Exodus 5:6-14 ▼

6 That day Pharaoh ordered the taskmasters of the people and their officials,

7 |You're no longer to give the people straw for making bricks, as in the past. They must gather straw for themselves.

8 But you're to impose the previous quota of bricks that they're making. You're not to reduce it! It is because they're lazy that they're crying out, 'Let's go offer sacrifices to our God.'

9 So increase the work load on the people, and let them do it so they don't pay attention to deceptive speeches.|

10 Then the taskmasters of the people and their officials went out and told the people, |This is Pharaoh's response: 'I'll no longer give you any straw.

11 Go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work quotas won't be reduced at all.'|

12 So the people scattered throughout the entire land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw.

13 The taskmasters pressured them by saying, |Finish your work—each day's quota —just as when you were given straw.|

14 The Israeli supervisors whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had appointed over them were beaten and told, |Why didn't you, both yesterday and today, fulfill your quota for making bricks as before?|