| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ” | 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." |
| 2And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.” | 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." |
| 3So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with 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." |
| 4Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back 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!" |
| 5And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!” | 5Pharaoh also said, "Look, the people of the land are so numerous, and you would stop them from working." |
| 6So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, | 6That day Pharaoh commanded the overseers of the people as well as their foremen: " |
| 7“You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather 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. |
| 8And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and 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.' |
| 9Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.” | 9Impose heavier work on the men. Then they will be occupied with it and not pay attention to deceptive words." |
| 10And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I will not give 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. |
| 11Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’ ” | 11Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'" |
| 12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. | 12So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. |
| 13And the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, “Fulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw.” | 13The overseers insisted, "Finish your assigned work each day, just as you did when straw was provided." |
| 14Also the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as before?” | 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?" |
| 15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants? | 15So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: "Why are you treating your servants this way? |
| 16There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, ‘Make brick!’ And indeed your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own 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 he said, “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ | 17But he said, "You are slackers. Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the LORD.' |
| 18Therefore go now and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks.” | 18Now get to work. No straw will be given to you, but you must produce the same quantity of bricks." |
| 19And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble after it was said, “You shall not reduce any bricks from your daily quota.” | 19The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You cannot reduce your daily quota of bricks." |
| 20Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them. | 20When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them." |
| 21And they said to them, “Let the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand 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!" |
| 22So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent 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? |
| 23For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.” | 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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