Moses and Aaron Go to the King of Egypt
1 Moses and Aaron went to the king of Egypt and told him, “The Lord God says, ‘Let my people go into the desert, so they can honor me with a celebration there.’ ”
2 “Who is this Lord and why should I obey him?” the king replied. “I refuse to let you and your people go!”
3 They answered, “The Lord God of the Hebrews has appeared to us. Please let us walk three days into the desert where we can offer sacrifices to him. If you don't, he may strike us down with terrible troubles or with war.”
4-5 The king said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you keeping these people from working? Look how many you are keeping from doing their work. Now everyone get back to work!”
6 That same day the king gave orders to his Egyptian slave bosses and to the Israelite men directly in charge of the Israelite slaves. He told them:
7 Don't give the slaves any more straw to put in their bricks. Force them to find their own straw wherever they can, 8 but they must make the same number of bricks as before. They are lazy, or else they would not beg me to let them go and sacrifice to their God. 9 Make them work so hard that they won't have time to listen to these lies.
10 The slave bosses and the men in charge of the slaves went out and told them, “The king says he will not give you any more straw. 11 Go and find your own straw wherever you can, but you must still make as many bricks as before.”
12 The slaves went all over Egypt, looking for straw. 13 But the slave bosses were hard on them and kept saying, “Each day you have to make as many bricks as you did when you were given straw.” 14 The bosses beat the men in charge of the slaves and said, “Why didn't you force the slaves to make as many bricks yesterday and today as they did before?”
15 Finally, the men in charge of the slaves went to the king and said, “Why are you treating us like this? 16 No one brings us any straw, but we are still ordered to make the same number of bricks. We are beaten with whips, and your own people are to blame.”
17 The king replied, “You are lazy—nothing but lazy! That's why you keep asking me to let you go and sacrifice to your Lord. 18 Get back to work! You won't be given straw, but you must still make the same number of bricks.”
19 The men knew they were in deep trouble when they were ordered to make the same number of bricks each day. 20 After they left the king, they went to see Moses and Aaron, who had been waiting for them. 21 Then the men said, “We hope the Lord will punish both of you for making the king and his officials hate us. Now they even have an excuse to kill us.”
The Lord's Promise to Moses
22 Moses left them and prayed, “Our Lord, why have you brought so much trouble on your people? Is that why you sent me here? 23 Ever since you told me to speak to the king, he has caused nothing but trouble for these people. And you haven't done a thing to help.”
Israēliešu darbs tiek padarīts smagāks
1 Pēc tam Mozus un Ārons gāja un teica faraonam: “Tā saka Kungs, Israēla Dievs: atlaid manu tautu, lai viņi man svin svētkus tuksnesī!” 2 Un faraons teica: “Kas ir Kungs, ka man viņš jāklausa un jāatlaiž Israēls? Ne es zinu Kungu, ne es laidīšu Israēlu!” 3 Un viņi teica: “Ebreju Dievs mums ir tuvu klāt! Ļauj mums iet trīs dienu ceļu tuksnesī un upurēt Kungam, mūsu Dievam – ka viņš nesit mūs ar mēri vai zobenu!” 4 Bet Ēģiptes ķēniņš tiem teica: “Mozu un Āron, kāpēc jūs atturat tautu no darba?! Ejiet pie savām klaušām!” 5 Faraons teica: “Re, tagad viņu ir vairāk nekā šīs zemes ļaužu, un jūs viņus grasāties atraut no klaušām?!” 6 Tajā pašā dienā faraons pavēlēja tautas vagariem un uzraugiem: 7 “Nedodiet vairs tautai salmus ķieģeļu taisīšanai kā vakar un aizvakar, lai tie iet un salasa salmus sev paši! 8 Un uzdodiet viņiem taisīt tādu pašu ķieģeļu daudzumu kā iepriekš, nesamaziniet, jo viņi ir sliņķi – tādēļ viņi brēc: ļauj mums iet upurēt savam Dievam! 9 Dariet tiem ļaudīm darbu vēl smagāku, tad viņi strādās un nelūkos pēc melu vārdiem!” 10 Tautas vagari un uzraugi gāja un teica tautai: “Tā saka faraons: es jums nedošu salmus! 11 Ejiet, ņemiet salmus, kur gribat, jo jūsu darbam nav nekādu atlaižu!” 12 Un tauta izklīda pa visu Ēģiptes zemi, lai pa stiebram lasītu salmus. 13 Un vagari tos skubināja: “Pabeidziet darba dienas tiesu tajā pašā laikā kā tad, kad bija salmi!” 14 Un faraona vagari sita Israēla dēlu uzraugus, ko pār tiem bija ielikuši, un sacīja: “Kādēļ neizpildījāt jums uzdoto – ne vakar, ne šodien jūs neiztaisījāt nolikto ķieģeļu skaitu kā iepriekš!” 15 Un Israēla dēlu uzraugi gāja un brēca uz faraonu: “Kādēļ tu tā dari saviem kalpiem?! 16 Salmi taviem kalpiem nav iedoti, bet ķieģeļus – viņi mums saka – taisiet! Un, re, tavus kalpus sit, un tu esi vainīgs pret saviem ļaudīm!” 17 Un viņš teica: “Sliņķi jūs esat, sliņķi! Tādēļ jūs sakāt: laid mūs iet upurēt Kungam! 18 Un tagad – ejiet, strādājiet, un salmi jums netiks doti, un jums ir jātaisa tikpat daudz ķieģeļu!” 19 Nu Israēla dēlu uzraugi redzēja, ka iet ļauni, un tiem vēl saka: “Nevienu dienu nesamaziniet savu dienas tiesu!” 20 Kad viņi gāja projām no faraona, tie sastapa Mozu un Āronu. 21 Un tie viņiem teica: “Lai jūs redz Kungs un tiesā, jo jūs esat padarījuši mūs par smerdeļiem faraona un viņa kalpu priekšā – iedevuši viņam zobenu, lai mūs nokauj!” 22 Un Mozus vērsās pie Kunga un teica: “Kungs, kādēļ tu darīji ļaunu šai tautai? Kādēļ tu mani sūtīji?! 23 Kopš es atnācu pie faraona, lai runātu tavā vārdā, viņš ir darījis šai tautai tik daudz ļauna, un tu nebūt neesi glābis savu tautu!”
