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Exodus 5
International Standard Version
Exodus 5
International Standard Version
Pharaoh Refuses to Let the People Go
5 After Moses and Aaron arrived, they told Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Let my people go so they may make a pilgrimage for me in the desert.’”
2 Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should listen to[a] him and let Israel go? I don’t know about[b] the Lord, nor will I let Israel go!”
3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God so he does not strike us with pestilence or sword.”[c]
4 The king of Egypt replied to them, “Moses and Aaron, why are you keeping the people from their labor? Go back to your work!”[d] 5 Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people in the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.”[e]
Pharaoh Increases the Israelis’ Work
6 That day Pharaoh ordered the taskmasters of the people and their officials, 7 “You’re no longer to give the people straw for making bricks, as in the past.[f] They must gather straw for themselves. 8 But you’re to impose the previous quota[g] of bricks that they’re making. You’re not to reduce it! It is because they’re lazy that they’re crying out, ‘Let’s go offer sacrifices to our God.’ 9 So increase the work load on the people,[h] and let them do it so they don’t pay attention to deceptive speeches.”
10 Then the taskmasters of the people and their officials went out and told the people, “This is Pharaoh’s response: ‘I’ll no longer give you any[i] straw. 11 Go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work quotas won’t be reduced at all.’”[j] 12 So the people scattered throughout the entire land of Egypt to collect stubble[k] for straw.
13 The taskmasters pressured them by saying, “Finish your work—each day’s quota[l]—just as when you were given straw.”[m]
14 The Israeli supervisors whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had appointed over them were beaten and told,[n] “Why didn’t you, both yesterday and today, fulfill[o] your quota[p] for making bricks as before?”
The Israelis’ Appeal Rejected by Pharaoh
15 The Israeli supervisors came and cried out to Pharaoh, “Why are you doing this to us?[q] 16 No straw is being given to us, yet they’re saying to us, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, we are being beaten. It’s wrong how you are treating your people!”
17 Then Pharaoh[r] said, “You are lazy, lazy! That’s why[s] you’re saying, ‘Let’s go offer sacrifices to the Lord.’ 18 Now, go! Get to work! And straw won’t be given to you, but you are to deliver the same[t] number of bricks!” 19 The Israeli supervisors realized they were in trouble when he said,[u] “You won’t reduce each day’s quota of bricks!”[v]
The Israelis Blame Moses and Moses Complains to God
20 As they left Pharaoh’s presence,[w] they met Moses and Aaron standing there.[x] 21 The supervisors[y] told them, “May the Lord look on you and judge you![z] You have made us repulsive to[aa] Pharaoh and his servants. You have put[ab] a sword in their hands to kill us.”
22 So Moses returned to the Lord and asked him, “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why have you sent me here? 23 Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have done nothing to deliver your people.”
Footnotes
- Exodus 5:2 Or obey
- Exodus 5:2 The Heb. lacks about
- Exodus 5:3 I.e. invasions by foreign armies
- Exodus 5:4 Lit. burdens
- Exodus 5:5 Lit. from their burdens
- Exodus 5:7 Lit. like yesterday and the day before
- Exodus 5:8 Lit. as yesterday and the day before
- Exodus 5:9 Or men
- Exodus 5:10 The Heb. lacks any
- Exodus 5:11 Lit. from your labor
- Exodus 5:12 I.e. the stalks left in the field after grain is harvested
- Exodus 5:13 Lit. matter
- Exodus 5:13 Lit. when there was straw
- Exodus 5:14 Lit. saying
- Exodus 5:14 Lit. complete
- Exodus 5:14 Lit. prescribed amount
- Exodus 5:15 Lit. your servants; and so throughout the book
- Exodus 5:17 Lit. he
- Exodus 5:17 Lit. therefore
- Exodus 5:18 The Heb. lacks same
- Exodus 5:19 Lit. saying
- Exodus 5:19 Lit. your bricks
- Exodus 5:20 Lit. from with
- Exodus 5:20 The Heb. lacks there
- Exodus 5:21 Lit. they
- Exodus 5:21 The Heb. lacks you
- Exodus 5:21 Lit. made our odor stink in the eyes of
- Exodus 5:21 Lit. servants to give
Exodus 5
New International Version
Exodus 5
New International Version
Bricks Without Straw
5 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go,(A) so that they may hold a festival(B) to me in the wilderness.’”
2 Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord,(C) that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”(D)
3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey(E) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues(F) or with the sword.”
4 But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor?(G) Get back to your work!” 5 Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous,(H) and you are stopping them from working.”
6 That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers(I) and overseers in charge of the people: 7 “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks;(J) let them go and gather their own straw. 8 But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota.(K) They are lazy;(L) that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’(M) 9 Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”
10 Then the slave drivers(N) and the overseers went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw. 11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced(O) at all.’” 12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. 13 The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.” 14 And Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed,(P) demanding, “Why haven’t you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”
15 Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way? 16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
17 Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy!(Q) That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Now get to work.(R) You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”
19 The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.” 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, 21 and they said, “May the Lord look on you and judge(S) you! You have made us obnoxious(T) to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword(U) in their hand to kill us.”(V)
God Promises Deliverance
22 Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people?(W) Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued(X) your people at all.”
International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.