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Moses and Aaron Speak to Pharaoh
After this presentation to Israel’s leaders, Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh. They told him, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my honor in the wilderness.”
After this presentation to Israel’s leaders, Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh. They told him, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my honor in the wilderness.”
“Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the LORD? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.”
And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”
But Aaron and Moses persisted. “The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they declared. “So let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness so we can offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. If we don’t, he will kill us with a plague or with the sword.”
So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”
Pharaoh replied, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work!
Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.”
Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work.”
And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!”
Making Bricks without Straw
That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen:
So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,
“Do not supply any more straw for making bricks. Make the people get it themselves!
“You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to our God.’
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 go and sacrifice to our God.’
Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!”
Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.”
So the slave drivers and foremen went out and told the people: “This is what Pharaoh says: I will not provide any more straw for you.
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.
Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!”
Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’ ”
So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt in search of stubble to use as straw.
So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
Meanwhile, the Egyptian slave drivers continued to push hard. “Meet your daily quota of bricks, just as you did when we provided you with straw!” they demanded.
And the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, “Fulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw.”
Then they whipped the Israelite foremen they had put in charge of the work crews. “Why haven’t you met your quotas either yesterday or today?” they demanded.
Also the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as before?”
So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. “Please don’t treat your servants like this,” they begged.
Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants?
“We are given no straw, but the slave drivers still demand, ‘Make bricks!’ We are being beaten, but it isn’t our fault! Your own people are to blame!”
There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, ‘Make brick!’ And indeed your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people.”
But Pharaoh shouted, “You’re just lazy! Lazy! That’s why you’re saying, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to the LORD.’
But he said, “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’
Now get back to work! No straw will be given to you, but you must still produce the full quota of bricks.”
Therefore go now and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks.”
The Israelite foremen could see that they were in serious trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the number of bricks you make each day.”
And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble after it was said, “You shall not reduce any bricks from your daily quota.”
As they left Pharaoh’s court, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who were waiting outside for them.
Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them.
The foremen said to them, “May the LORD judge and punish you for making us stink before Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!”
Then Moses went back to the LORD and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me?
Israel’s Deliverance Assured
So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me?
So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me?