1Then afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may celebrate a feast unto me in the wilderness.
2And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should hear his voice, and let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.
3And they said, We worship the God of the Hebrews: we pray thee, let us go three days’ journey in the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God, lest he bring upon us the pestilence or sword.
4Then said the King of Egypt unto them, Moses and Aaron, why cause ye the people to cease from their works? get you to your burdens.
5Pharaoh said furthermore, Behold, much people is now in the land, and ye make them leave their burdens.
6Therefore Pharaoh gave commandment the same day unto the taskmasters of the people, and to their officers, saying,
7Ye shall give the people no more straw, to make brick (as in time past) but let them go and gather them straw themselves.
8Notwithstanding lay upon them the number of brick, which they made in time past, diminish nothing thereof: for they be idle, therefore they cry, saying, Let us go to offer sacrifice unto our God.
9Lay more work upon the men, and cause them to do it, and let them not regard vain words.
10Then went the taskmasters of the people and their officers out, and told the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will give you no more straw.
11Go yourselves, get ye straw where ye can find it, yet shall nothing of your labor be diminished.
12Then were the people scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt, for to gather stubble instead of straw.
13And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Finish your day’s work every day’s task, as ye did when ye had straw.
14And 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 yesterday and today, as in times past?
15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus thy servants?
16There is no straw given to thy servants, and they say unto us, Make brick: and lo, thy servants are beaten, and thy people is blamed.
17But he said, Ye are too much idle: therefore ye say, Let us go to offer sacrifice to the Lord.
18Go therefore now and work: for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the whole tale of brick.
19Then the officers of the children of Israel saw themselves in an evil case, because it was said, Ye shall diminish nothing of your brick, nor of every day’s task.
20And they met Moses and Aaron, which stood in their way as they came out from Pharaoh.
21To whom they said, The Lord look upon you and judge: for ye have made our savor to stink before Pharaoh and before his servants, in that ye have put a sword in their hand to slay us.
22Wherefore Moses returned to the Lord, and said, Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou thus sent me?
23For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath vexed this people, and yet thou hast not delivered thy people.