saying, `Why dost thou thus to thy 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 S traw is not given to thy servants, and they are saying to us, Make bricks, and lo, thy servants are smitten -- and thy people hath sinned.'

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 A nd he saith, `Remiss -- ye are remiss, therefore ye are saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to Jehovah;

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 a nd now, go, serve; and straw is not given to you, and the measure of bricks ye do give.'

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

19 A nd the authorities of the sons of Israel see them in affliction, saying, `Ye do not diminish from your bricks; the matter of a day in its day.'

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

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

21 a nd say unto them, `Jehovah look upon you, and judge, because ye 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.'

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 A nd Moses turneth back unto Jehovah, and saith, `Lord, why hast Thou done evil to this people? why this? -- Thou hast sent me!

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

23 a nd since I have come unto Pharaoh, to speak in Thy name, he hath done evil to this people, and Thou hast not at all delivered Thy people.'

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.”