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 hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. 4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens. 5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens. 6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, 7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.

10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. 11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. 13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. 14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? 16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people. 17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD. 18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks. 19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.

20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: 21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us. 22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

1 后来， 摩西和亚伦去对法老说： "耶和华以色列的 神这样说： 让我的人民离开这里， 叫他们可以在旷野向我守节。"

2 法老回答： "耶和华是谁， 我要听他的话， 让以色列人离开呢？我不认识耶和华， 也不让以色列人离开。"

3 他们说： "希伯来人的 神遇见了我们； 求你让我们走三天的路程到旷野去， 献祭给耶和华我们的 神， 免得他用瘟疫或刀剑击杀我们。"

4 埃及王对他们说： "摩西、亚伦哪， 你们为什么使人民懒惰不作工呢？去挑你们的担子吧。"

5 法老又说： "你看， 现在这地的民很多， 你们竟叫他们歇下担子？"

6 就在那天， 法老吩咐众民的督工和首领说：

7 "你们不要像往日一样再把草给人民做砖， 叫他们自己去捡草。

8 他们往日做砖的数量， 你们还是向他们要， 一点也不可减少， 因为他们是懒惰的， 所以他们才呼喊说： ‘让我们去献祭给我们的 神。’

9 你们要把更重的工作加在这些人的身上， 好使他们专心作工， 不听谎言。"

10 众民的督工和首领出来， 告诉人民说： "法老这样说： ‘我不再给你们草。

11 你们自己能在哪里找到草， 就到哪里去捡吧， 但你们的工作一点也不可减少。’"

12 于是， 人民就分散到埃及全地， 去拾禾秸作草。

13 督工们催着说： "你们的工作， 每天的本分， 要在当天完成， 像以前有草的时候一样。"

14 法老的督工责打他们派定的以色列人的首领， 说： "你们昨天今天为什么没有做完指定要你们做的砖， 像往日一样呢？"

15 以色列人的首领就来， 向法老呼求说： "你为什么这样待你的仆人呢？

16 没有草给你的仆人， 但他们对我们说： ‘你们做砖吧！ ’看哪， 你的仆人受了责打， 其实这是你自己人民的错。"

17 法老说： "你们确实是懒惰的， 所以你们才说： ‘让我们去献祭给耶和华。’

18 现在你们去作工吧； 草是不给你们的， 砖却要如数交上。"

19 以色列人的首领因有命令说： "你们每天本分要做的砖数不可减少"， 就知道自己有祸了。

20 他们从法老那里出来的时候， 遇见摩西和亚伦， 正在站着等候他们，

21 就对他们说： "愿耶和华鉴察你们， 审判你们， 因为你们使我们的香气在法老眼前和他的臣仆眼前都发臭了， 把刀放在他们的手里来杀我们。"

22 摩西回到耶和华那里， 说： "主啊！ 你为什么苦待这人民呢？为什么差派我呢？

23 自从我到法老那里， 奉你的名说话以来， 他就苦待这人民， 你一点也没有拯救你自己的人民。"