Pharaoh’s First Refusal

1Moyses and Aaron went in afterward and told Pharao, Thus sayeth the Lorde God of Israel: let my people go, that they maye holde a feast vnto me in the wyldernesse. 2And Pharao sayde: who is the Lorde that I shoulde heare his voyce, and let Israel go? I knowe not the Lorde, neyther wyll I let Israel go. 3And they sayde, The God of the Hebrewes is called ouer vs: let vs go we pray thee three dayes iourney into the desert, and do sacrifice vnto the Lorde our God: lest he smyte vs with pestilence or with the sworde. 4Then saide the kyng of Egypt vnto them: wherfore do ye, Moyses and Aaron let the people from their workes? get you vnto your burthens. 5And Pharao sayde furthermore: beholde, there is much people nowe in the lande, and you make them leaue theyr burthens.

Bricks and Straw

6And Pharao comaunded the same day, ye taskmaisters which were amongest the people and the officers, saying: 7Ye shall geue the people no more strawe to make brycke withal, as ye did in tyme passed: let them go and gather them strawe them selues. 8And the number of bricke which they were wont to make in tyme passed, lay vnto their charges also, and minishe nothing therof: for they be idell, and therfore crye, saying: we wyll go, and do sacrifice vnto our God. 9They must haue more worke layed vpon them, that they may labour therin, and not regarde vayne wordes.

10Then went the taskemaisters of the people, and the officers out, and tolde the people, saying: Thus sayeth Pharao, I wyll geue you no more strawe. 11Go your selues and gather you straw where ye can finde it: yet shall none of your labour be minished. 12And so were the people scattered abrode throughout all ye land of Egypt, for to gather stubble in steade of strawe. 13And the taskemaisters hasted them forwarde, saying: fulfyll your worke, your dayly taskes in their due tyme, as if you had strawe. 14And the officers of the children of Israel which Pharaos taskemasters had set ouer them, were beaten. And they sayde vnto them: wherfore haue ye not fulfilled your taske in makyng of brycke both yesterday and to day, as well as in tymes past?

The Cry of the Israelites

15The officers also of the children of Israel, came & complayned vnto Pharao, saying: Wherfore dealest thou thus with thy seruauntes? 16There is no strawe geuen vnto thy seruauntes, and they say vnto vs, make brycke: and thy seruauntes are beaten, and the fault is thyne owne people. 17He sayde: you are idle, idle are you: and therfore you say, we will go, and do sacrifice vnto the Lorde. 18Go therfore nowe, & worke, and there shall no strawe be geuen you, & yet shall ye deliuer the whole tale of bricke. 19And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in worse case, after it was sayde, ye shall minishe nothyng of your brycke, of your dayly taske in due tyme: 20And they met Moyses and Aaron, which stoode in their way as they came out from Pharao. 21And saide vnto them: The Lorde looke vpon you & iudge you, which hath made the sauour of vs to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharao, and in the eyes of his seruauntes, and haue put a sworde in their hande to slay vs.

22Moyses returned vnto the Lorde, and sayd: Lorde, wherfore hast thou so euyll intreated this people? And wherfore hast thou sent me? 23For since I came to Pharao to speake in thy name, he hath fared foule with this folke, and yet thou hast not deliuered thy people at all.