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          DASV: Exodus 5    

1 Afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh,
"'This is what the LORD says, the God of Israel,
'Let my people go, that they may celebrate a feast
to me in the wilderness.'"
2 But Pharaoh retorted, "Who is the LORD that I should
obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD,
and besides I will not let Israel go."
3 They said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us.
Let us go on a three day journey into the wilderness,
so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, or he may
strike us with pestilence or the sword."
4 The king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron,
why do you take the people away from their work?
Get back to your work."
5 Pharaoh continued, "Look, the people of the land
are now many, and you are stoping them from working."

6 That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters and
foremen of the people, saying,
7 "Do not provide the people with straw to make bricks
as before, let them go and gather their own straw.
8 But require the same quota of the bricks, as they made
before. Do not reduce it at all, for they are lazy.
This is why they cry, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.'
9 Make the work harder for the men so that they have to
work at it and not pay attention to lying words."
10 So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out,
and they spoke to the people, saying, "This is what Pharaoh
says, 'I will not give you straw.
11 Go, get your own straw anywhere you can find it,
but let there be no reduction in your work at all.'"

12 So the people scattered throughout all the land of Egypt
to gather stubble for straw.
13 Yet the taskmasters pressured them demanding,
"Complete your daily work quota, as when there was
straw provided."
14 The Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh's taskmaster had put
over the Israelites, were beaten and asked, "Why have you
not met your quota of bricks both yesterday and today as before?"
15 Then the foremen of the Israelites went and cried out
to Pharaoh, saying, "Why are you treating your servants like this?
16 No straw is given to your servants, yet they demand from us,
'Make bricks,' and, your servants are beaten; but the fault
is with your own people."
17 But he snapped back, "You are lazy, you are lazy.
That is why you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.'
18 Now get back to work, for you will not be given straw,
yet you must still deliver the same number of bricks."

19 The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when
they were told, "You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks."
20 As they left Pharaoh they met Moses and Aaron, who were
waiting to meet them.
21 They groaned to them, "The LORD look on you, and judge,
because you have made us a stench in the eyes of Pharaoh,
and in the eyes of his servants, and have put a sword in
their hand to kill us."

22 Then Moses returned to the LORD and complained, "O Lord,
why have you made trouble for this people? Why did you ever send me?
23 For ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name,
he has made trouble for this people and you have done nothing
at all to deliver your people."

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