1   After this, Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and said, ‘These are the words of the Lord the God of Israel: “Let my people go so that they may keep my pilgrim-feast in the wilderness.”’ 2   ‘Who is the Lord,’ asked Pharaoh, ‘that I should obey him and let Israel go? I care nothing for the Lord: and I tell you I will not let Israel go.’ 3   They replied, ‘It has happened that the God of the Hebrews met us. So let us go three days' journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifice to the Lord our God, or else he will attack us with pestilence or sword.’ 4   But the king of Egypt said, ‘Moses and Aaron, what do you mean by distracting the people from their work? Back to your labours! 5   Your people already outnumber the native Egyptians; ^note yet you would have them stop working!’

6   That very day Pharaoh ordered the people's overseers and their foremen not to supply the people with the straw used in making bricks, 7    as they had done hitherto. ‘Let them go and collect their own straw, but see that they produce the same tally of bricks as before. 8   On no account reduce it. They are a lazy people, and that is why they are clamouring to go and offer sacrifice to their god. 9   Keep the men hard at work; let them attend to that and take no notice of a pack of lies.’ 10   The overseers and foremen went out and said to the people, ‘Pharaoh's orders are that no more straw is to be supplied. 11   Go and get it for yourselves wherever you can find it; but there will be no reduction in your daily task.’ 12   So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble for straw, 13   while the overseers kept urging them on, bidding them complete, day after day, the same quantity as when straw was supplied. 14   Then the Israelite foremen were flogged because they were held responsible by Pharaoh's overseers, who asked them, ‘Why did you not complete the usual number of bricks yesterday or today?’ 15   So the foremen came and appealed to Pharaoh: ‘Why do you treat your servants like this?’ they said. 16   ‘We are given no straw, yet they keep on telling us to make bricks. 17   Here are we being flogged, but it is your people's fault.’ But Pharaoh replied, ‘You are lazy, you are lazy. That is why you talk about going to offer sacrifice to the Lord. 18   Now go; get on with your work. You will be given no straw, but you must produce the tally of bricks.’ 19   When they were told that they must not let the daily tally of bricks fall short, the Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble. 20   As they came out from Pharaoh's presence they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, and said, ‘May this bring the Lord's judgement down upon you: 21   you have made us stink in the nostrils of Pharaoh and his subjects; you have put a sword in their hands to kill us.’

22   Moses went back to the Lord, and said, ‘Why, O Lord, hast thou brought misfortune on this people? And why didst thou ever send me?

Israel enslaved in Egypt 23   Since I first went to Pharaoh to speak in thy name he has heaped misfortune on thy people, and thou hast done nothing at all to rescue them.’

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