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1 And after this went in Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh, and they said to him, These things says the Lord God of Israel, Send my people away, that they may keep a feast to me in the wilderness. 2 And Pharaoh said, Who is he that I should hearken to his voice, so that I should send away the children of Israel? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go. 3 And they say to him, The God of the Hebrews has called us to him: we will go therefore a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest at any time death or slaughter happen to us. 4 And the king of Egypt said to them, Why do ye, Moses and Aaron, turn the people from their works? depart each of you to your works. 5 And Pharaoh said, Behold now, the people is very numerous; let us not then give them rest from their work. 6 And Pharaoh gave orders to the taskmasters of the people and the accountants, saying, 7 Ye shall no longer give straw to the people for brickmaking as yesterday and the third day; but let them go themselves, and collect straw for themselves. 8 And thou shalt impose on them daily the rate of brickmaking which they perform: thou shalt not abate anything, for they are idle; therefore have they cried, saying, Let us arise and do sacrifice to our God. 9 Let the works of these men be made grievous, and let them care for these things, and not care for vain words.
10 And the taskmasters and the accountants hastened them, and they spoke to the people, saying, Thus says Pharaoh, I will give you straw no longer. 11 Go ye, yourselves, get for yourselves straw whencesoever ye can find it, for nothing is diminished from your rate. 12 So the people were dispersed in all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw. 13 And the taskmasters hastened them, saying, Fulfill your regular daily tasks, even as when straw was given you. 14 And the accountants of the race of the children of Israel, who were set over them by the masters of Pharaoh, were scourged, and questioned, men saying, Why have ye not fulfilled your rates of brickwork as yesterday and the third day, today also? 15 And the accountants of the children of Israel went in and cried to Pharaoh, saying, Why dost thou act thus to thy servants? 16 Straw is not given to thy servants, and they tell us to make brick; and behold thy servants have been scourged: thou wilt therefore injure thy people. 17 And he said to them, Ye are idle, ye are idlers: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to our God. 18 Now then go and work, for straw shall not be given to you, yet ye shall return the rate of bricks. 19 And the accountants of the children of Israel saw themselves in an evil plight, men saying, Ye shall not fail to deliver the daily rate of the brickmaking. 20 And they met Moses and Aaron coming forth to meet them, as they came forth from Pharaoh. 21 And they said to them, The Lord look upon you and judge you, for ye have made our savor abominable before Pharaoh, and before his servants, to put a sword into his hands to slay us. 22 And Moses turned to the Lord, and said, I pray, Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? and wherefore hast thou sent me? 23 For from the time that I went to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he has afflicted this people, and thou hast not delivered thy people.