| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 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 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 him by releasing Israel? I do not know the LORD, and I will not release Israel!" | 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.” |
| 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." | 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.” |
| 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!" | 4Pharaoh replied, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work! |
| 5Pharaoh was thinking, "The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor." | 5Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work.” Making Bricks without Straw |
| 6That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people: | 6That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite 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“Do not supply any more straw for making bricks. Make the people get it 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 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.’ |
| 9Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words!" | 9Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!” |
| 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 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 get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'" | 11Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!” |
| 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 in search of stubble to use as straw. |
| 13The slave masters were pressuring them, saying, "Complete your work for each day, just like when there was 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 15The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, "Why are you treating your servants this way? | 15So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. “Please don’t treat your servants like this,” they begged. |
| 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." | 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 Pharaoh replied, "You are slackers! Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go 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.’ |
| 18So now, get back to work! You will not be given straw, but you must still produce your 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 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 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 went out from Pharaoh, they encountered Moses and Aaron standing there to meet them, | 20As they left Pharaoh’s court, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who were waiting outside for 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!" | 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!” |
| 22Moses returned to the LORD, and said, "Lord, why have you caused trouble for 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? |
| 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 as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!” |
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