1And afterward Moses and Aaron came , and said unto Pharaoh , Thus saith Jehovah , the God of Israel , Let my people go , that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness . 2And Pharaoh said , Who is Jehovah , that I should hearken unto his voice to let Israel go ? I know not Jehovah , and moreover I will not let Israel go . 3And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us : let us go , we pray thee , three days ’ journey into the wilderness , and sacrifice unto Jehovah our God , lest he fall upon us with pestilence , or with the sword . 4And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, loose the people from their works ? get you unto your burdens . 5And Pharaoh said, Behold , the people of the land are now many , and ye make them rest from their burdens .
Increased Burdens on the Israelites
6And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people , and their officers , saying, 7Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick , as heretofore : let them go and gather straw for themselves . 8And the number of the bricks , which they did make heretofore , ye shall lay upon them ; ye shall not diminish aught thereof: for they are idle ; therefore they cry , saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God . 9Let heavier work be laid upon the men , that they may labor therein; and let them not regard lying words . 10And 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 . 11Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it : for nought of your work shall be diminished . 12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw . 13And the taskmasters were urgent saying , Fulfil your works , your daily tasks , as when there was straw . 14And the officers of the children of Israel , whom Pharaoh ’s taskmasters had set over them , were beaten , and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task both yesterday and to-day, in making brick as heretofore ? 15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh , saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants ? 16There 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 . 17But he said , Ye are idle , ye are idle : therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to Jehovah . 18Go therefore now , and work ; for there shall no straw be given you , yet shall ye deliver the number of bricks . 19And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case , when it was said , Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks , your daily tasks .
Moses' Complaint to God
20And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way , as they came forth from Pharaoh : 21and they said unto them , Jehovah look upon you , and judge : because ye have made our savor 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 . 22And Moses returned unto Jehovah , and said, Lord , wherefore hast thou dealt ill with this people ? why is it that thou hast sent me ? 23For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name , he hath dealt ill with this people ; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all .