Exodus 5 Parallel Bible Translations

Exodus 5 ▼
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1 After this presentation to Israel’s leaders, Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh. They told him, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my honor in the wilderness.” Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’”
2 “Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the LORD? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.” But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.”
3 But Aaron and Moses persisted. “The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they declared. “So let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness so we can offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. If we don’t, he will kill us with a plague or with the sword.” Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”
4 Pharaoh replied, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work! But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!”
5 Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work.” And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!” Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.”
6 That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen: The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people:
7 “Do not supply any more straw for making bricks. Make the people get it themselves! “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw.
8 But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to our God.’ But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
9 Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!” Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.” Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”
10 So the slave drivers and foremen went out and told the people: “This is what Pharaoh says: I will not provide any more straw for you. So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. Then the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw.
11 Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!” Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.’”
12 So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt in search of stubble to use as straw. So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw.
13 Meanwhile, the Egyptian slave drivers continued to push hard. “Meet your daily quota of bricks, just as you did when we provided you with straw!” they demanded. The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.” The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.”
14 Then they whipped the Israelite foremen they had put in charge of the work crews. “Why haven’t you met your quotas either yesterday or today?” they demanded. And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?” And Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed, demanding, “Why haven’t you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”
15 So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. “Please don’t treat your servants like this,” they begged. Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way?
16 “We are given no straw, but the slave drivers still demand, ‘Make bricks!’ We are being beaten, but it isn’t our fault! Your own people are to blame!” No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
17 But Pharaoh shouted, “You’re just lazy! Lazy! That’s why you’re saying, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to the LORD.’ But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’
18 Now get back to work! No straw will be given to you, but you must still produce the full quota of bricks.” Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.” Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”
19 The Israelite foremen could see that they were in serious trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the number of bricks you make each day.” The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.” The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.”
20 As they left Pharaoh’s court, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who were waiting outside for them. They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them,
21 The foremen said to them, “May the LORD judge and punish you for making us stink before Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!” and they said to them, “The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” and they said, “May the LORD look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
22 Then Moses went back to the LORD and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me?
23 Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!” For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”
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