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."
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.”
