The Second Book of Moses, called Exodus 5

1 And 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

2 And 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

3 And 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

4 And the king of Egypt said unto them Wherefore do ye Moses and Aaron let the people from their works get you unto your burdens

5 And Pharaoh said Behold the people of the land now are many and ye make them rest from their burdens

6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people and their officers saying

7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick as heretofore let them go and gather straw for themselves

8 And 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

9 Let there more work be laid upon the men that they may labour therein and let them not regard vain words

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

11 Go ye get you straw where ye can find it yet not ought of your work shall be diminished

12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw

13 And the taskmasters hasted them saying Fulfil your works your daily tasks as when there was straw

14 And the officers of the children of Israel which araoh’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

16 There 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

17 But he said Ye are idle ye are idle therefore ye say Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD

18 Go therefore now and work for there shall no straw be given you yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks

19 And 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

21 And 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

22 And Moses returned unto the LORD and said Lord wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people why is it that thou hast sent me

23 For 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