| NET Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Release my people so that they may hold a pilgrim feast to me in the desert.'" | 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.’” |
| 2But Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD that I should obey him by releasing Israel? I do not know the LORD, and I will not release Israel!" | 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.” |
| 3And they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us go a three-day journey into the desert so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, so that he does not strike us with plague or the sword." | 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.” |
| 4The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you cause the people to refrain from their work? Return to your labor!" | 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.” |
| 5Pharaoh was thinking, "The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor." | 5And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!” |
| 6That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people: | 6The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, |
| 7"You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect straw for themselves. | 7“You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. |
| 8But you must require of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. That is why they are crying, 'Let us go sacrifice to our God.' | 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.’ |
| 9Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words!" | 9Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.” |
| 10So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, "Thus says Pharaoh: 'I am not giving you straw. | 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. |
| 11You go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'" | 11Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” |
| 12So the people spread out through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. | 12So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. |
| 13The slave masters were pressuring them, saying, "Complete your work for each day, just like when there was straw!" | 13The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.” |
| 14The Israelite foremen whom Pharaoh's slave masters had set over them were beaten and were asked, "Why did you not complete your requirement for brickmaking as in the past--both yesterday and today?" | 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?” |
| 15The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, "Why are you treating your servants this way? | 15Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? |
| 16No straw is given to your servants, but we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are even being beaten, but the fault is with your people." | 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.” |
| 17But Pharaoh replied, "You are slackers! Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the LORD.' | 17But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ |
| 18So now, get back to work! You will not be given straw, but you must still produce your quota of bricks!" | 18Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.” |
| 19The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You must not reduce the daily quota of your 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.” |
| 20When they went out from Pharaoh, they encountered Moses and Aaron standing there to meet them, | 20They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; |
| 21and they said to them, "May the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the opinion of Pharaoh and his servants, so that you have given them an excuse to kill us!" | 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.” |
| 22Moses returned to the LORD, and said, "Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you ever send me? | 22Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? |
| 23From the time I went to speak to Pharaoh in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have certainly not rescued them!" | 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.” |
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