Exodus 5:6-14 ▼

6 So on that day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying,

7 “You are no longer to give the people straw to make brick as previously; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8 But the quota of bricks which they were making previously, you shall set upon them; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are lazy, therefore they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’

9 Let their slavery be hard on the men, and let them work at it so that they will have no regard for false words.”

10 So the taskmasters of the people and their foremen went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I am not going to give you any straw.

11 You go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but no amount of your slave labor will be reduced.’”

12 So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

13 And the taskmasters were pressing them, saying, “Complete your work quota, the daily amount, just as when there was straw.”

14 Moreover, the foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not completed your required amount either yesterday or today in making brick as previously?”