| NET Bible | International 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.'" | 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 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!" | 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!" |
| 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-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 do you cause the people to refrain from their work? Return to your labor!" | 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 was thinking, "The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor." | 5Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people in the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working." |
| 6That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people: | 6That day Pharaoh ordered the taskmasters of the people and their officials, |
| 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're no longer to give the people straw for making bricks, as in the past. They must 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 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.' |
| 9Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying 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 slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, "Thus says Pharaoh: '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. |
| 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 for yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work quotas won't be reduced at all.'" |
| 12So the people spread out through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. | 12So the people scattered throughout the entire land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. |
| 13The slave masters were pressuring them, saying, "Complete your work for each day, just like when there was straw!" | 13The taskmasters pressured them by saying, "Finish your work—each day's quota —just as when you were given 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?" | 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?" |
| 15The Israelite foremen went and cried out 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 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 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 Pharaoh replied, "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.' |
| 18So now, get back to work! You will not be given straw, but you must still produce your quota 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 must not reduce the daily quota of your bricks." | 19The Israeli supervisors realized they were in trouble when he said, "You won't reduce each day's quota of bricks!" |
| 20When they went out from Pharaoh, they encountered Moses and Aaron standing there to meet them, | 20As they left Pharaoh's presence, they met Moses and Aaron standing there. |
| 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!" | 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." |
| 22Moses returned to the LORD, and said, "Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? 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? |
| 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 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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