Exod 5
1
And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, Thus says YHWH, the God of
Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.
2
And Pharaoh said, Who is YHWH, that I should hearken to his voice to let Israel go?
I know not YHWH, and moreover I will not let Israel go.
3
And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us: let us go, we pray you, three
days` journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to YHWH our God, lest he fall upon
us with pestilence, or with the sword.
4
And the king of Egypt said to them, Wherefore do you, Moses and Aaron, loose the people
from their works? get you to your burdens.
5
And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest
from their burdens.
6
And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers,
saying,
7
You shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go
and gather straw for themselves.
8
And the number of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, you shall lay upon them;
you shall not diminish anything thereof: for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying,
Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
9
Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not
regard lying words.
10
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 you 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
And the taskmasters were urgent saying, Fulfill your works, [your] daily tasks, as
when there was straw.
14
And the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh`s taskmasters had set over
them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have you not fulfilled your task both yesterday
and to-day, in making brick as heretofore?
15
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore
deal you thus with your servants?
16
There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold,
your servants are beaten; but the fault it in your own people.
17
But he said, You are idle, you are idle: therefore you say, Let us go and sacrifice
to YHWH.
18
Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall you deliver
the number of bricks.
19
And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, when
it was said, You shall not diminish anything from your bricks, [your] daily tasks.
20
And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
21
and they said to them, YHWH look upon you, and judge: because you have made our savor
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
And Moses returned to YHWH, and said, Lord, wherefore have you dealt ill with this
people? why is it that you have sent me?
23
For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has dealt ill with this people;
neither have you delivered your people at all.