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 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.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it. Don’t let them pay any attention to 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. 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 were asked, "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 Pharaoh said, "You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to Yahweh.’ 18 Go therefore now, and work; for no straw shall be given to you; yet you shall 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 along the way, as they came out from Pharaoh. 21 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. You have not rescued your people at all!"

1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go that they may celebrate a feast unto me in the wilderness.

2 And Pharaoh said, Who [is] the LORD, that I should hearken to his voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews has found us; therefore we shall go three days' journey into the desert and sacrifice unto the LORD our God lest he encounter us with pestilence or with the sword.

4 Then the king of Egypt said unto them, Why do ye, Moses and Aaron, keep the people from their works? Go unto your burdens.

5 Pharaoh also said, Behold, the people of the land now [are] many, and ye make them cease from their burdens.

6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,

7 Ye shall no longer give the people firewood to make brick as until now; let them go and gather firewood for themselves.

8 And the tally of the bricks which they made before, 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 more work be laid upon them that they may occupy themselves with it; and let them not regard words of deception.

10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you firewood.

11 Go ye, gather firewood where ye can find it; yet none of your work shall be diminished.

12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather brush for firewood.

13 And the taskmasters hasted [them], saying, Fulfil your works, [your] daily quotas, as when there was firewood.

14 And the officers of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, [and they] demanded, Why have ye not fulfilled your quotas in making brick both yesterday and today, as until now?

15 Then the officers of the sons of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Why doest thou deal thus with thy servants?

16 There is no firewood given unto thy servants, yet they say to us, Make brick. Behold, thy servants [are] beaten; and thy people sin.

17 And he replied, Ye [are] idle, [ye] are idle, therefore ye say, Let us go [and] sacrifice unto the LORD.

18 Go therefore now [and] work, for no firewood shall be given you, yet ye shall deliver the tally of bricks.

19 Then the officers of the sons of Israel saw [that] they [were] afflicted after it was said, Ye shall not diminish any from the bricks of your daily quota.

20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh;

21 and they said unto them, The LORD look upon you and judge because ye have made our savour to be a stench before Pharaoh and his servants, putting a sword in their hands to slay us.

22 Then Moses returned unto the LORD and said, Lord, why hast thou [so] afflicted this people? Why [is] it [that] thou hast sent me?

23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he has afflicted this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.: