| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 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, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to 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.” | 2Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and 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 said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with 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.” | 4But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!" |
| 5And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!” | 5Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working." |
| 6So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, | 6That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of 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 are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. |
| 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 them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; 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.” | 9Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies." |
| 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. | 10Then the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw. |
| 11Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’ ” | 11Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.'" |
| 12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. | 12So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. |
| 13And the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, “Fulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw.” | 13The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, "Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had 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?” | 14And Pharaoh's slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed, demanding, "Why haven't you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?" |
| 15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants? | 15Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you treated 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.” | 16Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people." |
| 17But he said, “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ | 17Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are--lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and 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. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full 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 overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, "You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day." |
| 20Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them. | 20When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron 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.” | 21and they said, "May the LORD look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put 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? | 22Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent 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 to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all." |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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