Exodus 5

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Let my people go, that they may celebrate a feast to me in the desert."	1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
2 Pharaoh answered, "Who is the LORD, that I should heed his plea to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD; even if I did, I would not let Israel go."	2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
3 They replied, "The God of the Hebrews has sent us word. Let us go a three days' journey in the desert, that we may offer sacrifice to the LORD, our God; otherwise he will punish us with pestilence or the sword."	3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
4 The king of Egypt answered them, "What do you mean, Moses and Aaron, by taking the people away from their work? Off to your labor!	4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
5 Look how numerous the people of the land are already," continued Pharaoh, "and yet you would give them rest from their labor!"	5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
6 That very day Pharaoh gave the taskmasters and foremen of the people this order:	6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
7 "You shall no longer supply the people with straw for their brickmaking as you have previously done. Let them go and gather straw themselves!	7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8 Yet you shall levy upon them the same quota of bricks as they have previously made. Do not reduce it. They are lazy; that is why they are crying, 'Let us go to offer sacrifice to our God.'	8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
9 Increase the work for the men, so that they keep their mind on it and pay no attention to lying words."	9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.
10 So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and told them, "Thus says Pharaoh: I will not provide you with straw.	10 And 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.
11 Go and gather the straw yourselves, wherever you can find it. Yet there must not be the slightest reduction in your work."	11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.
12 The people, then, scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw,	12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
13 while the taskmasters kept driving them on, saying, "Finish your work, the same daily amount as when your straw was supplied."	13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
14 The foremen of the Israelites, whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had placed over them, were beaten, and were asked, "Why have you not completed your prescribed amount of bricks yesterday and today, as before?"	14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?
15 Then the Israelite foremen came and made this appeal to Pharaoh: "Why do you treat your servants in this manner?	15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?
16 No straw is supplied to your servants, and still we are told to make bricks. Look how your servants are beaten! It is you who are at fault."	16 There 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.
17 Pharaoh answered, "It is just because you are lazy that you keep saying, 'Let us go and offer sacrifice to the LORD.'	17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.
18 Off to work, then! Straw shall not be provided for you, but you must still deliver your quota of bricks."	18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.
19 The Israelite foremen knew they were in a sorry plight, having been told not to reduce the daily amount of bricks.	19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.
20 When, therefore, they left Pharaoh and came upon Moses and Aaron, who were waiting to meet them,	20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:
21 they said to them, "The LORD look upon you and judge! You have brought us into bad odor with Pharaoh and his servants and have put a sword in their hands to slay us."	21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour 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.
22 Moses again had recourse to the LORD and said, "Lord, why do you treat this people so badly? And why did you send me on such a mission?	22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?
23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has maltreated this people of yours, and you have done nothing to rescue them."	23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.