⁵ Again Pharaoh said, “Look, ^(A)the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!” ⁶ So the same day Pharaoh commanded ^(B)the taskmasters over the people and their ^(C)foremen, saying, ⁷ “You are no longer to give the people straw to make bricks as previously; have them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸ But you shall impose on them the quota of bricks which they were making before; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are ^(D)lazy, for that reason they cry ^[a]out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ ⁹ Let the labor be heavier on the men, and have them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words.”

¹⁰ So ^(E)the taskmasters of the people and their foremen went out and spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am not going to give you any straw. ¹¹ You go, get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it; but none of your labor will be reduced.’” ¹² So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. ¹³ And the taskmasters pressed them, saying, “Complete your ^[b]work quota, ^[c]your daily amount, just as when ^[d]you had straw.” ¹⁴ Moreover, ^(F)the foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, ^(G)were beaten ^[e]and asked, “Why have you not completed your required task of making bricks either yesterday or today, as before?”