Exodus 5:4-17

4But the kingH4428 of EgyptH4714 saidH559 to them, “MosesH4872 and AaronH175, whyH4100 do you letH6544 the peopleH5971 neglectH6544 their 1workH4639? GetH1980 back to your 2laborsH5450!” 5Again PharaohH6547 saidH559, “LookH2005, 3the peopleH5971 of the landH776 are nowH6258 manyH7227, and you would have them ceaseH7673 from their laborsH5450!” 6So the sameH1931 dayH3117 PharaohH6547 commandedH6680 4the taskmastersH5065 over the peopleH5971 and their 5foremenH7860, 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 6lazyH7503, for thatH3651 reasonH3651 they cryH6817 7outH6817, ‘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 8the 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 9workH4639 quotaH4639, 10your dailyH3117 amountH1697H3117, justH3512 asH3512 when 11you hadH1961 strawH8401.” 14Moreover, 12the foremenH7860 of the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, whomH834 Pharaoh’sH6547 taskmastersH5065 had setH7760 overH5921 them, 13were beatenH5221 14and 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 15lazyH7503, very lazyH7503; forH5921 thatH5921H3651 reasonH5921H3651 you sayH559, ‘Let us goH1980 and sacrificeH2076 to the LordH3068.’