1: After that Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh. They said, "GOD, the God of Israel, says, "Free my people so that they can hold a festival for me in the wilderness.'"
2: Pharaoh said, "And who is GOD that I should listen to him and send Israel off? I know nothing of this so-called "GOD' and I'm certainly not going to send Israel off."
3: They said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness so we can worship our GOD lest he strike us with either disease or death."
4: But the king of Egypt said, "Why on earth, Moses and Aaron, would you suggest the people be given a holiday? Back to work!"
5: Pharaoh went on, "Look, I've got all these people bumming around, and now you want to reward them with time off?"
6: Pharaoh took immediate action. He sent down orders to the slave-drivers and their underlings:
7: "Don't provide straw for the people for making bricks as you have been doing. Make them get their own straw.
8: And make them produce the same number of bricks--no reduction in their daily quotas! They're getting lazy. They're going around saying, "Give us time off so we can worship our God.'
9: Crack down on them. That'll cure them of their whining, their god-fantasies."
10: The slave-drivers and their underlings went out to the people with their new instructions. "Pharaoh's orders: No more straw provided.
11: Get your own straw wherever you can find it. And not one brick less in your daily work quota!"
12: The people scattered all over Egypt scrabbling for straw.
13: The slave-drivers were merciless, saying, "Complete your daily quota of bricks--the same number as when you were given straw."
14: The Israelite foremen whom the slave-drivers had appointed were beaten and badgered. "Why didn't you finish your quota of bricks yesterday or the day before--and now again today!"
15: The Israelite foremen came to Pharaoh and cried out for relief: "Why are you treating your servants like this?
16: Nobody gives us any straw and they tell us, "Make bricks!' Look at us--we're being beaten. And it's not our fault."
17: But Pharaoh said, "Lazy! That's what you are! Lazy! That's why you whine, "Let us go so we can worship GOD.'
18: Well then, go--go back to work. Nobody's going to give you straw, and at the end of the day you better bring in your full quota of bricks."
19: The Israelite foremen saw that they were in a bad way, having to go back and tell their workers, "Not one brick short in your daily quota."
20: As they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them.
21: The foremen said to them, "May GOD see what you've done and judge you--you've made us stink before Pharaoh and his servants! You've put a weapon in his hand that's going to kill us!"
22: Moses went back to GOD and said, "My Master, why are you treating this people so badly? And why did you ever send me?
23: From the moment I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, things have only gotten worse for this people. And rescue? Does this look like rescue to you?"