Exodus 5

1And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto 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 for me in the desert.'

2And Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah, that I should hearken unto his voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, and moreover I will not let Israel go.

2But Pharaoh replied, 'Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go.'

3And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice unto Jehovah 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. Please let us travel three days into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, so that he does not strike us with a plague or with the sword.'

4And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, loose the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

4The king of Egypt said to them, 'Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Get back to your own labors!'

5And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land are now many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.

5Pharaoh added, 'Look, the people of the land are now very numerous, and you are making them stop their work.'

6And 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 the overseers:

7Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

7'Stop providing the people with straw for making bricks, as you did before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves!'

8And the number of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof: for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

8'But you must still require them to make the same number of bricks as before; do not reduce the amount. They are lazy, and that is why they are crying out, "Let us go and offer sacrifices to our God."

9Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard lying words.

9Make the work even harder for the men so they stay busy and pay no attention to these lies.'

10And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith 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 no longer give you straw.'

11Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it: for nought of your work shall be diminished.

11'Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work load will not be reduced at all.'

12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

12So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use as straw.

13And the taskmasters were urgent saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.

13The slave drivers kept pressure on them, saying, 'Complete your work—the same daily amount as when you had straw.'

14And the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task both yesterday and to-day, in making brick as heretofore?

14The Israelite overseers, whom Pharaoh’s slave drivers had appointed over the people, were beaten and asked, 'Why haven't you finished the same number of bricks today and yesterday as you did before?'

15Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?

15Then the Israelite overseers went to Pharaoh and cried out, 'Why are you treating your servants this way?'

16There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.

16'Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, "Make bricks!" Your servants are being beaten, but the fault lies with your own people.'

17But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to Jehovah.

17Pharaoh answered, 'You are lazy! Just lazy! That is why you say, "Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD."

18Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the number of bricks.

18Now get back to work. You will not be given any straw, but you must still deliver the full number of bricks.'

19And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, when it was said, Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, your daily tasks.

19The Israelite overseers realized they were in a terrible situation when they were told, 'You must not reduce the daily number of bricks.'

20And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:

20As they left Pharaoh's presence, they met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them.

21and they said unto them, Jehovah look upon you, and judge: because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

21The overseers said to them, 'May the LORD look on you and judge you. You have made Pharaoh and his officials hate us; you have put a sword in their hands to kill us.'

22And Moses returned unto Jehovah, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou dealt ill with this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?

22Then Moses turned back to the LORD and said, 'Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why did you ever send me?'

23For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath dealt ill with this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

23'Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has treated this people badly, and you have not rescued your people at all.'