Parallel Bible results for "exodus 5"

Exodus 5

New Revised Standard NRS

1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, "Let my people go, so that they may celebrate a festival to me in the wilderness.' "

2 But Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should heed him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go."

3 Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has revealed himself to us; let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the Lord our God, or he will fall upon us with pestilence or sword."

4 But the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Get to your labors!"

5 Pharaoh continued, "Now they are more numerous than the people of the land and yet you want them to stop working!"

6 That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, as well as their supervisors,

7 "You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as before; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8 But you shall require of them the same quantity of bricks as they have made previously; do not diminish it, for they are lazy; that is why they cry, "Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.'

9 Let heavier work be laid on them; then they will labor at it and pay no attention to deceptive words."

10 So the taskmasters and the supervisors of the people went out and said to the people, "Thus says Pharaoh, "I will not give you straw.

11 Go and get straw yourselves, wherever you can find it; but your work will not be lessened in the least.' "

12 So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.

13 The taskmasters were urgent, saying, "Complete your work, the same daily assignment as when you were given straw."

14 And the supervisors of the Israelites, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, "Why did you not finish the required quantity of bricks yesterday and today, as you did before?"

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

16 No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, "Make bricks!' Look how your servants are beaten! You are unjust to your own people."

17 He said, "You are lazy, lazy; that is why you say, "Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.'

18 Go now, and work; for no straw shall be given you, but you shall still deliver the same number of bricks."

19 The Israelite supervisors saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You shall not lessen your daily number of bricks."

20 As they left Pharaoh, they came upon Moses and Aaron who were waiting to meet them.

21 They said to them, "The Lord look upon you and judge! You have brought us into bad odor with Pharaoh and his officials, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us."

22 Then Moses turned again to the Lord and said, "O Lord, why have you mistreated this people? Why did you ever send me?

23 Since I first came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has mistreated this people, and you have done nothing at all to deliver your people."

The Message Bible MSG

1 After that Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh. They said, "God, the God of Israel, says, 'Free my people so that they can hold a festival for me in the wilderness.'"

2 Pharaoh said, "And who is God that I should listen to him and send Israel off? I know nothing of this so-called 'God' and I'm certainly not going to send Israel off."

3 They said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness so we can worship our God lest he strike us with either disease or death."

4 But the king of Egypt said, "Why on earth, Moses and Aaron, would you suggest the people be given a holiday? Back to work!"

5 Pharaoh went on, "Look, I've got all these people bumming around, and now you want to reward them with time off?"

6 Pharaoh took immediate action. He sent down orders to the slave-drivers and their underlings:

7 "Don't provide straw for the people for making bricks as you have been doing. Make them get their own straw.

8 And make them produce the same number of bricks - no reduction in their daily quotas! They're getting lazy. They're going around saying, 'Give us time off so we can worship our God.'

9 Crack down on them. That'll cure them of their whining, their god-fantasies."

10 The slave-drivers and their underlings went out to the people with their new instructions. "Pharaoh's orders: No more straw provided.

11 Get your own straw wherever you can find it. And not one brick less in your daily work quota!"

12 The people scattered all over Egypt scrabbling for straw.

13 The slave-drivers were merciless, saying, "Complete your daily quota of bricks - the same number as when you were given straw."

14 The Israelite foremen whom the slave-drivers had appointed were beaten and badgered. "Why didn't you finish your quota of bricks yesterday or the day before - and now again today!"

15 The Israelite foremen came to Pharaoh and cried out for relief: "Why are you treating your servants like this?

16 Nobody gives us any straw and they tell us, 'Make bricks!' Look at us - we're being beaten. And it's not our fault."

17 But Pharaoh said, "Lazy! That's what you are! Lazy! That's why you whine, 'Let us go so we can worship God.'

18 Well then, go - go back to work. Nobody's going to give you straw, and at the end of the day you better bring in your full quota of bricks."

19 The Israelite foremen saw that they were in a bad way, having to go back and tell their workers, "Not one brick short in your daily quota."

20 As they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them.

21 The foremen said to them, "May God see what you've done and judge you - you've made us stink before Pharaoh and his servants! You've put a weapon in his hand that's going to kill us!"

22 Moses went back to God and said, "My Master, why are you treating this people so badly? And why did you ever send me?

23 From the moment I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, things have only gotten worse for this people. And rescue? Does this look like rescue to you?"