Pharaoh’s First Refusal

1  וְאַחַ֗ר (And afterward) בָּ֚אוּ (went in) מֹשֶׁ֣ה (Moses) וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן (and Aaron) וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ (and they said) אֶל־ (to) פַּרְעֹ֑ה (Pharaoh), כֹּֽה־ (Thus) אָמַ֤ר (says) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֣י (God) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel): שַׁלַּח֙ (Send out) אֶת־ () עַמִּ֔י (My people), וְיָחֹ֥גּוּ (that they may hold a feast) לִ֖י (to Me) בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ (in the wilderness).

2  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) פַּרְעֹ֔ה (Pharaoh), מִ֤י (Who) יְהוָה֙ (is YHWH), אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) אֶשְׁמַ֣ע (I should listen) בְּקֹל֔וֹ (to His voice) לְשַׁלַּ֖ח (to send out) אֶת־ () יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Israel)? לֹ֤א (Not) יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ (I do know) אֶת־ () יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH), וְגַ֥ם (and moreover) אֶת־ () יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (Israel) לֹ֥א (not) אֲשַׁלֵּֽחַ׃ (I will send out).

3  וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ (And they said), אֱלֹהֵ֥י (The God) הָעִבְרִ֖ים (of the Hebrews) נִקְרָ֣א (has met) עָלֵ֑ינוּ (with us). נֵ֣לֲכָה (Let us go), נָּ֡א (please), דֶּרֶךְ֩ (a journey) שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת (of three) יָמִ֜ים (days) בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר (into the wilderness) וְנִזְבְּחָה֙ (and let us sacrifice) לַֽיהוָ֣ה (to YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ (our God), פֶּ֨ן־ (lest) יִפְגָּעֵ֔נוּ (He meet us) בַּדֶּ֖בֶר (with the pestilence) א֥וֹ (or) בֶחָֽרֶב׃ (with the sword).

4  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) אֲלֵהֶם֙ (to them) מֶ֣לֶךְ (the king) מִצְרַ֔יִם (of Egypt), לָ֚מָּה (Why), מֹשֶׁ֣ה (Moses) וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן (and Aaron), תַּפְרִ֥יעוּ (do you⁺ loosen) אֶת־ () הָעָ֖ם (the people) מִמַּֽעֲשָׂ֑יו (from their works)? לְכ֖וּ (Go) לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ (to your⁺ burdens). 5  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) פַּרְעֹ֔ה (Pharaoh), הֵן־ (Behold) רַבִּ֥ים (are many) עַתָּ֖ה (now) עַ֣ם (the people) הָאָ֑רֶץ (of the land), וְהִשְׁבַּתֶּ֥ם (and you⁺ make rest) אֹתָ֖ם (them) מִסִּבְלֹתָֽם׃ (from their burdens).

Bricks and Straw

6  וַיְצַ֥ו (And commanded) פַּרְעֹ֖ה (Pharaoh) בַּיּ֣וֹם (day) הַה֑וּא (that) אֶת־ () הַנֹּגְשִׂ֣ים (the taskmasters) בָּעָ֔ם (of the people), וְאֶת־ (and) שֹׁטְרָ֖יו (their officers), לֵאמֹֽר׃ (saying), 7  לֹ֣א (Not) תֹאסִפ֞וּן (you⁺ shall continue) לָתֵ֨ת (to give) תֶּ֧בֶן (straw) לָעָ֛ם (to the people) לִלְבֹּ֥ן (for the making) הַלְּבֵנִ֖ים (of the bricks) כִּתְמ֣וֹל (as yesterday) שִׁלְשֹׁ֑ם (and the day before yesterday). הֵ֚ם (They) יֵֽלְכ֔וּ (shall go) וְקֹשְׁשׁ֥וּ (and gather) לָהֶ֖ם (for themselves) תֶּֽבֶן׃ (straw). 8  וְאֶת־ (And) מַתְכֹּ֨נֶת (quota) הַלְּבֵנִ֜ים (of the bricks) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) הֵם֩ (they) עֹשִׂ֨ים (were making) תְּמ֤וֹל (yesterday) שִׁלְשֹׁם֙ (and the day before yesterday), תָּשִׂ֣ימוּ (you⁺ shall set) עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם (on them). לֹ֥א (Not) תִגְרְע֖וּ (you⁺ shall diminish) מִמֶּ֑נּוּ (from it), כִּֽי־ (for) נִרְפִּ֣ים (are idle) הֵ֔ם (they). עַל־ (Upon) כֵּ֗ן (thus) הֵ֤ם (they) צֹֽעֲקִים֙ (cry out), לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying), נֵלְכָ֖ה (Let us go) נִזְבְּחָ֥ה (let us sacrifice) לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ (to our God). 9  תִּכְבַּ֧ד (Let be heavy) הָעֲבֹדָ֛ה (the service) עַל־ (on) הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים (the men), וְיַעֲשׂוּ־ (and let them be occupied) בָ֑הּ (with it). וְאַל־ (And not) יִשְׁע֖וּ (let them pay attention) בְּדִבְרֵי־ (to words) שָֽׁקֶר׃ (lying).

10  וַיֵּ֨צְא֜וּ (And went out) נֹגְשֵׂ֤י (the taskmasters) הָעָם֙ (of the people) וְשֹׁ֣טְרָ֔יו (and their officers), וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ (and they spoke) אֶל־ (to) הָעָ֖ם (the people), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), כֹּ֚ה (Thus) אָמַ֣ר (says) פַּרְעֹ֔ה (Pharaoh), אֵינֶ֛נִּי (I am not) נֹתֵ֥ן (giving) לָכֶ֖ם (to you⁺) תֶּֽבֶן׃ (straw). 11  אַתֶּ֗ם (You⁺) לְכ֨וּ (go), קְח֤וּ (get) לָכֶם֙ (for yourselves) תֶּ֔בֶן (straw), מֵאֲשֶׁ֖ר (from wherever) תִּמְצָ֑אוּ (you⁺ can find it). כִּ֣י (For) אֵ֥ין (no) נִגְרָ֛ע (is diminishing) מֵעֲבֹדַתְכֶ֖ם (from your⁺ service) דָּבָֽר׃ (thing).

12  וַיָּ֥פֶץ (And were scattered) הָעָ֖ם (the people) בְּכָל־ (throughout all) אֶ֣רֶץ (the land) מִצְרָ֑יִם (of Egypt) לְקֹשֵׁ֥שׁ (to gather) קַ֖שׁ (stubble) לַתֶּֽבֶן׃ (for straw). 13  וְהַנֹּגְשִׂ֖ים (And the taskmasters) אָצִ֣ים (kept pressing them), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), כַּלּ֤וּ (Fulfill) מַעֲשֵׂיכֶם֙ (your⁺ works) דְּבַר־ (the matter) י֣וֹם (of a day) בְּיוֹמ֔וֹ (in its day), כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר (as) בִּהְי֥וֹת (when there was) הַתֶּֽבֶן׃ (the straw).

14  וַיֻּכּ֗וּ (And were beaten) שֹֽׁטְרֵי֙ (the officers) בְּנֵ֣י (of the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), אֲשֶׁר־ (whom) שָׂ֣מוּ (had set) עֲלֵהֶ֔ם (over them) נֹגְשֵׂ֥י (the taskmasters) פַרְעֹ֖ה (of Pharaoh), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), מַדּ֡וּעַ (Why) לֹא֩ (not) כִלִּיתֶ֨ם (have you⁺ fulfilled) חָקְכֶ֤ם (your⁺ quota) לִלְבֹּן֙ (for making bricks) כִּתְמ֣וֹל (as yesterday) שִׁלְשֹׁ֔ם (and the day before yesterday), גַּם־ (both) תְּמ֖וֹל (yesterday) גַּם־ (and) הַיּֽוֹם׃ (today)?

The Cry of the Israelites

15  וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ (And came) שֹֽׁטְרֵי֙ (the officers) בְּנֵ֣י (of the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel) וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ (and cried out) אֶל־ (to) פַּרְעֹ֖ה (Pharaoh), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying), לָ֧מָּה (Why) תַעֲשֶׂ֦ה (are you doing) כֹ֖ה (this) לַעֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃ (to your servants)? 16  תֶּ֗בֶן (Straw) אֵ֤ין (not) נִתָּן֙ (is being given) לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ (to your servants), וּלְבֵנִ֛ים (and bricks) אֹמְרִ֥ים (they are saying) לָ֖נוּ (To us) עֲשׂ֑וּ (make)! וְהִנֵּ֧ה (And behold), עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ (your servants) מֻכִּ֖ים (are beaten), וְחָטָ֥את (and the fault) עַמֶּֽךָ׃ (is in your people).

17  וַיֹּ֛אמֶר (And he said), נִרְפִּ֥ים (Are idle) אַתֶּ֖ם (you⁺)— נִרְפִּ֑ים (idle)! עַל־ (Upon) כֵּן֙ (thus) אַתֶּ֣ם (you⁺) אֹֽמְרִ֔ים (are saying), נֵלְכָ֖ה (Let us go) נִזְבְּחָ֥ה (let us sacrifice) לַֽיהוָֽה׃ (to YHWH). 18  וְעַתָּה֙ (And now), לְכ֣וּ (go) עִבְד֔וּ (work); וְתֶ֖בֶן (and straw) לֹא־ (not) יִנָּתֵ֣ן (shall be given) לָכֶ֑ם (to you⁺), וְתֹ֥כֶן (and the quota) לְבֵנִ֖ים (of bricks) תִּתֵּֽנּוּ׃ (you⁺ shall deliver).

19  וַיִּרְא֞וּ (And saw) שֹֽׁטְרֵ֧י (the officers) בְנֵֽי־ (of the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל (of Israel) אֹתָ֖ם (themselves) בְּרָ֣ע (in trouble) לֵאמֹ֑ר (in saying), לֹא־ (Not) תִגְרְע֥וּ (you⁺ shall diminish) מִלִּבְנֵיכֶ֖ם (from your⁺ bricks) דְּבַר־ (the matter) י֥וֹם (of a day) בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃ (in its day). 20  וַֽיִּפְגְּעוּ֙ (And they met) אֶת־ () מֹשֶׁ֣ה (Moses) וְאֶֽת־ (and) אַהֲרֹ֔ן (Aaron), נִצָּבִ֖ים (who were standing) לִקְרָאתָ֑ם (to meet them) בְּצֵאתָ֖ם (as they came out) מֵאֵ֥ת (from) פַּרְעֹֽה׃ (Pharaoh).

21  וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ (And they said) אֲלֵהֶ֔ם (to them), יֵ֧רֶא (May look) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם (on you⁺) וְיִשְׁפֹּ֑ט (and judge), אֲשֶׁ֧ר (because) הִבְאַשְׁתֶּ֣ם (you⁺ have made to stink) אֶת־ () רֵיחֵ֗נוּ (our scent) בְּעֵינֵ֤י (in the eyes) פַרְעֹה֙ (of Pharaoh) וּבְעֵינֵ֣י (and in the eyes) עֲבָדָ֔יו (of his servants), לָֽתֶת־ (to put) חֶ֥רֶב (a sword) בְּיָדָ֖ם (in their hand) לְהָרְגֵֽנוּ׃ (to kill us).

22  וַיָּ֧שָׁב (And returned) מֹשֶׁ֛ה (Moses) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (and said), אֲדֹנָ֗י (My Lord), לָמָ֤ה (why) הֲרֵעֹ֙תָה֙ (have You done evil) לָעָ֣ם (to the people) הַזֶּ֔ה (this)? לָ֥מָּה (Why) זֶּ֖ה (is this) שְׁלַחְתָּֽנִי׃ (You have sent me)? 23  וּמֵאָ֞ז (And since) בָּ֤אתִי (I came) אֶל־ (to) פַּרְעֹה֙ (Pharaoh) לְדַבֵּ֣ר (to speak) בִּשְׁמֶ֔ךָ (in Your name), הֵרַ֖ע (he has done evil) לָעָ֣ם (to the people) הַזֶּ֑ה (this), וְהַצֵּ֥ל (and deliver) לֹא־ (not) הִצַּ֖לְתָּ (You have delivered) אֶת־ () עַמֶּֽךָ׃ (Your people).