Moses and Aaron before the King of Egypt
1 Then Moses and Aaron went to the king of Egypt and said, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, so that they can hold a festival in the desert to honor me.’”
2 “Who is the Lord?” the king demanded. “Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord; and I will not let Israel go.”
3 Moses and Aaron replied, “The God of the Hebrews has revealed himself to us. Allow us to travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we don't do so, he will kill us with disease or by war.”
4 The king said to Moses and Aaron, “What do you mean by making the people neglect their work? Get those slaves back to work! 5 You people have become more numerous than the Egyptians. And now you want to stop working!”
6 That same day the king commanded the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen: 7 “Stop giving the people straw for making bricks. Make them go and find it for themselves. 8 But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before, not one brick less. They don't have enough work to do, and that is why they keep asking me to let them go and offer sacrifices to their God! 9 Make them work harder and keep them busy, so that they won't have time to listen to a pack of lies.”
10 The slave drivers and the Israelite foremen went out and said to the Israelites, “The king has said that he will not supply you with any more straw. 11 He says that you must go and get it for yourselves wherever you can find it, but you must still make the same number of bricks.” 12 So the people went all over Egypt looking for straw. 13 The slave drivers kept trying to force them to make the same number of bricks every day as they had made when they were given straw. 14 The Egyptian slave drivers beat the Israelite foremen, whom they had put in charge of the work. They demanded, “Why aren't you people making the same number of bricks that you made before?”
15 Then the foremen went to the king and complained, “Why do you do this to us, Your Majesty? 16 We are given no straw, but we are still ordered to make bricks! And now we are being beaten. It is your people that are at fault.”
17 The king answered, “You are lazy and don't want to work, and that is why you ask me to let you go and offer sacrifices to the Lord. 18 Now get back to work! You will not be given any straw, but you must still make the same number of bricks.” 19 The foremen realized that they were in trouble when they were told that they had to make the same number of bricks every day as they had made before.
20 As they were leaving, they met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them. 21 They said to Moses and Aaron, “The Lord has seen what you have done and will punish you for making the king and his officers hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us.”
Moses Complains to the Lord
22 Then Moses turned to the Lord again and said, “Lord, why do you mistreat your people? Why did you send me here? 23 Ever since I went to the king to speak for you, he has treated them cruelly. And you have done nothing to help them!”
1 Pēc tam Mozus un Ārons gāja pie faraona un sacīja: "Tas Kungs, Israēla Dievs, saka tā: atlaid Manu tautu, ka tie Man sarīko svētkus tuksnesī." 2 Bet faraons sacīja: "Kas ir Tas Kungs, ka man būtu Viņam jāklausa un jāatlaiž Israēls? Es nepazīstu To Kungu, un arī Israēlu es neatlaidīšu." 3 Tad viņi sacīja: "Tas ir ebreju Dievs, kas parādījies mums. Ļauj mums iet triju dienu gājumu tuksnesī, lai upurētu Tam Kungam, savam Dievam, ka Tas pār mums nenāk ar mēri vai zobenu." 4 Un Ēģiptes ķēniņš sacīja viņiem: "Mozu un Āron! Kāpēc jūs atraujat ļaudis no viņu darbiem? Ejiet atpakaļ pie sava darba!" 5 Un faraons teica: "Redzi, šo ļaužu šinī zemē ir jau daudz, un jūs tos gribat atturēt no darba!" 6 Un tai pašā dienā faraons pavēlēja ļaužu uzraugiem un viņu pārraugiem: 7 "Turpmāk nedodiet vairs salmus ļaudīm ķieģeļu taisīšanai, kā tas bija līdz šim! Lai viņi paši iet un sagādā sev salmus. 8 Un to ķieģeļu skaitu, kas viņiem bija līdz šim jātaisa, uzlieciet arī turpmāk, jūs to nedrīkstat samazināt. Viņi ir slinki, tāpēc viņi kliedz: iesim un upurēsim savam Dievam. 9 Šo ļaužu darbu padariet smagāku, ka viņi strādātu un neklausītos viltus valodās." 10 Tad ļaužu uzraugi un viņu pārraugi izgāja un runāja uz ļaudīm, sacīdami: "Tā ir teicis faraons: es nedošu jums vairs salmus. 11 Ejiet paši un gādājiet sev salmus, kur vien jūs tos atrodat, bet no jūsu darba mēra nekas netiks samazināts." 12 Tad ļaudis izklīda pa visu Ēģiptes zemi, lai savāktu rugājus salmu vietā. 13 Un uzraugi tos skubināja, teikdami: "Pildiet savu pienākumu! Jūsu dienas uzdevums ir tāds pats kā agrāk, kad jums bija salmi." 14 Un faraona pārraugi sita no Israēla vidus ieceltos uzraugus, sacīdami: "Kādēļ jūs neesat izgatavojuši to pašu ķieģeļu skaitu kā līdz šim?" 15 Tad Israēla bērnu uzraugi gāja un žēlojās faraonam, sacīdami: "Kāpēc tu tā dari saviem kalpiem? 16 Taviem kalpiem vairs netiek doti salmi, bet ķieģeļus - tā mums saka - jums būs taisīt. Un redzi, tavi kalpi tiek sisti, bet tā ir tavu ļaužu vaina." 17 Bet tas sacīja: "Sliņķi jūs esat, sliņķi! Tāpēc jūs sakāt: iesim un upurēsim Tam Kungam. 18 Bet tagad ejiet un strādājiet! Salmus jums nedos, bet noteiktais ķieģeļu skaits jums jātaisa." 19 Un Israēla bērnu uzraugi redzēja, ka viņi ir postā, saņēmuši pavēli: nesamaziniet dienas darba ķieģeļu skaitu. 20 Un, ārā nākot no faraona, tie satika Mozu un Āronu, kas stāvēja un gaidīja tos. 21 Un viņi sacīja tiem: "Lai Tas Kungs to redz un jūs soda, ka jūs mūs esat darījuši par nicināmiem faraona un viņa kalpu acīs un esat likuši zobenu viņu rokās mūs nonāvēt." 22 Tad Mozus vērsās pie Tā Kunga un teica: "Ak, Kungs, kāpēc Tu esi darījis tādu ļaunumu šai tautai? Kāpēc Tu mani esi sūtījis? 23 Kopš es gāju pie faraona, lai runātu Tavā Vārdā, viņš darījis šai tautai ļaunu, un Tu tomēr neglābi Savu tautu."
