Exodus 5:4-9

4But the king of Egypt said to Moses and Aaron, “Why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens!”

5Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them stop their work!”

6The very same day Pharaoh gave orders to the [Egyptian] taskmasters in charge of the people and their [Hebrew] foremen, saying,

7“You will no longer give the people straw to make brick as before; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8But the number of bricks which they were making before, you shall [still] require of them; you are not to reduce it in the least. For they are idle and lazy; that is why they cry, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’

9Let labor be heavier on the men, and let them work [hard] at it so that they will pay no attention to [their God’s] lying words.”