Jubilee2000 - Exodus - 5

5:1  And afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go that they may celebrate a feast unto me in the wilderness.

5:2  And Pharaoh said, Who [is] the LORD, that I should hearken to his voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

5:3  And they said, The God of the Hebrews has found us; therefore we shall go three days' journey into the desert and sacrifice unto the LORD our God lest he encounter us with pestilence or with the sword.

5:4  Then the king of Egypt said unto them, Why do ye, Moses and Aaron, keep the people from their works? Go unto your burdens.

5:5  Pharaoh also said, Behold, the people of the land now [are] many, and ye make them cease from their burdens.

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

5:7  Ye shall no longer give the people firewood to make brick as until now; let them go and gather firewood for themselves.

5:8  And the tally of the bricks which they made before, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish any of it; for they [are] idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go [and] sacrifice to our God.

5:9  Let more work be laid upon them that they may occupy themselves with it; and let them not regard words of deception.

5:10  And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you firewood.

5:11  Go ye, gather firewood where ye can find it; yet none of your work shall be diminished.

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

5:13  And the taskmasters hasted [them], saying, Fulfil your works, [your] daily quotas, as when there was firewood.

5:14  And the officers of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, [and they] demanded, Why have ye not fulfilled your quotas in making brick both yesterday and today, as until now?

5:15  Then the officers of the sons of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Why doest thou deal thus with thy servants?

5:16  There is no firewood given unto thy servants, yet they say to us, Make brick. Behold, thy servants [are] beaten; and thy people sin.

5:17  And he replied, Ye [are] idle, [ye] are idle, therefore ye say, Let us go [and] sacrifice unto the LORD.

5:18  Go therefore now [and] work, for no firewood shall be given you, yet ye shall deliver the tally of bricks.

5:19  Then the officers of the sons of Israel saw [that] they [were] afflicted after it was said, Ye shall not diminish any from the bricks of your daily quota.

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

5:21  and they said unto them, The LORD look upon you and judge because ye have made our savour to be a stench before Pharaoh and his servants, putting a sword in their hands to slay us.

5:22  Then Moses returned unto the LORD and said, Lord, why hast thou [so] afflicted this people? Why [is] it [that] thou hast sent me?

5:23  For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he has afflicted this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.: