²⁹ Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders^(A) of the Israelites, ³⁰ and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs^(B) before the people, ³¹ and they believed.^(C) And when they heard that the Lord was concerned^(D) about them and had seen their misery,^(E) they bowed down and worshiped.^(F)

Bricks Without Straw

5 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go,^(G) so that they may hold a festival^(H) to me in the wilderness.’”

² Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord,^(I) that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”^(J)

³ Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey^(K) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues^(L) or with the sword.”

⁴ But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor?^(M) Get back to your work!” ⁵ Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous,^(N) and you are stopping them from working.”

⁶ That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers^(O) and overseers in charge of the people: ⁷ “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks;^(P) let them go and gather their own straw. ⁸ But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota.^(Q) They are lazy;^(R) that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’^{(S) 9} Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”

6 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand^(A) he will let them go;^(B) because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”^(C)

² God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord.^{(D) 3} I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty,^[a](E) but by my name^(F) the Lord^[b](G) I did not make myself fully known to them. ⁴ I also established my covenant^(H) with them to give them the land^(I) of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners.^{(J) 5} Moreover, I have heard the groaning^(K) of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.^(L)

⁶ “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.^(M) I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem^(N) you with an outstretched arm^(O) and with mighty acts of judgment.^{(P) 7} I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.^(Q) Then you will know^(R) that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. ⁸ And I will bring you to the land^(S) I swore^(T) with uplifted hand^(U) to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.^(V) I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’”^(W)