| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 1Later, Moses and Aaron went in and said to Pharaoh, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: Let My people go, so that they may hold a festival for Me in the wilderness." |
| 2[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 2But Pharaoh responded, "Who is Yahweh that I should obey Him by letting Israel go? I do not know anything about Yahweh, and besides, I will not let Israel go." |
| 3[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 3Then they answered, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go on a three-day trip into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our God, or else He may strike us with plague or sword." |
| 4[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 4The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you causing the people to neglect their work? Get to your work!" |
| 5[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 5Pharaoh also said, "Look, the people of the land are so numerous, and you would stop them from working." |
| 6[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 6That day Pharaoh commanded the overseers of the people as well as their foremen: " |
| 7[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 7Don't continue to supply the people with straw for making bricks, as before. They must go and gather straw for themselves. |
| 8[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 8But require the same quota of bricks from them as they were making before; do not reduce it. For they are slackers--that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' |
| 9[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 9Impose heavier work on the men. Then they will be occupied with it and not pay attention to deceptive words." |
| 10[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 10So the overseers and foremen of the people went out and said to them, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I am not giving you straw. |
| 11[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 11Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'" |
| 12[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 12So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. |
| 13[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 13The overseers insisted, "Finish your assigned work each day, just as you did when straw was provided." |
| 14[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 14Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh's slave drivers had set over the people, were beaten and asked, "Why haven't you finished making your prescribed number of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?" |
| 15[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 15So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: "Why are you treating your servants this way? |
| 16[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 16No straw has been given to your servants, yet they say to us, 'Make bricks!' Look, your servants are being beaten, but it is your own people who are at fault." |
| 17[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 17But he said, "You are slackers. Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the LORD.' |
| 18[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 18Now get to work. No straw will be given to you, but you must produce the same quantity of bricks." |
| 19[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 19The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You cannot reduce your daily quota of bricks." |
| 20[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 20When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them." |
| 21[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 21May the LORD take note of you and judge," they said to them, "because you have made us reek in front of Pharaoh and his officials--putting a sword in their hand to kill us!" |
| 22[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 22So Moses went back to the LORD and asked, "Lord, why have You caused trouble for this people? And why did You ever send me? |
| 23[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 23Ever since I went in to Pharaoh to speak in Your name he has caused trouble for this people, and You haven't delivered Your people at all." |
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