Exodus 5
5
1 After these things, Moses and Aaron entered, and they said to Pharaoh: "Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Release my people, so that they may sacrifice to me in the desert."
2 But he responded: "Who is the Lord, that I should listen to his voice and release Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not release Israel."
3 And they said: "The God of the Hebrews has called us, so that we may go three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God. Otherwise, a pestilence or the sword may befall us."
4 The king of Egypt said to them: "Why do you, Moses and Aaron, distract the people from their works? Go back to your burdens."
5 And Pharaoh said: "The people of the land are many. You see that the turmoil has increased: how much more if you give them rest from the works?"
6 Therefore, on the same day, he instructed the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters of the people, saying:
7 "You shall no longer give chaff to the people to form bricks, as before. But they may go and gather straw.
8 And you shall impose upon them the same quota of bricks that they made before. Neither will you lessen anything, for they are idle, and therefore they cry out, saying: 'We shall go and sacrifice to our God.'
9 They shall be oppressed with works, and these shall occupy them, so that they may not agree to lying words."
10 And so the overseers of the works and the taskmasters went out and said to the people: "Thus says Pharaoh: I give you no chaff.
11 Go, and collect it wherever you are able to find it. Neither will anything of your work be diminished."
12 And the people were dispersed through all the land of Egypt, in order to gather straw.
13 Likewise, the overseers of the works pressured them, saying: "Complete your work each day, just as you were accustomed to do before, when straw was given to you."
14 And those who were first in the works of the sons of Israel were scourged by Pharaoh's taskmasters, saying: "Why have you not filled the quota of bricks, neither yesterday, nor today, just as before?"
15 And the first among the sons of Israel came, and they cried out to Pharaoh, saying: "Why do act against your servants in this way?
16 Straw is not given to us, and yet the same amount of bricks is commanded. So we, your servants, are cut up by scourging, and injustice is done against your people."
17 And he said: "You are idle. And for this reason you say, 'We shall go and sacrifice to the Lord.'
18 Therefore, go and work. Straw will not be given to you, and you will return the customary number of bricks."
19 And the first among the sons of Israel saw themselves in a crisis, because it was said to them, "Nothing at all will be lessened from the bricks throughout each day."
20 And they met with Moses and Aaron, who stood opposite them as they departed from Pharaoh.
21 And they said to them: "May the Lord see and judge, because you have caused our odor to become foul before Pharaoh and his servants, and you have provided him with a sword, in order to kill us."
22 And Moses returned to the Lord, and he said: "Lord, why have you afflicted this people? Why have you sent me?
23 For from the time that I entered to Pharaoh, so as to speak in your name, he has afflicted your people. And you have not freed them."
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Exodus 5: CPDV
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Exodus 5
5
Bricks Without Straw
1Later on, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They said, “The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, ‘Let my people go. Then they will be able to hold a feast to honor me in the desert.’ ”
2Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord? Why should I obey him? Why should I let Israel go? I don’t even know the Lord. And I won’t let Israel go.”
3Then Moses and Aaron said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a journey that lasts about three days. We want to go into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we don’t, he might strike us with plagues. Or he might let us be killed by swords.”
4But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Get back to work!” 5Pharaoh continued, “There are large numbers of your people in the land. But you are stopping them from working.”
6That same day Pharaoh gave orders to the slave drivers and the overseers in charge of the people. 7He said, “Don’t give the people any more straw to make bricks. Let them go and get their own straw. 8But require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t lower the number they have to make. They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out, ‘Let us go. We want to offer sacrifices to our God.’ 9Make them work harder. Then they will be too busy to pay attention to lies.”
10The slave drivers and the overseers left. They said to the people, “Pharaoh says, ‘I won’t give you any more straw. 11Go and get your own straw anywhere you can find it. But you still have to make the same number of bricks.’ ” 12So the people scattered all over Egypt. They went to gather any pieces of straw left in the fields. 13Pharaoh’s slave drivers kept making the people work hard. They said, “Finish the work you are required to do each day. Make the same number of bricks you made when you had straw.” 14The slave drivers whipped the Israelite overseers they had appointed. The slave drivers asked, “Why haven’t you made the same number of bricks yesterday or today, just as before?”
15Then the Israelite overseers appealed to Pharaoh. They asked, “Why have you treated us like this? 16You didn’t give us any straw. But you told us, ‘Make bricks!’ We are being whipped. But it’s the fault of your own people.”
17Pharaoh said, “You are lazy! That’s why you keep saying, ‘Let us go. We want to offer sacrifices to the Lord.’ 18Now get to work. We won’t give you any straw. But you still have to make the same number of bricks.”
19The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble. They knew it when they were told, “Don’t reduce the number of bricks you are required to make each day.” 20When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them. 21They said to Moses and Aaron, “We want the Lord to look at what you have done! We want him to judge you for it! We are like a very bad smell to Pharaoh and his officials. You have given them an excuse to kill us with their swords.”
The Lord Promises to Save the Israelites
22Moses returned to talk to the Lord. He said to him, “Why, Lord? Why have you brought trouble on these people? Is this why you sent me? 23I went to Pharaoh to speak to him in your name. Ever since then, he has brought nothing but trouble on these people. And you haven’t saved your people at all.”
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