5:11 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “Thus says the Lord,2 the God of Israel, ‘Release3 my people so that they may hold a pilgrim feast4 to me in the desert.’” 5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord5 that6 I should obey him7 by releasing8 Israel? I do not know the Lord,9 and I will not release Israel.” 5:3 And they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go a three-day journey10 into the desert so that we may sacrifice11 to the Lord our God, so that he does not strike us with plague or the sword.”12 5:4 Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you cause the people to refrain from their work?13 Return to your labor!” 5:5 Pharaoh was thinking,14 “The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor.”
5:6 That same day Pharaoh commanded15 the slave masters and foremen16 who were17 over the people:18 5:7 “You must no longer19 give straw to the people for making bricks20 as before.21 Let them go22 and collect straw for themselves. 5:8 But you must require23 of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before.24 Do not reduce it, for they are slackers.25 That is why they are crying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to our God.’ 5:9 Let the work be harder26 for the men so they will keep at it27 and pay no attention to lying words!”28
5:10 So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went out and spoke to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I am not giving29 you straw. 5:11 You30 go get straw for yourselves wherever you can31 find it, because not a thing will be reduced from your workload.’” 5:12 So the people spread out32 through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. 5:13 The slave masters were pressuring33 them, saying, “Complete34 your work for each day, just like when there was straw!” 5:14 The Israelite foremen whom Pharaoh’s slave masters had set over them were beaten and were asked,35 “Why did you not complete your requirement for brickmaking as in the past—both yesterday and today?”36
5:1537 The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, “Why are you treating38 your servants this way? 5:16 No straw is given to your servants, but we are told,39 ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are even40 being beaten, but the fault41 is with your people.”
5:17 But he said,42 “You are slackers! Slackers!43 That is why you are saying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to the Lord.’ 5:18 So now, get back to work!44 You will not be given straw, but you must still produce45 your quota46 of bricks!” 5:19 The Israelite foremen saw47 that they48 were in trouble when they were told,49 “You must not reduce the daily quota of your bricks.”
5:20 When they went out from Pharaoh, they encountered Moses and Aaron standing there to meet them,50 5:21 and they said to them, “May the Lord look on you and judge,51 because you have made us stink52 in the opinion of53 Pharaoh and in the opinion of54 his servants, so that you have put55 a sword in their hand to kill us!”
The Assurance of Deliverance
5:2256 Moses returned57 to the Lord, and said, “Lord,58 why have you caused trouble for this people?59 Why did you ever60 send me? 5:23 From the time I went to speak to Pharaoh in your name, he has caused trouble61 for this people, and you have certainly not rescued62 your people!”