| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” | 1Later, Moses and Aaron went in and said to Pharaoh, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: Let My people go, so that they may hold a festival for Me in the wilderness." |
| 2But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” | 2But Pharaoh responded, "Who is Yahweh that I should obey Him by letting Israel go? I do not know anything about Yahweh, and besides, I will not let Israel go." |
| 3Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” | 3Then 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 Yahweh our God, or else He may strike us with plague or sword." |
| 4But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” | 4The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you causing the people to neglect their work? Get to your work!" |
| 5And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!” | 5Pharaoh also said, "Look, the people of the land are so numerous, and you would stop them from working." |
| 6The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, | 6That day Pharaoh commanded the overseers of the people as well as their foremen: " |
| 7“You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. | 7Don't continue to supply the people with straw for making bricks, as before. They must go and gather straw for themselves. |
| 8But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ | 8But 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.' |
| 9Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.” | 9Impose heavier work on the men. Then they will be occupied with it and not pay attention to deceptive words." |
| 10So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. | 10So the overseers and foremen of the people went out and said to them, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I am not giving you straw. |
| 11Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” | 11Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'" |
| 12So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. | 12So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. |
| 13The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.” | 13The overseers insisted, "Finish your assigned work each day, just as you did when straw was provided." |
| 14And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?” | 14Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh's slave drivers had set over the people, were beaten and asked, "Why haven't you finished making your prescribed number of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?" |
| 15Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? | 15So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: "Why are you treating your servants this way? |
| 16No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” | 16No straw has been given to your servants, yet they say to us, 'Make bricks!' Look, your servants are being beaten, but it is your own people who are at fault." |
| 17But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ | 17But he said, "You are slackers. Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the LORD.' |
| 18Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.” | 18Now get to work. No straw will be given to you, but you must produce the same quantity of bricks." |
| 19The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.” | 19The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You cannot reduce your daily quota of bricks." |
| 20They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; | 20When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them." |
| 21and they said to them, “The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” | 21May the LORD take note of you and judge," they said to them, "because you have made us reek in front of Pharaoh and his officials--putting a sword in their hand to kill us!" |
| 22Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? | 22So Moses went back to the LORD and asked, "Lord, why have You caused trouble for this people? And why did You ever send me? |
| 23For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” | 23Ever since I went in to Pharaoh to speak in Your name he has caused trouble for this people, and You haven't delivered Your people at all." |
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