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Moses and Aaron Before Pharaoh

After Moses and Aaron talked to the people, they went to ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh] and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go so they may ·hold a feast [celebrate a festival; or make a pilgrimage] for me in the ·desert [wilderness].’”

But ·the king of Egypt [L Pharaoh] said, “Who is the Lord? Why should I ·obey him [L listen to his voice] and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.”

Then Aaron and Moses said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us travel three days into the ·desert [wilderness] to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we don’t do this, he may kill us with a ·disease [pestilence; plague] or in war.”

But the king [L of Egypt] said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Go back to your ·jobs [labor]! ·There are very many Hebrews [L They are more numerous than the people of the land], and now you want them to quit working!”

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Israel’s Labor Increased

And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “(A)This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘(B)Let My people go so that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’” But Pharaoh said, “(C)Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, (D)I will not let Israel go.” Then they said, “(E)The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, otherwise He will strike us with plague or with the sword.” But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you let the people neglect their [a]work? Get back to your (F)labors!” Again Pharaoh said, “Look, (G)the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 5:4 Lit works