Exodus 5:7-9

New Catholic Bible

⁷ “Do not give any more straw^[a] for making bricks to the people as you previously have. Let them get their own straw. ⁸ But you must demand that they make the same number of bricks as before, without any reduction. They are lazy. That is why they are protesting, ‘We wish to leave, we must sacrifice to our God.’ ⁹ Let more work be laid upon them so that they keep busy and not pay attention to lies.”