| New American Standard Bible 1995 | New Living Translation |
| 1And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.'" | 1After this presentation to Israel’s leaders, Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh. They told him, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my honor in the wilderness.” |
| 2But Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go." | 2“Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the LORD? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and 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, otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword." | 3But Aaron and Moses persisted. “The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they declared. “So let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness so we can offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. If we don’t, he will kill us with a plague or with the sword.” |
| 4But the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labors!" | 4Pharaoh replied, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work! |
| 5Again Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!" | 5Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work.” Making Bricks without Straw |
| 6So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying, | 6That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen: |
| 7"You are no longer to give the people straw to make brick as previously; let them go and gather straw for themselves. | 7“Do not supply any more straw for making bricks. Make the people get it themselves! |
| 8"But the quota of bricks which they were making previously, you shall impose on them; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are lazy, therefore they cry out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' | 8But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to our God.’ |
| 9"Let the labor be heavier on the men, and let them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words." | 9Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!” |
| 10So 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. | 10So the slave drivers and foremen went out and told the people: “This is what Pharaoh says: I will not provide any more straw for you. |
| 11You go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but none of your labor will be reduced.'" | 11Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!” |
| 12So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. | 12So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt in search of stubble to use as straw. |
| 13The taskmasters pressed them, saying, "Complete your work quota, your daily amount, just as when you had straw." | 13Meanwhile, the Egyptian slave drivers continued to push hard. “Meet your daily quota of bricks, just as you did when we provided you with straw!” they demanded. |
| 14Moreover, 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?" | 14Then they whipped the Israelite foremen they had put in charge of the work crews. “Why haven’t you met your quotas either yesterday or today?” they demanded. |
| 15Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you deal this way with your servants? | 15So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. “Please don’t treat your servants like this,” they begged. |
| 16"There is no straw given to your servants, yet they keep saying to us, 'Make bricks!' And behold, your servants are being beaten; but it is the fault of your own people." | 16“We are given no straw, but the slave drivers still demand, ‘Make bricks!’ We are being beaten, but it isn’t our fault! Your own people are to blame!” |
| 17But he said, "You are lazy, very lazy; therefore you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.' | 17But Pharaoh shouted, “You’re just lazy! Lazy! That’s why you’re saying, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to the LORD.’ |
| 18"So go now and work; for you will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the quota of bricks." | 18Now get back to work! No straw will be given to you, but you must still produce the full quota of bricks.” |
| 19The foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in trouble because they were told, "You must not reduce your daily amount of bricks." | 19The Israelite foremen could see that they were in serious trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the number of bricks you make each day.” |
| 20When they left Pharaoh's presence, they met Moses and Aaron as they were waiting for them. | 20As they left Pharaoh’s court, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who were waiting outside for them. |
| 21They said to them, "May the LORD look upon you and judge you, for you have made us odious in Pharaoh's sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us." | 21The foremen said to them, “May the LORD judge and punish you for making us stink before Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!” |
| 22Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? | 22Then Moses went back to the LORD and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? |
| 23"Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all." | 23Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!” |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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