Exodus 5:6–14

⁶Therefore he commanded the same day the overseers of the works, and the task-masters of the people, saying:

⁷You shall give straw no more to the people to make brick, as before; but let them go and gather straw.

⁸And you shall lay upon them the task of bricks, which they did before; neither shall you diminish any thing thereof, for they are idle, and therefore they cry. saying: Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

⁹Let them be oppressed with works, and let them fulfil them; that they may not regard lying words.

¹⁰And the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters, went out and said to the people: Thus saith Pharao: I allow you no straw;

¹¹Go, and gather it where you can find it; neither shall any thing of your work be diminished.

¹²And the people was scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather straw.

¹³And the overseers of the works pressed them, saying: Fulfil your work every day, as before ye were wont to do, when straw was given you.

¹⁴And they that were over the works of the children of Israel, were scourged by Pharao’s taskmasters, saying: Why have you not made up the task of bricks, both yesterday and to day, as before?