Exodus 5
New King James Version
First Encounter with Pharaoh
5 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may [a]hold (A)a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ”
2 And Pharaoh said, (B)“Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, (C)nor will I let Israel go.”
3 So they said, (D)“The God of the Hebrews has (E)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 (F)pestilence or with the sword.”
4 Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your (G)labor.” 5 And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are (H)many now, and you make them rest from their labor!”
6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the (I)taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make (J)brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And 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.’ 9 Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.”
10 And 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. 11 Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’ ” 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. 13 And the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, “Fulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw.” 14 Also the (K)officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were (L)beaten and were asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as before?”
15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants? 16 There 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.”
17 But he said, “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Therefore go now and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks.” 19 And 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.”
20 Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them. 21 (M)And they said to them, “Let the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made [b]us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
Israel’s Deliverance Assured(N)
22 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? 23 For 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.”
Footnotes
- Exodus 5:1 keep a pilgrim-feast
- Exodus 5:21 Lit. our scent to stink before
出埃及 5
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
摩西和亚伦见法老
5 之后，摩西和亚伦去见法老，对他说：“以色列的上帝耶和华说，‘放我的子民走，让他们到旷野去为我守节期。’” 2 法老说：“耶和华是谁？我凭什么要听从祂，放走以色列人？我不认识祂，也不会让以色列人离开！” 3 摩西和亚伦说：“希伯来人的上帝向我们显现了。求你容我们走三天的路程，到旷野去向我们的上帝耶和华献祭，请你让我们去吧，免得祂用刀剑、瘟疫来攻击我们。” 4 埃及王说：“摩西、亚伦，你们竟敢煽动百姓旷工！快回去工作！” 5 法老又说：“这地方的以色列人如此众多，你竟叫他们停止工作！” 6 当天，法老就对埃及监工和以色列人的工头下令： 7 “从今天开始，不许再供应草给他们制砖，叫他们自己去捡， 8 但上交的砖的数量要和往常一样，一块也不可少。因为他们懒惰，所以才嚷着要去给他们的上帝献祭。 9 你们要加重他们的工作，他们就无暇再听那些蛊惑人心的话了！”
10 于是，那些监工和工头就出来向百姓宣布：“法老下令不再供应草给你们制砖。 11 你们要自己设法去找，但上交的砖一块也不能少。” 12 百姓只好在埃及全国收集碎禾秸当草用。 13 监工催逼他们说：“你们要完成每天规定的数目，像从前有草时一样。” 14 他们又鞭打以色列人的工头，说：“你们这两天为什么没有像从前一样完成规定的砖数？”
15 以色列人的工头来见法老，向他哀求说：“你为什么要这样对待仆人们？ 16 监工不给仆人们草，却命令我们做砖，还打我们，其实是你百姓的错。” 17 法老说：“你们是懒惰的人，懒惰的人！所以才嚷着要去给耶和华献祭。 18 回去继续工作！我不再供应草给你们，但砖要如数交齐。” 19 以色列人的工头听见每天做的砖数不可减少，就知道情况不妙。 20 他们从法老那里出来的时候，遇见摩西和亚伦站在外面等候， 21 便埋怨二人说：“愿耶和华鉴察、惩罚你们！你们使我们在法老和他的臣仆面前有了臭名，使他们有借口来杀我们。”
22 摩西回到耶和华那里说：“主啊！你为什么这样苦待你的子民呢？为什么要派我去呢？ 23 自从我去法老那里奉你的名发言后，他更加虐待你的子民，你并没有拯救他们。”
Exodus 5
English Standard Version
Making Bricks Without Straw
5 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold (A)a feast to me in the wilderness.’” 2 But Pharaoh said, (B)“Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, (C)I will not let Israel go.” 3 Then they said, “The (D)God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” 4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your (E)burdens.” 5 And Pharaoh said, “Behold, (F)the people of the land are now many,[a] and you make them rest from their burdens!” 6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the (G)taskmasters of the people and their (H)foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”
10 So the (I)taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” 12 So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The (J)taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.” 14 And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh's (K)taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?”
15 Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? 16 No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” 17 But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.” 19 The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.” 20 They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; 21 and (L)they said to them, “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
22 Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.”
Footnotes
- Exodus 5:5 Samaritan they are now more numerous than the people of the land
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
