Exodus 5:7–19

⁷“You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks;^s let them go and gather their own straw. ⁸But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota.^t They are lazy;^u that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’^{v 9}Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”

¹⁰Then the slave drivers^w and the overseers went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw. ¹¹Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced^x at all.’ ” ¹²So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. ¹³The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.” ¹⁴And Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed,^y demanding, “Why haven’t you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”

¹⁵Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way? ¹⁶Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”

¹⁷Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy!^z That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ ¹⁸Now get to work.^a You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”

¹⁹The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.”