Exodus 5:5-9

5Pharaoh said, ‘Look, there are now many of your people who live in my country. But you are taking them away from their work.’

6On that day, Pharaoh gave a command to the masters of the slaves, and to the leaders of the work.

7This was the command: ‘Do not give the people any more straw to make bricks. Now they must go and find their own straw.

8But they must still make the same number of bricks as they did before. Do not let them make fewer bricks. These people are lazy. That is why they are complaining. They say, “We want to go and offer sacrifices to our God.”

9Make the work more difficult for them to do. They will have to do very hard work. They will be too busy to listen to the lies of their leaders.’