4. But the king of Egypt said to them, “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.”
5. Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land now are numerous, and you make them rest from their labor.”
6. Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying,
7. “You shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.
8. However, the quota of the bricks, which they were making previously, you shall lay upon them. You shall not diminish any of it. For they are idle. Therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
9. Let there be more work laid upon the men so that they may labor therein, and let them not regard deceptive words.”
10. The taskmasters of the people and their officers went out, and they spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw.
11. Go, get straw where you can find it, yet nothing of your work shall be diminished.’ ”
12. So the people scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
13. The taskmasters pushed them, saying, “Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, just as when there was straw.”
14. The officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, and demanded, “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as previously?”
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. There is no straw being given to your servants, and they say to us, ‘Make brick.’ And indeed, your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people.”
17. But he said, “You are slackers! Slackers! Therefore you 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 you deliver the quota of bricks.”