5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, `Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.`"

5:2 Pharaoh said, "Who is Yahweh, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don`t know Yahweh, and moreover I will not let Israel go."

5:3 They said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days` journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword."

5:4 The king of Egypt said to them, "Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!"

5:5 Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens."

5:6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

5:7 You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.

5:8 The number of the bricks, which they made before, you require from them. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, `Let us go and sacrifice to our God.`

5:9 Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor therein; and don`t let them pay any attention to lying words."

5:10 The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, This is what Pharaoh says: "I will not give you straw.

5:11 Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished."

5:12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

5:13 The taskmasters were urgent saying, "Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!"

5:14 The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh`s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, "Why haven`t you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?"

5:15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you deal this way with your servants?

5:16 No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, `Make brick!` and, behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people."

5:17 But he said, "You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, `Let us go and sacrifice to Yahweh.`

5:18 Go therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet shall you deliver the same number of bricks!"

5:19 The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, "You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!"

5:20 They met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:

5:21 and they said to them, "May Yahweh look at you, and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us."

5:22 Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, "Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me?