CHAPTER 5
Afterward,
Moses
and Aaron
went
to
Pharaoh
and said,
“This is what
the LORD,
the God
of Israel,
says:
‘Let My people
go,
so that they may hold a feast
to Me
in the wilderness.’”
But Pharaoh
replied,
“Who
is the LORD
that
I should obey
His voice
and let Israel
go?
I do not
know
the LORD,
and
I will not
let Israel
go.”
“The God
of the Hebrews
has met
with us,”
they answered.
“Please
let us go on
a three-day
journey
into the wilderness
to sacrifice
to the LORD
our God,
or
He may strike
us with plagues
or
with the sword.”
But the king
of Egypt
said
to them,
“Moses
and Aaron,
why
do you draw
the people
away from their work?
Get back
to your work!”
Pharaoh
also said,
“Look,
the people
of the land
are now numerous,
and you would be stopping
them
from their labor.”
“You shall no
longer
supply
the people
with straw
for making
bricks.
They
must go
and gather
their own
straw.
But require
of them
the same quota
of bricks
as
before;
do not
reduce it.
For
they
are lazy;
that is why
they
are crying out,
‘Let us go
and sacrifice
to our God.’
So the taskmasters
and foremen
of the people
went out
and said
to
them,
“This is what
Pharaoh
says:
‘I am no longer
giving
you
straw.
Go
and get
your own
straw
wherever
you can find it;
but
your workload
will in no way
be reduced.’”
The taskmasters
kept pressing them,
saying,
“Fulfill
your quota
each day,
just as you did when
straw
was provided.”
Then the Israelite
foremen,
whom
Pharaoh’s
taskmasters
had set
over the people,
were beaten
and asked,
“Why
have you not
fulfilled
your quota
of bricks
yesterday
or today,
as you did before?”
So the Israelite
foremen
went
and appealed
to
Pharaoh:
“Why
are you treating
your servants
this way?
No
straw
has been given
to your servants,
yet we are told,
‘Make
bricks!’
Look,
your servants
are being beaten,
but the fault
is with your own people.”
“You
are slackers,”
Pharaoh replied.
“Slackers!
That is why
you
keep saying,
‘Let us go
and sacrifice
to the LORD.’
The Israelite
foremen
realized
they were in trouble
when they were told,
“You must not
reduce
your daily
quota
of bricks.”
“May the LORD
look upon you
and judge you,”
the foremen said,
“for
you have made us a stench
before
Pharaoh
and his officials;
you have placed
in their hand
a sword
to kill us!”
So Moses
returned
to
the LORD
and asked,
“Lord,
why
have You brought trouble
upon this
people?
Is this
why
You sent me?
Ever since
I went
to
Pharaoh
to speak
in Your name,
he has brought trouble
on this
people,
and You have not
delivered
Your people
in any way.”