King James Version

1 And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.'" 2 And Pharaoh said, "Who is Yahweh that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I do not know Yahweh, and I will not let Israel go." 3 And they said, "The God of the Hebrews has called upon us; let us go, we ask, three days' journey into the wilderness and let us sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword." 4 And the king of Egypt said to them, "Why do Moses and Aaron hinder the people from their work? Go to your burdens." 5 And Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people are many now in the land, and you have stopped them from their burdens." 6 And Pharaoh commanded on that day the taskmasters over the people and his officers, saying. 7 You shall not add to give straw to the people as in former days; they will go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And you shall set over them the design of the bricks which they are making yesterday and the day before; you shall not diminish from it, for they are weak; therefore, they are crying, saying, "Let us go and sacrifice to our God." 9 The work will be heavy upon the men, and they will do it, and let them not listen to false words. 10 And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and said to the people, "Thus says Pharaoh: 'I will not give you straw.'" 11 You all go take for yourselves straw from wherever you find, for there is no decrease in your work. 12 And the people scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 And the taskmasters were saying to them, "Complete your work, the word of the day in its day, as it was when there was straw." 14 And the officers of the children of Israel who were set over them by the taskmasters of Pharaoh were beaten, and they said to them, “Why have you not completed your task of brickmaking yesterday and today, as before?” 15 And the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you deal this way with your servants?" 16 There is no straw given to your servants, and the brickmakers say to us, "Make bricks," and behold, your servants are beaten, and your people are guilty. 17 And he said, "You are slack; that is why you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.'" 18 And now, go work; straw will not be given to you, and you shall give brick. 19 And the officers of the children of Israel saw them in evil, saying, "Do not diminish from your children the matter of the day by day." 20 And they encountered Moses and Aaron standing to meet them as they came out from Pharaoh. 21 And they said to them, "The LORD will see concerning you and will judge that you have made our fragrance stink in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants, to give a sword into their hand to kill us." 22 And Moses returned to the Lord and said, "O Lord, why have You brought trouble to this people? Why is it that You have sent me?" 23 And then I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he did evil to this people, and you did not rescue your people.