King James Version, Updated™

(1) Afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.' "

(2) Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, neither will I let Israel go."

(3) Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword."

(4) But the king of Egypt said to them, "Why do YOU, Moses and Aaron, cause the people to refrain from their work? Get back to your burdens."

(5) And Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many, and YOU make them rest from their burdens."

(6) The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

(7) "YOU shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as before; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

(8) YOU shall lay on them, the same number of the bricks, which they made before. YOU shall not reduce it, for they are idle, therefore they cry, saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.'

(9) Let there be more work laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and do not let them regard deceitful words."

(10) So the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, "Thus says Pharaoh, 'I will not give you straw.

(11) YOU go and get straw where YOU can find it, yet none of your work shall be reduced.' "

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

(13) And the taskmasters pressed them, saying, "Fulfil your work, your daily tasks, as when there was straw."

(14) The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, "Why have YOU not fulfilled your task in making bricks both yesterday and today, as before?"

(15) Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you deal with your servants this way?

(16) There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, 'Make bricks.' And, behold, your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people."

(17) But he said, "YOU are idle, YOU are idle, therefore YOU say, 'Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.'

(18) Therefore go now, and work, for there shall be no straw given to you, yet YOU shall deliver the same number of bricks."

(19) The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in a bad situation, after it was said, "YOU shall not reduce the number of your bricks from your daily task."

(20) They met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh.

(21) They said to them, "May the LORD look on you, and judge, because YOU have made our scent to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us."

(22) So Moses returned to the LORD, and said, "Lord, why have you brought evil on this people? Why is it that you have sent me?

(23) Since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, neither have you delivered your people at all."