| New Living Translation | Christian Standard Bible |
| 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.” | 1Later, Moses and Aaron went in and said to Pharaoh, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival for me in the wilderness." |
| 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.” | 2But Pharaoh responded, "Who is the LORD that I should obey him by letting Israel go? I don't know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go." |
| 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.” | 3They 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 the LORD our God, or else he may strike us with plague or sword." |
| 4Pharaoh replied, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work! | 4The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you causing the people to neglect their work? Get to your labor!" |
| 5Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work.” Making Bricks without Straw | 5Pharaoh also said, "Look, the people of the land are so numerous, and you would stop them from their labor." |
| 6That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen: | 6That day Pharaoh commanded the overseers of the people as well as their foremen: |
| 7“Do not supply any more straw for making bricks. Make the people get it themselves! | 7"Don't continue to supply the people with straw for making bricks, as before. They must go and gather straw for themselves. |
| 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.’ | 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.' |
| 9Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!” | 9Impose heavier work on the men. Then they will be occupied with it and not pay attention to deceptive words." |
| 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. | 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 and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!” | 11Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'" |
| 12So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt in search of stubble to use as straw. | 12So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for 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. | 13The overseers insisted, "Finish your assigned work each day, just as you did when straw was provided." |
| 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. | 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?" |
| 15So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. “Please don’t treat your servants like this,” they begged. | 15So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: "Why are you treating your servants this way? |
| 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!” | 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 Pharaoh shouted, “You’re just lazy! Lazy! That’s why you’re saying, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to the LORD.’ | 17But he said, "You are slackers. Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the LORD.' |
| 18Now get back to work! No straw will be given to you, but you must still produce the full quota of bricks.” | 18Now get to work. No straw will be given to you, but you must produce the same quantity of 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.” | 19The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You cannot reduce your daily quota of bricks." |
| 20As they left Pharaoh’s court, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who were waiting outside for them. | 20When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them. |
| 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!” | 21"May the LORD take note of you and judge," they said to them, "because you have made us reek to Pharaoh and his officials--putting a sword in their hand to kill us!" |
| 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? | 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? |
| 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!” | 23Ever since I went in to Pharaoh to speak in your name he has caused trouble for this people, and you haven't rescued your people at all." |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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