Exodus

The second book of Moses, called Exodus, chapter 5, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 5 New English Translation

Opposition to the Plan of God

   1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Release my people so that they may hold a pilgrim feast to me in the desert.'" 2 But Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD that I should obey him by releasing Israel? I do not know the LORD, and I will not release Israel!" 3 And they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go a three-day journey into the desert so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, so that he does not strike us with plague or the sword." 4 The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you cause the people to refrain from their work? Return to your labor!" 5 Pharaoh was thinking, "The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor."
   6 That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people: 7 "You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect straw for themselves. 8 But you must require of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. That is why they are crying, 'Let us go sacrifice to our God.' 9 Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words!"
   10 So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, "Thus says Pharaoh: 'I am not giving you straw. 11 You go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'" 12 So the people spread out through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. 13 The slave masters were pressuring them, saying, "Complete your work for each day, just like when there was straw!" 14 The Israelite foremen whom Pharaoh's slave masters had set over them were beaten and were asked, "Why did you not complete your requirement for brickmaking as in the past - both yesterday and today?"
   15 The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, "Why are you treating your servants this way? 16 No straw is given to your servants, but we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are even being beaten, but the fault is with your people."
   17 But Pharaoh replied, "You are slackers! Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the LORD.' 18 So now, get back to work! You will not be given straw, but you must still produce your quota of bricks!" 19 The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You must not reduce the daily quota of your bricks."
   20 When they went out from Pharaoh, they encountered Moses and Aaron standing there to meet them, 21 and they said to them, "May the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the opinion of Pharaoh and his servants, so that you have given them an excuse to kill us!"

The Assurance of Deliverance

   22 Moses returned to the LORD, and said, "LORD, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 From the time I went to speak to Pharaoh in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have certainly not rescued them!"

King James Version

   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 hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
   2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
   3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
   4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
   5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
   6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
   7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
   8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
   9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.
   10 ¶ And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
   11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.
   12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
   13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
   14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?
   15 ¶ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
   16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.
   17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.
   18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.
   19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.
   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 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 unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?
   23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.