Exodus Chapter 5 (Index)

001  And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

002  And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

003  And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.

004  And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

005  And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.

006  And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

007  Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

008  And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

009  Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.

010  And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.

011  Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.

012  So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

013  And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.

014  And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

015  Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?

016  There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.

017  But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.

018  Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.

019  And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.

020  And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:

021  And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

022  And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

023  For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.