| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 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." | 1After Moses and Aaron arrived, they told Pharaoh, "This is what the LORD God of Israel says: 'Let my people go so they may make a pilgrimage for me in the desert.'" |
| 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." | 2Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD that I should listen to him and let Israel go? I don't know about the LORD, nor will I let Israel go!" |
| 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." | 3Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God so he does not strike us with pestilence or sword." |
| 4The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you causing the people to neglect their work? Get to your work!" | 4The king of Egypt replied to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you keeping the people from their labor? Go back to your work!" |
| 5Pharaoh also said, "Look, the people of the land are so numerous, and you would stop them from working." | 5Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people in the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working." |
| 6That day Pharaoh commanded the overseers of the people as well as their foremen: " | 6That day Pharaoh ordered the taskmasters of the people and their officials, |
| 7Don't continue to supply the people with straw for making bricks, as before. They must go and gather straw for themselves. | 7"You're no longer to give the people straw for making bricks, as in the past. They must gather straw for themselves. |
| 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.' | 8But 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.' |
| 9Impose heavier work on the men. Then they will be occupied with it and not pay attention to deceptive words." | 9So increase the work load on the people, and let them do it so they don't pay attention to deceptive speeches." |
| 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. | 10Then 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. |
| 11Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'" | 11Go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work quotas won't be reduced at all.'" |
| 12So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. | 12So the people scattered throughout the entire land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. |
| 13The overseers insisted, "Finish your assigned work each day, just as you did when straw was provided." | 13The taskmasters pressured them by saying, "Finish your work—each day's quota —just as when you were given straw." |
| 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?" | 14The 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?" |
| 15So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: "Why are you treating your servants this way? | 15The Israeli supervisors came and cried out to Pharaoh, "Why are you doing this to us? |
| 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." | 16No straw is being given to us, yet they're saying to us, 'Make bricks!' Look, we are being beaten. It's wrong how you are treating your people!" |
| 17But he said, "You are slackers. Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the LORD.' | 17Then Pharaoh said, "You are lazy, lazy! That's why you're saying, 'Let's go offer sacrifices to the LORD.' |
| 18Now get to work. No straw will be given to you, but you must produce the same quantity of bricks." | 18Now, go! Get to work! And straw won't be given to you, but you are to deliver the same number of bricks!" |
| 19The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You cannot reduce your daily quota of bricks." | 19The Israeli supervisors realized they were in trouble when he said, "You won't reduce each day's quota of bricks!" |
| 20When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them." | 20As they left Pharaoh's presence, they met Moses and Aaron standing there. |
| 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!" | 21The supervisors told them, "May the LORD look on you and judge you! You have made us repulsive to Pharaoh and his servants. You have put a sword in their hands to kill us." |
| 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? | 22So Moses returned to the LORD and asked him, "LORD, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why have you sent me here? |
| 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." | 23Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have done nothing to deliver your people." |
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