Pharaoh's First Refusal

1And afterwards have Moses and Aaron entered, and they say unto Pharaoh, 'Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Send My people away, and they keep a feast to Me in the wilderness;' 2and Pharaoh saith, 'Who is Jehovah, that I hearken to His voice, to send Israel away? I have not known Jehovah, and Israel also I do not send away.' 3And they say, 'The God of the Hebrews hath met with us, let us go, we pray thee, a journey of three days into the wilderness, and we sacrifice to Jehovah our God, lest He meet us with pestilence or with sword.' 4And the king of Egypt saith unto them, 'Why, Moses and Aaron, do ye free the people from its works? go to your burdens.' 5Pharaoh also saith, 'Lo, numerous now is the people of the land, and ye have caused them to cease from their burdens!'

Bricks and Straw

6And Pharaoh commandeth, on that day, the exactors among the people and its authorities, saying, 7'Ye do not add to give straw to the people for the making of the bricks, as heretofore -- they go and have gathered straw for themselves; 8and the proper quantity of the bricks which they are making heretofore ye do put on them, ye do not diminish from it, for they are remiss, therefore they are crying, saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to our God; 9let the service be heavy on the men, and let them work at it, and not be dazzled by lying words.'

10And the exactors of the people, and its authorities, go out, and speak unto the people, saying, 'Thus said Pharaoh, I do not give you straw, 11ye -- go ye, take for yourselves straw where ye find it, for there is nothing of your service diminished.' 12And the people is scattered over all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw, 13and the exactors are making haste, saying, 'Complete your works, the matter of a day in its day, as when there is straw.' 14And the authorities of the sons of Israel, whom the exactors of Pharaoh have placed over them, are beaten, saying, 'Wherefore have ye not completed your portion in making brick as heretofore, both yesterday and to-day?'

The Israelites' Cry

15And the authorities of the sons of Israel come in and cry unto Pharaoh, saying, 'Why dost thou thus to thy servants? 16Straw is not given to thy servants, and they are saying to us, Make bricks, and lo, thy servants are smitten -- and thy people hath sinned.' 17And he saith, 'Remiss -- ye are remiss, therefore ye are saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to Jehovah; 18and now, go, serve; and straw is not given to you, and the measure of bricks ye do give.' 19And the authorities of the sons of Israel see them in affliction, saying, 'Ye do not diminish from your bricks; the matter of a day in its day.' 20And they meet Moses and Aaron standing to meet them, in their coming out from Pharaoh, 21and say unto them, 'Jehovah look upon you, and judge, because ye have caused our fragrance to stink in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants -- to give a sword into their hand to slay us.'

22And Moses turneth back unto Jehovah, and saith, 'Lord, why hast Thou done evil to this people? why is this? -- Thou hast sent me! 23and since I have come unto Pharaoh, to speak in Thy name, he hath done evil to this people, and Thou hast not at all delivered Thy people.'