1 After this, Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD God of Israel {YHWH Elohei Yisrael, Covenant-Binder} says: ‘Release my people {ammi: covenant community} so that they may celebrate a festival for Me in the wilderness.’”
2 Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD {YHWH, Supreme Sovereign} that I should heed His voice {qol: authoritative command} and send Israel away? I do not know the LORD, and I will not send Israel away.”
3 And they said, “God of the Hebrews {Elohei haivrim: God known among the Hebrews} has met with us; let us go three days in the wilderness to offer sacrifice to the LORD our God {YHWH Eloheinu: Covenant Guardian}, lest He strike us with pestilence or with the sword.”
4 But the king of Egypt {melech mitsrayim: Pharaoh Supreme Ruler} said to them, “Why, Moses and Aaron, are you disturbing the people from their labors {tafri'u: interrupt labor}? Go to your burdens.”
5 And Pharaoh said, "See, the people {am: gathered community} of the land are now many, and you have made them rest from their burdens {sivlotam: oppressive tasks}."
6 So Pharaoh {paroh: Royal Oppressor} commanded on that day the taskmasters {nogsim: enforcers of labor} among the people and his officers, saying:
7 You shall no longer give straw {teven: stalks left after grain harvest} to the people for making bricks as you did yesterday {kitmol: prior day’s supply} and the day before; let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8 And the quota of the bricks which they were making yesterday and the day before, you shall impose upon them; you shall not reduce it, for they are lazy {nirpim: idle, slack}, therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God {Eloheinu, Worship Recipient}.’
9 Let the work {ha-avodah: labor and duty} be heavy upon the men, and let them do it, and do not let them heed words of falsehood {sheqer: deceit}.
10 And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and said to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh {paro: Egyptian sovereign}, ‘I am not giving you straw {teven: brick binder}.’”
11 Go and take straw {teven: basic building material} for yourselves from wherever you find it, for none of your labor {avodah: service obligation} will be diminished.
12 The people {haʿam: assembled group} were dispersed across the entire land of Egypt to gather stubble {qash: chaff remnants} for use as straw.
13 And the taskmasters {nogsim: those enforcing labor} were pressing them, saying, “Complete your work {maaseh: prescribed labor}, the day’s quota in its day, just as when the straw was provided.”
14 And the officers of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters {nogshei: oppressive overseers} had appointed over them, were beaten, and the taskmasters demanded, “Why have you not completed your quota {hoqkhem: assigned portion} of bricks yesterday, the day before yesterday, and today?”
15 And the officers of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh {paroh: royal ruler}, saying, “Why do you act thus toward your servants {laavadekha: bound servants}?”
16 Straw is not given to your servants, yet to the bricks {levenim: untempered clay blocks} they say, “Make!” And behold, your servants are being beaten, and the guilt {chatat: legal fault} is with your people.
17 And he said, “You are slackers {nirpim: consistently lazy}, slackers! That is why you say, ‘Let us go, let us sacrifice to the LORD {YHWH, Worship Recipient}.’”
18 And now, go and serve {ivdu: perform labor}, yet straw will not be given to you and you must deliver the full quota of bricks {tokhen levanim: required measurement}.
19 The officers of the sons of Israel saw that they were in distress {bera: oppressive burden} when it was declared, “You shall not reduce from your bricks the daily quota {davar: prescribed amount} for any day.”
20 And they encountered Moses and Aaron, standing {nitsavim: stationary posture} to meet them as they came out {betseatam: exit time} from Pharaoh.
21 And they said to them, “May the LORD {YHWH, Righteous Judge} look upon you and judge you because you have made our odor {rehenu: reputation} offensive in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
22 And Moses returned to the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Judge} and said, "Lord {Adonai, Supreme Sovereign}, why have You brought harm {heraotah: inflicted adversity} to this people? Why have You sent me?"
23 From the time I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your {YHWH, the One whose Name I bear} name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not rescued {hatsel: rescue, save} Your people at all.