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摩西和亞倫首次見法老

後來,摩西和亞倫去對法老說:“耶和華以色列的 神這樣說:讓我的人民離開這裡,叫他們可以在曠野向我守節。” 法老回答:“耶和華是誰,我要聽他的話,讓以色列人離開呢?我不認識耶和華,也不讓以色列人離開。” 他們說:“希伯來人的 神遇見了我們;求你讓我們走三天的路程到曠野去,獻祭給耶和華我們的 神,免得他用瘟疫或刀劍擊殺我們。” 埃及王對他們說:“摩西、亞倫哪,你們為甚麼使人民懶惰不作工呢?去挑你們的擔子吧。” 法老又說:“你看,現在這地的民很多,你們竟叫他們歇下擔子?” 就在那天,法老吩咐眾民的督工和首領說: “你們不要像往日一樣再把草給人民做磚,叫他們自己去撿草。 他們往日做磚的數量,你們還是向他們要,一點也不可減少,因為他們是懶惰的,所以他們才呼喊說:‘讓我們去獻祭給我們的 神。’ 你們要把更重的工作加在這些人的身上,好使他們專心作工,不聽謊言。”

加重迫害以色列人

10 眾民的督工和首領出來,告訴人民說:“法老這樣說:‘我不再給你們草。 11 你們自己能在哪裡找到草,就到哪裡去撿吧,但你們的工作一點也不可減少。’” 12 於是,人民就分散到埃及全地,去拾禾稭作草。 13 督工們催著說:“你們的工作,每天的本分,要在當天完成,像以前有草的時候一樣。” 14 法老的督工責打他們派定的以色列人的首領,說:“你們昨天今天為甚麼沒有做完指定要你們做的磚,像往日一樣呢?”

15 以色列人的首領就來,向法老呼求說:“你為甚麼這樣待你的僕人呢? 16 沒有草給你的僕人,但他們對我們說:‘你們做磚吧!’看哪,你的僕人受了責打,其實這是你自己人民的錯。” 17 法老說:“你們確實是懶惰的,所以你們才說:‘讓我們去獻祭給耶和華。’ 18 現在你們去作工吧;草是不給你們的,磚卻要如數交上。” 19 以色列人的首領因有命令說:“你們每天本分要做的磚數不可減少”,就知道自己有禍了。

摩西和亞倫受責

20 他們從法老那裡出來的時候,遇見摩西和亞倫,正在站著等候他們, 21 就對他們說:“願耶和華鑒察你們,審判你們,因為你們使我們的香氣在法老眼前和他的臣僕眼前都發臭了,把刀放在他們的手裡來殺我們。”

22 摩西回到耶和華那裡,說:“主啊!你為甚麼苦待這人民呢?為甚麼差派我呢? 23 自從我到法老那裡,奉你的名說話以來,他就苦待這人民,你一點也沒有拯救你自己的人民。”

Moses and Aaron before the King of Egypt

Then Moses and Aaron went to the king of Egypt and said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, so that they can hold a festival in the desert to honor me.’”

“Who is the Lord?” the king demanded. “Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord; and I will not let Israel go.”

Moses and Aaron replied, “The God of the Hebrews has revealed himself to us. Allow us to travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we don't do so, he will kill us with disease or by war.”

The king said to Moses and Aaron, “What do you mean by making the people neglect their work? Get those slaves back to work! You people have become more numerous than the Egyptians. And now you want to stop working!”

That same day the king commanded the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen: “Stop giving the people straw for making bricks. Make them go and find it for themselves. But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before, not one brick less. They don't have enough work to do, and that is why they keep asking me to let them go and offer sacrifices to their God! Make them work harder and keep them busy, so that they won't have time to listen to a pack of lies.”

10 The slave drivers and the Israelite foremen went out and said to the Israelites, “The king has said that he will not supply you with any more straw. 11 He says that you must go and get it for yourselves wherever you can find it, but you must still make the same number of bricks.” 12 So the people went all over Egypt looking for straw. 13 The slave drivers kept trying to force them to make the same number of bricks every day as they had made when they were given straw. 14 The Egyptian slave drivers beat the Israelite foremen, whom they had put in charge of the work. They demanded, “Why aren't you people making the same number of bricks that you made before?”

15 Then the foremen went to the king and complained, “Why do you do this to us, Your Majesty? 16 We are given no straw, but we are still ordered to make bricks! And now we are being beaten. It is your people that are at fault.”

17 The king answered, “You are lazy and don't want to work, and that is why you ask me to let you go and offer sacrifices to the Lord. 18 Now get back to work! You will not be given any straw, but you must still make the same number of bricks.” 19 The foremen realized that they were in trouble when they were told that they had to make the same number of bricks every day as they had made before.

20 As they were leaving, they met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them. 21 They said to Moses and Aaron, “The Lord has seen what you have done and will punish you for making the king and his officers hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us.”

Moses Complains to the Lord

22 Then Moses turned to the Lord again and said, “Lord, why do you mistreat your people? Why did you send me here? 23 Ever since I went to the king to speak for you, he has treated them cruelly. And you have done nothing to help them!”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

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

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.

Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.

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 ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.

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

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

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

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 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord.

18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale 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 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:

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 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 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.