1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. 4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens. 5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens. 6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, 7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.
10 ¶ And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. 11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. 13 And the taskmasters hasted them , saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. 14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?
15 ¶ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? 16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people. 17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD. 18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks. 19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case , after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.
20 ¶ And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: 21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us. 22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.
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!”
