| NET Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 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.'" | 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 him by releasing Israel? I do not know the LORD, and I will not release Israel!" | 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." |
| 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 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." |
| 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!" | 4The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you causing the people to neglect their work? Get to your work!" |
| 5Pharaoh was thinking, "The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor." | 5Pharaoh also said, "Look, the people of the land are so numerous, and you would stop them from working." |
| 6That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people: | 6That day Pharaoh commanded the overseers of the people as well as 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. | 7Don't continue to supply the people with straw for making bricks, as before. They must 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 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.' |
| 9Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention 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 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 overseers and foremen of the people went out and said to them, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I am not giving 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 get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'" |
| 12So the people spread out through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. | 12So the people scattered throughout 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 overseers insisted, "Finish your assigned work each day, just as you did when straw was provided." |
| 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?" | 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?" |
| 15The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, "Why are you treating your servants this way? | 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, but we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are even being beaten, but the fault is with your 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 Pharaoh replied, "You are slackers! Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the LORD.' | 17But he said, "You are slackers. Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go 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!" | 18Now get to work. No straw will be given to you, but you must produce the same quantity 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 Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You cannot reduce your daily quota of bricks." |
| 20When they went out from Pharaoh, they encountered Moses and Aaron standing there to meet them, | 20When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them." |
| 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!" | 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!" |
| 22Moses returned to the LORD, and said, "Lord, why have you caused trouble for 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? |
| 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!" | 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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