[1] Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, "This is what
Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, `Let my people go, that they may hold a
feast to me in the wilderness.`" [2] Pharaoh said, "Who is Yahweh, that I
should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don`t know Yahweh, and
moreover I will not let Israel go." [3] They said, "The God of the Hebrews
has met with us. Please let us go three days` journey into the wilderness,
and sacrifice to Yahweh, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or
with the sword." [4] The king of Egypt said to them, "Why do you, Moses and
Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!" [5]
Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make
them rest from their burdens." [6] The same day Pharaoh commanded the
taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, [7] "You shall no
longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and
gather straw for themselves. [8] The number of the bricks, which they made
before, you require from them. You shall not diminish anything of it, for
they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, `Let us go and sacrifice to our
God.` [9] Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor therein;
and don`t let them pay any attention to lying words." [10] The taskmasters
of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people,
saying, This is what Pharaoh says: "I will not give you straw. [11] Go
yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall
be diminished." [12] So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the
land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. [13] The taskmasters were urgent
saying, "Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!" [14] The
officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh`s taskmasters had set over
them, were beaten, and demanded, "Why haven`t you fulfilled your quota both
yesterday and today, in making brick as before?" [15] Then the officers of
the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you deal
this way with your servants? [16] No straw is given to your servants, and
they tell us, `Make brick!` and, behold, your servants are beaten; but the
fault is in your own people." [17] But he said, "You are idle! You are
idle! Therefore you say, `Let us go and sacrifice to Yahweh.` [18] Go
therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet shall you
deliver the same number of bricks!" [19] The officers of the children of
Israel saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, "You shall not
diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!" [20] They met Moses and
Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: [21] and they
said to them, "May Yahweh look at you, and judge, because you have made us
a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his
servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us." [22] Moses returned to
Yahweh, and said, "Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why
is it that you have sent me? [23] For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in
your name, he has brought trouble on this people; neither have you
delivered your people at all."
