Exodus 5:10-19

10So the overseers and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am not giving you straw.

11Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.’”

12So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

13The overseers insisted, “Finish your assigned work each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”

14Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s slave drivers had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why haven’t you finished making your prescribed number of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?”

15So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way?

16No straw has been given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but it is your own people who are at fault.”

17But he said, “You are slackers. Slackers! That is why you are saying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to the Lord.’

18Now get to work. No straw will be given to you, but you must produce the same quantity of bricks.”

19The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, “You cannot reduce your daily quota of bricks.”