| New King James Version | NET 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.’ ” | 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.'" |
| 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 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!" |
| 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.” | 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." |
| 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 do you cause the people to refrain from their work? Return to your labor!" |
| 5And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!” | 5Pharaoh was thinking, "The people of the land are now many, and you are giving them rest from their labor." |
| 6So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, | 6That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people: |
| 7“You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. | 7"You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect 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 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.' |
| 9Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.” | 9Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying 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 slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, "Thus says Pharaoh: 'I am not giving you straw. |
| 11Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’ ” | 11You go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because 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 spread out through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. |
| 13And the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, “Fulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw.” | 13The slave masters were pressuring them, saying, "Complete your work for each day, just like when there was straw!" |
| 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?” | 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?" |
| 15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants? | 15The Israelite foremen went and cried out 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 is given to your servants, but we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are even being beaten, but the fault is with your people." |
| 17But he said, “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ | 17But Pharaoh replied, "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.” | 18So now, get back to work! You will not be given straw, but you must still produce your quota 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 must not reduce the daily quota of your bricks." |
| 20Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them. | 20When they went out from Pharaoh, they encountered Moses and Aaron standing there 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.” | 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!" |
| 22So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? | 22Moses returned to the LORD, and said, "Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? 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.” | 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!" |
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