Exodus 5
1AND after this Moses went in with Aaron to Pharao and they said to him, Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel, Let my people go that they may keep a festival for me in the wilderness.
2Upon which Pharao said, Who is he, that I should hearken to his voice so as to send away the Israelites? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.
3Then they said to him, The God of the Hebrews hath called us. Let us therefore go three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest death or destruction befall us.
4Thereupon the king of Egypt said to them, Why do ye, Moses and Aaron, divert the people from their labours? Begone each of you to his work.
5And Pharao said, Behold this people is now numerous, therefore we must not let them rest from their labours.
6So Pharao gave orders to the task masters of the people and to the clerks saying,
7You shall no more give the people straw to make bricks as heretofore; but let them go and gather straw for themselves;
8yet the daily task of brick-making which they now perform, you shall lay upon them. Thou shalt make no abatement; for they are idle. Therefore they have cried saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
9Let the work of these men be made heavy and let them employ their thoughts about that, and not trouble themselves with vain discourses.
10Upon this the task masters and clerks hurried them and spoke to the people saying, Thus saith Pharao, I will no more give you straw; go and collect straw for yourselves where you can find it; for no abatement shall be made of your task.
12So the people were dispersed through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble instead of straw.
13And the task masters urged them saying, Complete the customary daily task as when straw was furnished you.
14And when they beat the clerks of the nation of the Israelites who were set over them by the officers of Pharao and said, Why have you not as heretofore completed your tasks of brick-making to-day?
15the clerks of the children of Israel went and cried to Pharao saying, Why dost thou deal thus with thy servants?
16There is no straw given to thy servants, yet they say to us, Make bricks. And lo! thy servants are beaten. Wilt thou then deal unjustly with thy people?
17But he said to them, You are idle: You are idlers. Therefore you say, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
18Go therefore now and work; for there shall be no straw given you, yet you shall deliver the task of bricks.
19So the clerks of the children of Israel saw themselves in a miserable situation, when they said, You shall be allowed no abatement from the customary daily task of brick-making.
20And upon meeting Moses and Aaron who had come to meet them as they came out from Pharao
21they said to them, God look upon you and judge. For you have made the smell of us horrible before Pharao and before his servants to put a sword in his hand to kill us.
22Thereupon Moses turned to the Lord and said, O Lord, why hast Thou afflicted this people? And why hast Thou sent me?
23For since I went to Pharao to speak in Thy name, he hath treated this people ill and Thou hast not delivered Thy people.