Exodus 5:1-7

Afterward, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, Israel’s God, says: ‘Let my people go so that they can hold a festival for me in the desert.’” But Pharaoh said, “Who is this LORD whom I’m supposed to obey by letting Israel go? I don’t know this LORD, and I certainly won’t let Israel go.” Then they said, “The Hebrews’ God has appeared to us. Let us go on a three-day journey into the desert so we can offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. Otherwise, the LORD will give us a deadly disease or violence.” The king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why are you making the people slack off from their work? Do the hard work yourselves!” Pharaoh continued, “The land’s people are now numerous. Yet you want them to stop their hard work?” On the very same day Pharaoh commanded the people’s slave masters and supervisors, “Don’t supply the people with the straw they need to make bricks like you did before. Let them go out and gather the straw for themselves.