5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘Let My people go so that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ”
5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”
5:3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, otherwise He will strike us with plague or with the sword.”
5:4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you let the people neglect their ①work? Get back to your labors!”
▷ ①Lit works
5:5 Again Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!”
5:6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying,
5:7 “You are no longer to give the people straw to make bricks as previously; have them go and gather straw for themselves.
5:8 But you shall impose on them the quota of bricks which they were making before; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are lazy, for that reason they cry ①out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
▷ ①Lit out, saying,
5:9 Let the labor be heavier on the men, and have them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words.”
5:10 So the taskmasters of the people and their foremen went out and spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am not going to give you any straw.
5:11 You go, get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it; but none of your labor will be reduced.’ ”
5:12 So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
5:13 And the taskmasters pressed them, saying, “Complete your ①work quota, ②your daily amount, just as when ③you had straw.”
▷ ①Lit works ②Lit the matter of a day in its day ③Lit there was
5:14 Moreover, the foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten ①and asked, “Why have you not completed your required task of making bricks either yesterday or today, as before?”
▷ ①Lit saying
5:15 Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants?
5:16 There is no straw given to your servants, yet they keep saying to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are being beaten; but it is the fault of your own people.”
5:17 But he said, “You are lazy, very lazy; for that reason you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’
5:18 So go now and work; for you will be given no straw, but you must deliver the quota of bricks.”
5:19 The foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in trouble, ①since they were told, “You must not reduce ②your daily amount of bricks.”
▷ ①Lit saying ②Lit from your bricks the matter of a day in its day
5:20 When they left Pharaoh’s presence, they met Moses and Aaron as they were ①waiting for them.
▷ ①Lit standing to meet
5:21 And they said to them, “May the LORD look upon you and judge you, because you have made ①us repulsive in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us!”
▷ ①Lit our odor stink
5:22 Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me?
5:23 Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all.”