Exodus 5:6-21
Legacy Standard Bible
6 So on that day Pharaoh commanded (A)the taskmasters over the people and their (B)foremen, saying, 7 “You are no longer to give the people straw to make brick as previously; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the quota of bricks which they were making previously, you shall set upon them; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are (C)lazy, therefore they are crying out, ‘[a]Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let their slavery be hard on the men, and let them work at it so that they will have no regard for false words.”
10 So (D)the taskmasters of the people and their foremen went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I am not going to give you any straw. 11 You go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but no amount of your slave labor will be reduced.’” 12 So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 And the taskmasters were pressing them, saying, “Complete your [b]work quota, [c]the daily amount, just as when there was straw.” 14 Moreover, (E)the foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, (F)were beaten [d]and were asked, “Why have you not completed your required amount either yesterday or today in making brick as previously?”
15 Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your slaves? 16 There is no straw given to your slaves, yet they keep saying to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your slaves are being beaten; but it is the [e]sin of your own people.” 17 But he said, “You are (G)lazy—lazy! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to Yahweh.’ 18 So now, go and labor; but straw will not be given to you, yet you must deliver the quota of bricks.” 19 Then the foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in trouble [f]because they were told, “You must not reduce [g]your daily amount of bricks.” 20 When they left Pharaoh’s presence, they confronted Moses and Aaron, [h]standing there to meet them. 21 (H)And they said to them, “(I)May Yahweh look upon you and judge, for you have (J)made [i]us a foul smell in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 5:8 Lit saying, ‘Let
- Exodus 5:13 Lit works
- Exodus 5:13 Lit the matter of a day in its day
- Exodus 5:14 Lit saying
- Exodus 5:16 Or fault
- Exodus 5:19 Lit saying
- Exodus 5:19 Lit from your bricks the matter of a day in its day
- Exodus 5:20 Lit taking their stand
- Exodus 5:21 Lit our savor to stink
Exodus 5:6-21
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Further Oppression of Israel
6 That day Pharaoh commanded the overseers(A) of the people as well as their foremen: 7 “Don’t continue to supply the people with straw for making bricks, as before. They must go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But require the same quota of bricks from them as they were making before; do not reduce it. For they are slackers—that is why they are crying out,(B) ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Impose heavier work on the men. Then they will be occupied with it and not pay attention to deceptive words.”
10 So the overseers and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says:(C) ‘I am not giving you straw. 11 Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.’” 12 So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The overseers insisted, “Finish your assigned work each day, just as you did when straw was provided.” 14 Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s slave drivers had set over the people, were beaten(D) and asked, “Why haven’t you finished making your prescribed number of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?”
15 So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way? 16 No straw has been given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but it is your own people who are at fault.”
17 But he said, “You are slackers. Slackers! That is why you are saying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Now get to work. No straw will be given to you, but you must produce the same quantity of bricks.”
19 The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, “You cannot reduce your daily quota of bricks.” 20 When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.
21 “May the Lord take note of you and judge,” they said to them, “because you have made us reek in front of Pharaoh and his officials—putting a sword in their hand to kill us!”(E)
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