¹ 後來摩西、亞倫去對法老說：耶和華─以色列的神這樣說：容我的百姓去，在曠野向我守節。

² 法老說：耶和華是誰，使我聽他的話，容以色列人去呢？我不認識耶和華，也不容以色列人去！

³ 他們說：希伯來人的神遇見了我們。求你容我們往曠野去，走三天的路程，祭祀耶和華─我們的神，免得他用瘟疫、刀兵攻擊我們。

⁴ 埃及王對他們說：摩西、亞倫！你們為甚麼叫百姓曠工呢？你們去擔你們的擔子罷！

⁵ 又說：看哪，這地的以色列人如今眾多，你們竟叫他們歇下擔子！

⁶ 當天，法老吩咐督工的和官長說：

⁷ 你們不可照常把草給百姓做磚，叫他們自己去撿草。

⁸ 他們素常做磚的數目，你們仍舊向他們要，一點不可減少；因為他們是懶惰的，所以呼求說：容我們去祭祀我們的神。

⁹ 你們要把更重的工夫加在這些人身上，叫他們勞碌，不聽虛謊的言語。

¹⁰ 督工的和官長出來對百姓說：法老這樣說：我不給你們草。

¹¹ 你們自己在那裡能找草，就往那裡去找罷！但你們的工一點不可減少。

¹² 於是百姓散在埃及遍地，撿碎秸當作草。

¹³ 督工的催著說：你們一天當完一天的工，與先前有草一樣。

¹⁴ 法老督工的，責打他所派以色列人的官長，說：你們昨天今天為甚麼沒有照向來的數目做磚、完你們的工作呢？

¹⁵ 以色列人的官長就來哀求法老說：為甚麼這樣待你的僕人？

¹⁶ 督工的不把草給僕人，並且對我們說：做磚罷！看哪，你僕人挨了打，其實是你百姓的錯。

¹⁷ 但法老說：你們是懶惰的！你們是懶惰的！所以說：容我們去祭祀耶和華。

¹⁸ 現在你們去做工罷！草是不給你們的，磚卻要如數交納。

¹⁹ 以色列人的官長聽說你們每天做磚的工作一點不可減少，就知道是遭遇禍患了。

²⁰ 他們離了法老出來，正遇見摩西、亞倫站在對面，

²¹ 就向他們說：願耶和華鑒察你們，施行判斷；因你們使我們在法老和他臣僕面前有了臭名，把刀遞在他們手中殺我們。

²² 摩西回到耶和華那裡，說：主阿，你為甚麼苦待這百姓呢？為甚麼打發我去呢？

²³ 自從我去見法老，奉你的名說話，他就苦待這百姓，你一點也沒有拯救他們。

¹ Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.'"

² Pharaoh said, "Who is Yahweh, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don't know Yahweh, and moreover I will not let Israel go."

³ They said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword."

⁴ The king of Egypt said to them, "Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!"

⁵ Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens."

⁶ The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

⁷ "You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.

⁸ The number of the bricks, which they made before, you require from them. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.'

⁹ Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor therein; and don't let them pay any attention to lying words."

¹⁰ The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you straw.

¹¹ Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.'"

¹² So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

¹³ The taskmasters were urgent saying, "Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!"

¹⁴ The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, "Why haven't you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?"

¹⁵ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you deal this way with your servants?

¹⁶ No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, 'Make brick!' and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people."

¹⁷ But he said, "You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to Yahweh.'

¹⁸ Go therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!"

¹⁹ The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, "You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!"

²⁰ They met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:

²¹ and they said to them, "May Yahweh look at you, and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us."

²² Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, "Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? why is it that you have sent me?

²³ For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people; neither have you delivered your people at all."