Parallel Bible results for "exodus 5"

Exodus 5

New Living Translation NLT

1 After this presentation to Israel’s leaders, Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh. They told him, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my honor in the wilderness.”

2 “Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the LORD ? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.”

3 But Aaron and Moses persisted. “The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they declared. “So let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness so we can offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. If we don’t, he will kill us with a plague or with the sword.”

4 Pharaoh replied, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work!

5 Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work.”

6 That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen:

7 “Do not supply any more straw for making bricks. Make the people get it themselves!

8 But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to our God.’

9 Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!”

10 So the slave drivers and foremen went out and told the people: “This is what Pharaoh says: I will not provide any more straw for you.

11 Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!”

12 So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt in search of stubble to use as straw.

13 Meanwhile, the Egyptian slave drivers continued to push hard. “Meet your daily quota of bricks, just as you did when we provided you with straw!” they demanded.

14 Then they whipped the Israelite foremen they had put in charge of the work crews. “Why haven’t you met your quotas either yesterday or today?” they demanded.

15 So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. “Please don’t treat your servants like this,” they begged.

16 “We are given no straw, but the slave drivers still demand, ‘Make bricks!’ We are being beaten, but it isn’t our fault! Your own people are to blame!”

17 But Pharaoh shouted, “You’re just lazy! Lazy! That’s why you’re saying, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to the LORD .’

18 Now get back to work! No straw will be given to you, but you must still produce the full quota of bricks.”

19 The Israelite foremen could see that they were in serious trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the number of bricks you make each day.”

20 As they left Pharaoh’s court, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who were waiting outside for them.

21 The foremen said to them, “May the LORD judge and punish you for making us stink before Pharaoh and his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!”

22 Then Moses went back to the LORD and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me?

23 Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!”

Common English Bible CEB

1 Afterward, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, Israel's God, says: ‘Let my people go so that they can hold a festival for me in the desert.'"

2 But Pharaoh said, "Who is this LORD whom I'm supposed to obey by letting Israel go? I don't know this LORD, and I certainly won't let Israel go."

3 Then they said, "The Hebrews' God has appeared to us. Let us go on a three-day journey into the desert so we can offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. Otherwise, the LORD will give us a deadly disease or violence."

4 The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you making the people slack off from their work? Do the hard work yourselves!"

5 Pharaoh continued, "The land's people are now numerous. Yet you want them to stop their hard work?"

6 On the very same day Pharaoh commanded the people's slave masters and supervisors,

7 "Don't supply the people with the straw they need to make bricks like you did before. Let them go out and gather the straw for themselves.

8 But still make sure that they produce the same number of bricks as they made before. Don't reduce the number! They are weak and lazy, and that's why they cry, ‘Let's go and offer sacrifices to our God.'

9 Make the men's work so hard that it's all they can do, and they can't focus on these empty lies."

10 So the people's slave masters and supervisors came out and spoke to the people, "This is what Pharaoh says, ‘I'm not giving you straw anymore.

11 Go and get the straw on your own, wherever you can find it. But your work won't be reduced at all.'"

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

13 The slave masters drove them hard and said, "Make sure you make the same daily quota as when you had the straw."

14 The Israelite supervisors, whom Pharaoh's slave masters had set over them, were also beaten and asked, "Why didn't you produce the same number of bricks yesterday and today as you did before?"

15 Then the Israelite supervisors came and pleaded to Pharaoh, "Why do you treat your servants like this?

16 No straw is supplied to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!' Look at how your servants are being beaten! Your own people are to blame!"

17 Pharaoh replied, "You are lazy bums, nothing but lazy bums. That's why you say, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to the LORD.'

18 Go and get back to work! No straw will be given to you, but you still need to make the same number of bricks."

19 The Israelite supervisors saw how impossible their situation was when they were commanded, "Don't reduce your daily quota of bricks."

20 When they left Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them.

21 The supervisors said to them, "Let the LORD see and judge what you've done! You've made us stink in the opinion of Pharaoh and his servants. You've given them a reason to kill us."

22 Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, "My Lord, why have you abused this people? Why did you send me for this?

23 Ever since I first came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has abused this people. And you've done absolutely nothing to rescue your people."