Exodus 5:7-19

7“You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect straw for themselves.

8But you must require of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. That is why they are crying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to our God.’

9Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words!”

10So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I am not giving you straw.

11You go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.’”

12So the people spread out through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw.

13The slave masters were pressuring them, saying, “Complete your work for each day, just like when there was straw!”

14The Israelite foremen whom Pharaoh’s slave masters had set over them were beaten and were asked, “Why did you not complete your requirement for brickmaking as in the past – both yesterday and today?”

15The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, “Why are you treating your servants this way?

16No straw is given to your servants, but we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are even being beaten, but the fault is with your people.”

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

18So now, get back to work! You will not be given straw, but you must still produce your quota of bricks!”

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