Exodus 5:7–19

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 impose on them; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are ^alazy, therefore they cry out, ‘¹Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’

⁹“Let the labor be heavier on the men, and let them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words.”

¹⁰So ^athe 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 none of your labor will be reduced.’ ”

¹²So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

¹³The taskmasters pressed them, saying, “Complete your ¹work quota, ²your daily amount, just as when ³you had straw.”

¹⁴Moreover, ^athe foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, ^bwere beaten ¹and were asked, “Why have you not completed your required amount either yesterday or today in making brick as previously?”

¹⁵Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants?

¹⁶“There is no straw given to your servants, yet they keep saying to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are being beaten; but it is the fault of your own people.”

¹⁷But he said, “You are ^alazy, very lazy; therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’

¹⁸“So go now and work; for you will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the quota of bricks.”

¹⁹The foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in trouble ¹because they were told, “You must not reduce ²your daily amount of bricks.”