Exodus 5:1-9 ▼

1 Later, Moses and Aaron went in and said to Pharaoh, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival for me in the wilderness.”

2 But Pharaoh responded, “Who is the LORD that I should obey him by letting Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”

3 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 the LORD our God, or else he may strike us with plague or sword.”

4 The king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why are you causing the people to neglect their work? Get to your labor! ”

5 Pharaoh also said, “Look, the people of the land are so numerous, and you would stop them from their labor.”

6 That day Pharaoh commanded the overseers of the people as well as their foremen,

7 “Don’t continue to supply the people with straw for making bricks, as before. They must go and gather straw for themselves.

8 But 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 Impose heavier work on the men. Then they will be occupied with it and not pay attention to deceptive words.”