Exodus 5:10-23

Common English Bible

¹⁰ So the people’s slave masters and supervisors came out and spoke to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says, ‘I’m not giving you straw anymore. ¹¹ Go and get the straw on your own, wherever you can find it. But your work won’t be reduced at all.’” ¹² So the people spread out all through the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. ¹³ The slave masters drove them hard and said, “Make sure you make the same daily quota as when you had the straw.” ¹⁴ The Israelite supervisors, whom Pharaoh’s slave masters had set over them, were also beaten and asked, “Why didn’t you produce the same number of bricks yesterday and today as you did before?”

¹⁵ Then the Israelite supervisors came and pleaded to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? ¹⁶ No straw is supplied to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ Look at how your servants are being beaten! Your own people are to blame!”

¹⁷ Pharaoh replied, “You are lazy bums, nothing but lazy bums. That’s why you say, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to the Lord.’ ¹⁸ Go and get back to work! No straw will be given to you, but you still need to make the same number of bricks.”

¹⁹ The Israelite supervisors saw how impossible their situation was when they were commanded, “Don’t reduce your daily quota of bricks.” ²⁰ When they left Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them. ²¹ The supervisors said to them, “Let the Lord see and judge what you’ve done! You’ve made us stink in the opinion of Pharaoh and his servants. You’ve given them a reason to kill us.”

²² Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “My Lord, why have you abused this people? Why did you send me for this? ²³ Ever since I first came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has abused this people. And you’ve done absolutely nothing to rescue your people.”