Exodus 5

Israel’s Labor Increased

1And afterwardH310 MosesH4872 and AaronH175 cameH935 and saidH559 to PharaohH6547, “1ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478 saysH559: ‘2LetH7971 My peopleH5971 goH7971 so that they may celebrateH2287 aH2287 feastH2287 to Me in the wildernessH4057.’” 2But PharaohH6547 saidH559, “3WhoH4310 is the LordH3068 that I should obeyH8085 His voiceH6963 to letH7971 IsraelH3478 goH7971? I do not knowH3045 the LordH3068, and besidesH1571, 4I will not letH7971 IsraelH3478 goH7971.” 3Then they saidH559, “5The GodH430 of the HebrewsH5680 has metH7122 with us. PleaseH4994, let us goH1980 a threeH7969 days’H3117 journeyH1870 into the wildernessH4057 so that we may sacrificeH2076 to the LordH3068 our GodH430, otherwiseH6435 He will strikeH6293 us with plagueH1698 orH176 with the swordH2719.” 4But the kingH4428 of EgyptH4714 saidH559 to them, “MosesH4872 and AaronH175, whyH4100 do you letH6544 the peopleH5971 neglectH6544 their 6workH4639? GetH1980 back to your 7laborsH5450!” 5Again PharaohH6547 saidH559, “LookH2005, 8the peopleH5971 of the landH776 are nowH6258 manyH7227, and you would have them ceaseH7673 from their laborsH5450!” 6So the sameH1931 dayH3117 PharaohH6547 commandedH6680 9the taskmastersH5065 over the peopleH5971 and their 10foremenH7860, sayingH559, 7“You are noH3808 longerH3254 to giveH5414 the peopleH5971 strawH8401 to makeH3835 bricksH3835 as previouslyH8543H8032; have them goH1980 and gatherH7197 strawH8401 for themselvesH1992. 8But you shall imposeH7760 on them the quotaH4971 of bricksH3843 whichH834 they were makingH6213 beforeH8543H8032; you are not to reduceH1639 anyH4480 of it. BecauseH3588 they are 11lazyH7503, for thatH3651 reasonH3651 they cryH6817 12outH6817, ‘Let us goH1980 and sacrificeH2076 to our GodH430.’ 9Let the laborH5656 beH3513 heavierH3513 on the menH376, and have them workH6213 at it so that they will payH8159 noH408 attentionH8159 to falseH8267 wordsH1697.”

10So 13the taskmastersH5065 of the peopleH5971 and their foremenH7860 wentH3318 outH3318 and spokeH559 to the peopleH5971, sayingH559, “ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 PharaohH6547 saysH559: ‘I am not going to giveH5414 you any strawH8401. 11You goH1980, getH3947 strawH8401 for yourselves whereverH4480H834 you can findH4672 it; but noneH369 of your laborH5656 will be reducedH1639.’” 12So the peopleH5971 scatteredH6327 through allH3605 the landH776 of EgyptH4714 to gatherH7197 stubbleH7179 for strawH8401. 13And the taskmastersH5065 pressedH213 them, sayingH559, “CompleteH3615 your 14workH4639 quotaH4639, 15your dailyH3117 amountH1697H3117, justH3512 asH3512 when 16you hadH1961 strawH8401.” 14Moreover, 17the foremenH7860 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, whomH834 Pharaoh’sH6547 taskmastersH5065 had setH7760 overH5921 them, 18were beatenH5221 19and askedH559, “WhyH4069 have you not completedH3615 your requiredH2706 taskH2706 of makingH3835 bricksH3835 eitherH1571 yesterdayH8543 orH1571 todayH3117, as beforeH8543H8032?”

15Then the foremenH7860 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 cameH935 and criedH6817 outH6817 to PharaohH6547, sayingH559, “WhyH4100 do you dealH6213 thisH3541 wayH3541 with your servantsH5650? 16ThereH369 isH369 noH369 strawH8401 givenH5414 to your servantsH5650, yet they keep sayingH559 to us, ‘MakeH6213 bricksH3843!’ And beholdH2009, your servantsH5650 are being beatenH5221; but it is the faultH2398 of your own peopleH5971.” 17But he saidH559, “You are 20lazyH7503, very lazyH7503; forH5921 thatH5921H3651 reasonH5921H3651 you sayH559, ‘Let us goH1980 and sacrificeH2076 to the LordH3068.’ 18So goH1980 nowH6258 and workH5647; for you will be givenH5414 noH3808 strawH8401, but you must deliverH5414 the quotaH8506 of bricksH3843.” 19The foremenH7860 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 sawH7200 that they were in troubleH7451, 21since they were toldH559, “You must not reduceH1639 22your dailyH3117 amountH1697H3117 of bricksH3843.” 20When they leftH3318 Pharaoh’sH6547 presenceH4480H854, they metH6293 MosesH4872 and AaronH175 as they were 23waitingH5324 for them. 21And 24they saidH559 to them, “25May the LordH3068 lookH7200 upon you and judgeH8199 you, becauseH834 you have 26madeH887 27us repulsiveH887H7381 in Pharaoh’sH6547 sightH5869 and in the sightH5869 of his servantsH5650, to putH5414 a swordH2719 in their handH3027 to killH2026 us!”

22Then MosesH4872 returnedH7725 to the LordH3068 and saidH559, “28LordH136, whyH4100 have You broughtH7489 harmH7489 to thisH2088 peopleH5971? WhyH4100 did You everH2088 sendH7971 me? 23Ever sinceH3975 I cameH935 to PharaohH6547 to speakH1696 in Your nameH8034, he has doneH7489 harmH7489 to thisH2088 peopleH5971, 29and You have not rescuedH5337 Your peopleH5971 atH5337 allH5337.”