First Encounter with Pharaoh
1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says theLordGod of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may holda feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ”
2 And Pharaoh said,“WhoistheLord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know theLord,nor will I let Israel go.”
3 So they said,“The God of the Hebrews hasmet with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to theLordour God, lest He fall upon us withpestilence or with the sword.”
4 Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Getbackto yourlabor.”
5 And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the landaremany now, and you make them rest from their labor!”
6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded thetaskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,
7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to makebrick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8 And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us goandsacrifice to our God.’
9 Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.”
10 And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I will not give you straw.
11 Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’ ”
12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
13 And the taskmasters forcedthemto hurry, saying, “Fulfill your work,yourdaily quota, as when there was straw.”
14 Also theofficers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, werebeatenandwere asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as before?”
15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants?
16 There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, ‘Make brick!’ And indeed your servantsarebeaten, but the faultisin yourownpeople.”
17 But he said, “Youareidle! Idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us goandsacrifice to theLord.’
18 Therefore go nowandwork; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks.”
19 And the officers of the children of Israel sawthattheywerein trouble after it was said, “You shall not reduceanybricks from your daily quota.”
20 Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them.
21 And they said to them, “Let theLordlook on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
Israel’s Deliverance Assured
22 So Moses returned to theLordand said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Whyisit You have sent me?
23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.”