1And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. 2And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
3And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. 4And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens. 5And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens. 6And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, 7Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.5.9 Let there…: Heb. Let the work be heavy upon the men
10¶ And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. 11Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. 12So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. 13And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.5.13 your daily…: Heb. a matter of a day in his day 14And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?
15¶ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? 16There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people. 17But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD. 18Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks. 19And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.
20¶ And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: 21And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.5.21 to be…: Heb. to stink 22And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? 23For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.5.23 neither…: Heb. delivering thou hast not delivered
摩西和亞倫見法老
1之後，摩西和亞倫去見法老，對他說：「以色列的上帝耶和華說，『放我的子民走，讓他們到曠野去為我守節期。』」 2法老說：「耶和華是誰？我憑什麼要聽從祂，放走以色列人？我不認識祂，也不會讓以色列人離開！」 3摩西和亞倫說：「希伯來人的上帝向我們顯現了。求你容我們走三天的路程，到曠野去向我們的上帝耶和華獻祭，請你讓我們去吧，免得祂用刀劍、瘟疫來攻擊我們。」 4埃及王說：「摩西、亞倫，你們竟敢煽動百姓曠工！快回去工作！」 5法老又說：「這地方的以色列人如此眾多，你竟叫他們停止工作！」 6當天，法老就對埃及監工和以色列人的工頭下令： 7「從今天開始，不許再供應草給他們製磚，叫他們自己去撿， 8但上交的磚的數量要和往常一樣，一塊也不可少。因為他們懶惰，所以才嚷著要去給他們的上帝獻祭。 9你們要加重他們的工作，他們就無暇再聽那些蠱惑人心的話了！」
10於是，那些監工和工頭就出來向百姓宣佈：「法老下令不再供應草給你們製磚。 11你們要自己設法去找，但上交的磚一塊也不能少。」 12百姓只好在埃及全國收集碎禾稭當草用。 13監工催逼他們說：「你們要完成每天規定的數目，像從前有草時一樣。」 14他們又鞭打以色列人的工頭，說：「你們這兩天為什麼沒有像從前一樣完成規定的磚數？」
15以色列人的工頭來見法老，向他哀求說：「你為什麼要這樣對待僕人們？ 16監工不給僕人們草，卻命令我們做磚，還打我們，其實是你百姓的錯。」 17法老說：「你們是懶惰的人，懶惰的人！所以才嚷著要去給耶和華獻祭。 18回去繼續工作！我不再供應草給你們，但磚要如數交齊。」 19以色列人的工頭聽見每天做的磚數不可減少，就知道情況不妙。 20他們從法老那裡出來的時候，遇見摩西和亞倫站在外面等候， 21便埋怨二人說：「願耶和華鑒察、懲罰你們！你們使我們在法老和他的臣僕面前有了臭名，使他們有藉口來殺我們。」
22摩西回到耶和華那裡說：「主啊！你為什麼這樣苦待你的子民呢？為什麼要派我去呢？ 23自從我去法老那裡奉你的名發言後，他更加虐待你的子民，你並沒有拯救他們。」
