< Exodus 5 >

1 Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”
And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.
2 Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go.”
And Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah, that I should hearken to his voice to let Israel go? I do not know Jehovah, 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 the LORD, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword.”
And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Jehovah our God, lest he fall upon 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!”
And the king of Egypt said to them, Therefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, loose the people from their works? Get you to your burdens.
5 Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens.”
And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land are now many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,
And 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.
Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick as formerly. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8 You shall require from them the number of the bricks which they made before. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to our God.’
And the number of the bricks, which they made formerly, ye shall lay upon them. Ye shall not diminish any 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 labour in it. Don’t let them pay any attention to lying words.”
Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard lying words.
10 The taskmasters of the people went out with their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you straw.
And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
11 Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.’”
Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it, for none of your work shall be diminished.
12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
13 The taskmasters were urgent saying, “Fulfil your work quota daily, as when there was straw!”
And the taskmasters were urgent saying, Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
14 The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, “Why haven’t you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?”
And the officers of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Why have ye not fulfilled your task both yesterday and today, in making brick as formerly?
15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants?
Then the officers of the sons of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why do thou deal thus with thy 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.”
There is no straw given to thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick. And, behold, thy servants are beaten, but the fault it in thine own people.
17 But Pharaoh said, “You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to the LORD.’
But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle. Therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to Jehovah.
18 Go therefore now, and work; for no straw shall be given to you; yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!”
Go therefore now, and work, for there shall no straw be given you, yet ye shall deliver the 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!”
And the officers of the sons of Israel saw that they were in affliction, when it was said, Ye shall not diminish anything from your bricks, your daily tasks.
20 They met Moses and Aaron, who stood along the way, as they came out from Pharaoh.
And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh,
21 They said to them, “May the LORD 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!”
and they said to them, Jehovah look upon you, and judge, because ye have made our fragrance to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
22 Moses returned to the LORD, and said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me?
And Moses returned to Jehovah, and said, Lord, why have thou dealt ill with this people? Why is it that thou have sent me?
23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people. You have not rescued your people at all!”
For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he has dealt ill with this people, neither have thou delivered thy people at all.

< Exodus 5 >