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 these things, Moses and Aaron entered, and they said to Pharaoh: “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Release my people, so that they may sacrifice to me in the desert.”

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 he responded: “Who is the Lord, that I should listen to his voice and release Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not release Israel.”

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.”

And they said: “The God of the Hebrews has called us, so that we may go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God. Otherwise, a pestilence or the sword may befall us.”

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

The king of Egypt said to them: “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, distract the people from their works? Go back to your burdens.”

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.”

And Pharaoh said: “The people of the land are many. You see that the turmoil has increased: how much more if you give them rest from the works?”

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

Therefore, on the same day, he instructed the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters of the people, saying:

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 give chaff to the people to form bricks, as before. But they may go and gather 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.

And you shall impose upon them the same quota of bricks that they made before. Neither will you lessen anything, for they are idle, and therefore they cry out, saying: ‘We shall 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!”

They shall be oppressed with works, and these shall occupy them, so that they may not agree to lying words.”

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.

And so the overseers of the works and the taskmasters went out and said to the people: “Thus says Pharaoh: I give you no chaff.

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

Go, and collect it wherever you are able to find it. Neither will anything of your work be diminished.”

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

And the people were dispersed through all the land of Egypt, in order to gather 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!”

Likewise, the overseers of the works pressured them, saying: “Complete your work each day, just as you were accustomed to do before, when straw was given to you.”

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?”

And those who were first in the works of the sons of Israel were scourged by Pharaoh’s taskmasters, saying: “Why have you not filled the quota of bricks, neither yesterday, nor today, just as before?”

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

And the first among the sons of Israel came, and they cried out to Pharaoh, saying: “Why do act against your servants in 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!”

Straw is not given to us, and yet the same amount of bricks is commanded. So we, your servants, are cut up by scourging, and injustice is done against your 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.’

And he said: “You are idle. And for this reason you say, ‘We shall 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!”

Therefore, go and work. Straw will not be given to you, and you will return the customary number of bricks.”

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

And the first among the sons of Israel saw themselves in a crisis, because it was said to them, “Nothing at all will be lessened from the bricks throughout each day.”

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

And they met with Moses and Aaron, who stood opposite them as they departed from Pharaoh.

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!”

And they said to them: “May the Lord see and judge, because you have caused our odor to become foul before Pharaoh and his servants, and you have provided him with a sword, in order 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?

And Moses returned to the Lord, and he said: “Lord, why have you afflicted this people? Why have 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!”

For from the time that I entered to Pharaoh, so as to speak in your name, he has afflicted your people. And you have not freed them.”