Exodus 5

1 After this Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says, ‘Let my people go so they can hold a religious festival for me in the desert.’”

After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”

2 “Who is this ‘Lord’ that I should listen to his request to let Israel go?” Pharaoh replied. “I don't know the Lord and I certainly won't let Israel leave!”

But Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.”

3 “The God of the Hebrews came to us,” they added. “Please allow us to go a three days journey into the desert and offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. Otherwise he'll kill us by disease or by the sword.”

“The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they answered. “Please let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD our God, or He may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”

4 “Moses and Aaron, why are you trying to take people away from their assigned labor?” Pharaoh asked. “Get back to work!” he ordered.

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

5 “Look here,” he went on. “There are many of your people here in our country and you are preventing them from doing their assigned labor.”

Pharaoh also said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you would be stopping them from their labor.”

6 That very day he ordered the slave drivers and those in charge of the people:

That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen:

7 “Don't give them any more straw to make bricks like before. Have them go and collect the straw themselves.

“You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw.

8 But still make them produce the same quantity of bricks as before. They're lazy people—that's why they're calling out, asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to our god.

But require of them the same quota of bricks as before; do not reduce it. For they are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’

9 Make their work harder so they can get on with it and not pay any attention to all these lies!”

Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to these lies.”

10 So the slave drivers and those in charge went out and told the people, “This is what Pharaoh has ordered: ‘I won't give you any more straw.

So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am no longer giving you straw.

11 Go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because your work quota won't be reduced.”

Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’”

12 So the people went all over Egypt collecting stubble for straw.

So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

13 The slave drivers kept on forcing them, saying, “You still have to do the same work as you did when you had straw provided!”

The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”

14 They beat the Israelite supervisors they had put in charge, shouting at them, “Why haven't you met your quota of bricks as you did before?”

Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?”

15 The Israelite supervisors went to Pharaoh to complain, saying, “Why are you treating us your servants like this?

So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way?

16 You don't give us any straw but your slave drivers demand that we make bricks, and they beat us! Your people are treating us badly!”

No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”

17 “No, you're just lazy, lazy people!” Pharaoh replied. “That's why you keep on asking, ‘Please let us go and offer sacrifices to the Lord.’

“You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’

18 Now get out of here and go back to work! You won't be given any straw but you'll still have to produce the full quota of bricks!”

Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.”

19 The Israelite supervisors realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the daily production of bricks.”

The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.”

20 They went over to Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them after their meeting with Pharaoh,

When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.

21 and said, “May the Lord see what you have done and judge you accordingly! You have made us like a bad smell to Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword in their hands to kill us!”

“May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”

22 Moses went back to the Lord and complained, “Why have you caused all this trouble for your own people, Lord? Was this why you sent me?

So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me?

23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak for you, he has been even harder on your people, and you haven't done anything to save them!”

Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and You have not delivered Your people in any way.”