Exodus 4:27-6:1

New International Version - UK

²⁷ The Lord said to Aaron, ‘Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.’ So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. ²⁸ Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform.

²⁹ Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, ³⁰ and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, ³¹ and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshipped.

Bricks without straw

5 Afterwards Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.”’

² Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.’

³ Then they said, ‘The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.’

⁴ But the king of Egypt said, ‘Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labour? Get back to your work!’ ⁵ Then Pharaoh said, ‘Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.’

⁶ That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: ⁷ ‘You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; 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. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, “Let us go and sacrifice to our God.” ⁹ Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.’

¹⁰ Then the slave drivers 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 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, 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! That is why you keep saying, “Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.” ¹⁸ Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.’

¹⁹ The Israelite overseers realised 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 you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.’

God promises deliverance

²² Moses returned to the Lord and said, ‘Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? 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 your people at all.’

6 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.’