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¹ After these things, Moses and Aaron went in, and said to Pharao: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Let my people go, that they may sacrifice to me in the desert.² But he answered: Who is the Lord, that I should hear his voice, and let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.

³ And they said: The God of the Hebrews hath called us, to go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and to sacrifice to the Lord our God; lest a pestilence or the sword fall upon us.⁴ The king of Egypt said to them: Why do you Moses and Aaron draw off the people from their works? Get you gone to your burdens.⁵ And Pharao said: The people of the land are numerous; you see that the multitude is increased; how much more if you give them rest from their works?⁶ Therefore he commanded the same day the overseers of the works, and the task-masters of the people, saying:⁷ You shall give straw no more to the people to make brick, as before; but let them go and gather straw.⁸ And you shall lay upon them the task of bricks, which they did before; neither shall you diminish any thing thereof, for they are idle, and therefore they cry. saying: Let us go and sacrifice to our God.⁹ Let them be oppressed with works, and let them fulfil them; that they may not regard lying words.

¹⁰ And the overseers of the works, and the taskmasters, went out and said to the people: Thus saith Pharao: I allow you no straw;¹¹ Go, and gather it where you can find it; neither shall any thing of your work be diminished.¹² And the people was scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather straw.¹³ And the overseers of the works pressed them, saying: Fulfil your work every day, as before ye were wont to do, when straw was given you.¹⁴ And they that were over the works of the children of Israel, were scourged by Pharao’s taskmasters, saying: Why have you not made up the task of bricks, both yesterday and to day, as before?

¹⁵ And the officers of the children of Israel came, and cried out to Pharao, saying: Why dealest thou so with thy servants?¹⁶ Straw is not given us, and bricks are required of us as before; behold we, thy servants, are beaten with whips, and thy people is unjustly dealt withal.¹⁷ And he said: You are idle, and therefore you say: Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.¹⁸ Go therefore and work: straw shall not be given you, and you shall deliver the accustomed number of bricks.¹⁹ And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in evil case, because it was said to them: There shall not a whit be diminished of the bricks for every day.²⁰ And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood over against them as they came out from Pharao:²¹ And they said to them: The Lord see and judge, because you have, made our savour to stink before Pharao and his servants, and you have given him a sword, to kill us.²² And Moses returned to the Lord, and said: Lord, why hast thou afflicted this people? wherefore hast thou sent me?²³ For since the time that I went in to Pharao to speak in thy name, he hath afflicted thy people: and thou hast not delivered them.