Bricks Without Straw

5 Later on, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They said, “The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, ‘Let my people go. Then they will be able to hold a feast to honor me in the desert.’ ”

² Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord? Why should I obey him? Why should I let Israel go? I don’t even know the Lord. And I won’t let Israel go.”

³ Then Moses and Aaron said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a journey that lasts about three days. We want to go into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we don’t, he might strike us with plagues. Or he might let us be killed by swords.”

⁴ But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Get back to work!” ⁵ Pharaoh continued, “There are large numbers of your people in the land. But you are stopping them from working.”

⁶ That same day Pharaoh gave orders to the slave drivers and the overseers in charge of the people. ⁷ He said, “Don’t give the people any more straw to make bricks. Let them go and get their own straw. ⁸ But require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t lower the number they have to make. They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out, ‘Let us go. We want to offer sacrifices to our God.’ ⁹ Make them work harder. Then they will be too busy to pay attention to lies.”

¹⁰ The slave drivers and the overseers left. They said to the people, “Pharaoh says, ‘I won’t give you any more straw. ¹¹ Go and get your own straw anywhere you can find it. But you still have to make the same number of bricks.’ ” ¹² So the people scattered all over Egypt. They went to gather any pieces of straw left in the fields. ¹³ Pharaoh’s slave drivers kept making the people work hard. They said, “Finish the work you are required to do each day. Make the same number of bricks you made when you had straw.” ¹⁴ The slave drivers whipped the Israelite overseers they had appointed. The slave drivers asked, “Why haven’t you made the same number of bricks yesterday or today, just as before?”

¹⁵ Then the Israelite overseers appealed to Pharaoh. They asked, “Why have you treated us like this? ¹⁶ You didn’t give us any straw. But you told us, ‘Make bricks!’ We are being whipped. But it’s the fault of your own people.”

¹⁷ Pharaoh said, “You are lazy! That’s why you keep saying, ‘Let us go. We want to offer sacrifices to the Lord.’ ¹⁸ Now get to work. We won’t give you any straw. But you still have to make the same number of bricks.”

¹⁹ The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble. They knew it when they were told, “Don’t reduce the number of bricks you are required to make each day.” ²⁰ When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them. ²¹ They said to Moses and Aaron, “We want the Lord to look at what you have done! We want him to judge you for it! We are like a very bad smell to Pharaoh and his officials. You have given them an excuse to kill us with their swords.”

The Lord Promises to Save the Israelites

²² Moses returned to talk to the Lord. He said to him, “Why, Lord? Why have you brought trouble on these people? Is this why you sent me? ²³ I went to Pharaoh to speak to him in your name. Ever since then, he has brought nothing but trouble on these people. And you haven’t saved your people at all.”

6 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. Because of my powerful hand, he will let the people of Israel go. Because of my mighty hand, he will drive them out of his country.”

² God continued, “I am the Lord. ³ I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the Mighty God. But I did not show them the full meaning of my name, The Lord. ⁴ I also made my covenant with them. I promised to give them the land of Canaan. That is where they lived as outsiders. ⁵ Also, I have heard the groans of the Israelites. The Egyptians are keeping them as slaves. But I have remembered my covenant.

⁶ “So tell the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord. I will throw off the heavy load the Egyptians have put on your shoulders. I will set you free from being slaves to them. I will reach out my arm and save you with mighty acts when I judge Egypt. ⁷ I will take you to be my own people. I will be your God. I throw off the load the Egyptians have put on your shoulders. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God. ⁸ I will bring you to the land I promised to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I lifted up my hand and promised it to them. The land will belong to you. I am the Lord.’ ”

⁹ Moses reported these things to the Israelites. But they didn’t listen to him. That’s because they had lost all hope and had to work very hard.

¹⁰ Then the Lord said to Moses, ¹¹ “Go. Tell Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to let the people of Israel leave his country.”

¹² But Moses said to the Lord, “The people won’t listen to me. So why would Pharaoh listen to me? After all, I don’t speak very well.”

The Family Record of Moses and Aaron

¹³ The Lord had spoken to Moses and Aaron. He had talked with them about the Israelites and about Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. He had commanded Moses and Aaron to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt.

¹⁴ Here were the leaders of the family groups of Reuben, Simeon and Levi.

These were the family groups of Reuben.

These were the family groups of Simeon.

Levi lived for 137 years.

These are the family groups of Levi written in their family record.

Amram lived for 137 years.

These were the family groups of Korah.

These are the leaders of the families of Levi. Their names are written in their family records.

²⁶ The Lord had spoken to this same Aaron and Moses. He had told them, “Bring the Israelites out of Egypt like an army on the march.” ²⁷ They spoke to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, about bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt. It was this same Moses and Aaron.

Aaron Speaks for Moses

²⁸ The Lord had spoken to Moses in Egypt. ²⁹ He had told him, “I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, everything I tell you.”

³⁰ But Moses said to the Lord, “I don’t speak very well. So why would Pharaoh listen to me?”

7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I have made you like God to Pharaoh. And your brother Aaron will be like a prophet to you. ² You must say everything I command you to say. Then your brother Aaron must tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel leave his country. ³ But I will make Pharaoh stubborn. I will multiply the signs and amazing things I will do in Egypt. ⁴ In spite of that, he will not listen to you. So I will use my powerful hand against Egypt. When I judge them with mighty acts, I will bring my people Israel out like an army on the march. ⁵ Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. I will reach out my powerful hand against them. I will bring the people of Israel out of Egypt.”

⁶ Moses and Aaron did exactly as the Lord had commanded them. ⁷ Moses was 80 years old and Aaron was 83 when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Aaron’s Walking Stick Becomes a Snake

⁸ The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron. ⁹ He said, “Pharaoh will say to you, ‘Do a miracle.’ When he does, speak to Aaron. Tell him, ‘Take your walking stick and throw it down in front of Pharaoh.’ It will turn into a snake.”

¹⁰ So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They did exactly as the Lord had commanded them. Aaron threw the stick down in front of Pharaoh and his officials. It turned into a snake. ¹¹ Then Pharaoh sent for wise men and people who do evil magic. By doing their magic tricks, the Egyptian magicians did the same things Aaron had done. ¹² Each one threw down his walking stick. Each stick turned into a snake. But Aaron’s walking stick swallowed theirs up. ¹³ In spite of that, Pharaoh became stubborn. He wouldn’t listen to them, just as the Lord had said.

The Plague of Blood

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh is very stubborn. He refuses to let the people go. ¹⁵ In the morning Pharaoh will go down to the Nile River. Go and meet him on the bank of the river. Take in your hand the walking stick that turned into a snake. ¹⁶ Say to Pharaoh, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you. He says, “Let my people go. Then they will be able to worship me in the desert. But up to now you have not listened.” ¹⁷ The Lord says, “Here is how you will know that I am the Lord. I will strike the water of the Nile River with the walking stick that is in my hand. The river will turn into blood. ¹⁸ The fish in the river will die. The river will stink. The Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.” ’ ”

¹⁹ The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Get your walking stick. Reach your hand out over the waters of Egypt. The streams, canals, ponds and all the lakes will turn into blood. There will be blood everywhere in Egypt. It will even be in the wooden buckets and stone jars.’ ”

²⁰ Moses and Aaron did exactly as the Lord had commanded them. Aaron held out his staff in front of Pharaoh and his officials. He struck the water of the Nile River. And all the water turned into blood. ²¹ The fish in the Nile died. The river smelled so bad the Egyptians couldn’t drink its water. There was blood everywhere in Egypt.

²² But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by doing their magic tricks. So Pharaoh became stubborn. He wouldn’t listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said. ²³ Even that miracle didn’t change Pharaoh’s mind. In fact, he turned around and went into his palace. ²⁴ All the Egyptians dug holes near the Nile River to get drinking water. They couldn’t drink water from the river.

The Plague of Frogs

²⁵ Seven days passed after the Lord struck the Nile River.