| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.'" | 1Later, Moses and Aaron went in and said to Pharaoh, "This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says: Let My people go, so that they may hold a festival for Me in the wilderness." |
| 2But Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go." | 2But Pharaoh responded, "Who is Yahweh that I should obey Him by letting Israel go? I do not know anything about Yahweh, and besides, I will not let Israel go." |
| 3Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword." | 3Then they answered, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go on a three-day trip into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our God, or else He may strike us with plague or sword." |
| 4But the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labors!" | 4The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you causing the people to neglect their work? Get to your work!" |
| 5Again Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!" | 5Pharaoh also said, "Look, the people of the land are so numerous, and you would stop them from working." |
| 6So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying, | 6That day Pharaoh commanded the overseers of the people as well as their foremen: " |
| 7"You are no longer to give the people straw to make brick as previously; let them go and gather straw for themselves. | 7Don't continue to supply the people with straw for making bricks, as before. They must go and gather straw for themselves. |
| 8"But the quota of bricks which they were making previously, you shall impose on them; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are lazy, therefore they cry out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' | 8But require the same quota of bricks from them as they were making before; do not reduce it. For they are slackers--that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' |
| 9"Let the labor be heavier on the men, and let them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words." | 9Impose heavier work on the men. Then they will be occupied with it and not pay attention to deceptive words." |
| 10So the taskmasters of the people and their foremen went out and spoke to the people, saying, "Thus says Pharaoh, 'I am not going to give you any straw. | 10So the overseers and foremen of the people went out and said to them, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I am not giving you straw. |
| 11You go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but none of your labor will be reduced.'" | 11Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'" |
| 12So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. | 12So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. |
| 13The taskmasters pressed them, saying, "Complete your work quota, your daily amount, just as when you had straw." | 13The overseers insisted, "Finish your assigned work each day, just as you did when straw was provided." |
| 14Moreover, the foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, "Why have you not completed your required amount either yesterday or today in making brick as previously?" | 14Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh's slave drivers had set over the people, were beaten and asked, "Why haven't you finished making your prescribed number of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?" |
| 15Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you deal this way with your servants? | 15So the Israelite foremen went in and cried for help to Pharaoh: "Why are you treating your servants this way? |
| 16"There is no straw given to your servants, yet they keep saying to us, 'Make bricks!' And behold, your servants are being beaten; but it is the fault of your own people." | 16No straw has been given to your servants, yet they say to us, 'Make bricks!' Look, your servants are being beaten, but it is your own people who are at fault." |
| 17But he said, "You are lazy, very lazy; therefore you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.' | 17But he said, "You are slackers. Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the LORD.' |
| 18"So go now and work; for you will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the quota of bricks." | 18Now get to work. No straw will be given to you, but you must produce the same quantity of bricks." |
| 19The foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in trouble because they were told, "You must not reduce your daily amount of bricks." | 19The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You cannot reduce your daily quota of bricks." |
| 20When they left Pharaoh's presence, they met Moses and Aaron as they were waiting for them. | 20When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them." |
| 21They said to them, "May the LORD look upon you and judge you, for you have made us odious in Pharaoh's sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us." | 21May the LORD take note of you and judge," they said to them, "because you have made us reek in front of Pharaoh and his officials--putting a sword in their hand to kill us!" |
| 22Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? | 22So Moses went back to the LORD and asked, "Lord, why have You caused trouble for this people? And why did You ever send me? |
| 23"Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all." | 23Ever since I went in to Pharaoh to speak in Your name he has caused trouble for this people, and You haven't delivered Your people at all." |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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