◄ Exodus 5 ►
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1Afterward, 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 feast to Me in the wilderness.’” 1וְאַחַ֗ר בָּ֚אוּ מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אֶל־ פַּרְעֹ֑ה כֹּֽה־ אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־ עַמִּ֔י וְיָחֹ֥גּוּ לִ֖י בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
2But Pharaoh replied, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice [and] let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.” 2וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה מִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶשְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹל֔וֹ לְשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לֹ֤א יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶת־ יְהוָ֔ה וְגַ֥ם אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֥א אֲשַׁלֵּֽחַ׃
3“The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they answered. “Please let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD our God, or He may strike us with plagues or with the sword.” 3וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָעִבְרִ֖ים נִקְרָ֣א עָלֵ֑ינוּ נֵ֣לֲכָה נָּ֡א דֶּרֶךְ֩ שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת יָמִ֜ים בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר וְנִזְבְּחָה֙ לַֽיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ פֶּ֨ן־ יִפְגָּעֵ֔נוּ בַּדֶּ֖בֶר א֥וֹ בֶחָֽרֶב׃
4But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your work!” 4וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לָ֚מָּה מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן תַּפְרִ֥יעוּ אֶת־ הָעָ֖ם מִמַּֽעֲשָׂ֑יו לְכ֖וּ לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶֽם׃
5Pharaoh also said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you would be stopping them from their labor.” 5וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה הֵן־ רַבִּ֥ים עַתָּ֖ה עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהִשְׁבַּתֶּ֥ם אֹתָ֖ם מִסִּבְלֹתָֽם׃
6That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen: 6וַיְצַ֥ו פַּרְעֹ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא אֶת־ הַנֹּגְשִׂ֣ים בָּעָ֔ם וְאֶת־ שֹׁטְרָ֖יו לֵאמֹֽר׃
7“You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw. 7לֹ֣א תֹאסִפ֞וּן לָתֵ֨ת תֶּ֧בֶן לָעָ֛ם לִלְבֹּ֥ן הַלְּבֵנִ֖ים כִּתְמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁ֑ם הֵ֚ם יֵֽלְכ֔וּ וְקֹשְׁשׁ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם תֶּֽבֶן׃
8But require of them the same quota of bricks as before; do not reduce it. For they are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 8וְאֶת־ מַתְכֹּ֨נֶת הַלְּבֵנִ֜ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֵם֩ עֹשִׂ֨ים תְּמ֤וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁם֙ תָּשִׂ֣ימוּ עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תִגְרְע֖וּ מִמֶּ֑נּוּ כִּֽי־ נִרְפִּ֣ים הֵ֔ם עַל־ כֵּ֗ן הֵ֤ם צֹֽעֲקִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר נֵלְכָ֖ה נִזְבְּחָ֥ה לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
9Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to [these] lies.” 9תִּכְבַּ֧ד הָעֲבֹדָ֛ה עַל־ הָאֲנָשִׁ֖ים וְיַעֲשׂוּ־ בָ֑הּ וְאַל־ יִשְׁע֖וּ בְּדִבְרֵי־ שָֽׁקֶר׃
10So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am no longer giving you straw. 10וַיֵּ֨צְא֜וּ נֹגְשֵׂ֤י הָעָם֙ וְשֹׁ֣טְרָ֔יו וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ אֶל־ הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר פַּרְעֹ֔ה אֵינֶ֛נִּי נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶ֖ם תֶּֽבֶן׃
11Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’” 11אַתֶּ֗ם לְכ֨וּ קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ תֶּ֔בֶן מֵאֲשֶׁ֖ר תִּמְצָ֑אוּ כִּ֣י אֵ֥ין נִגְרָ֛ע מֵעֲבֹדַתְכֶ֖ם דָּבָֽר׃
12So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 12וַיָּ֥פֶץ הָעָ֖ם בְּכָל־ אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם לְקֹשֵׁ֥שׁ קַ֖שׁ לַתֶּֽבֶן׃
13The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.” 13וְהַנֹּגְשִׂ֖ים אָצִ֣ים לֵאמֹ֑ר כַּלּ֤וּ מַעֲשֵׂיכֶם֙ דְּבַר־ י֣וֹם בְּיוֹמ֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר בִּהְי֥וֹת הַתֶּֽבֶן׃
14Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?” 14וַיֻּכּ֗וּ שֹֽׁטְרֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־ שָׂ֣מוּ עֲלֵהֶ֔ם נֹגְשֵׂ֥י פַרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר מַדּ֡וּעַ לֹא֩ כִלִּיתֶ֨ם חָקְכֶ֤ם לִלְבֹּן֙ כִּתְמ֣וֹל שִׁלְשֹׁ֔ם גַּם־ תְּמ֖וֹל גַּם־ הַיּֽוֹם׃
15So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way? 15וַיָּבֹ֗אוּ שֹֽׁטְרֵי֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ אֶל־ פַּרְעֹ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר לָ֧מָּה תַעֲשֶׂ֦ה כֹ֖ה לַעֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃
16No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault [is] with your own people.” 16תֶּ֗בֶן אֵ֤ין נִתָּן֙ לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ וּלְבֵנִ֛ים אֹמְרִ֥ים לָ֖נוּ עֲשׂ֑וּ וְהִנֵּ֧ה עֲבָדֶ֛יךָ מֻכִּ֖ים וְחָטָ֥את עַמֶּֽךָ׃
17“You are slackers,” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ 17וַיֹּ֛אמֶר נִרְפִּ֥ים אַתֶּ֖ם נִרְפִּ֑ים עַל־ כֵּן֙ אַתֶּ֣ם אֹֽמְרִ֔ים נֵלְכָ֖ה נִזְבְּחָ֥ה לַֽיהוָֽה׃
18Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.” 18וְעַתָּה֙ לְכ֣וּ עִבְד֔וּ וְתֶ֖בֶן לֹא־ יִנָּתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם וְתֹ֥כֶן לְבֵנִ֖ים תִּתֵּֽנּוּ׃
19The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.” 19וַיִּרְא֞וּ שֹֽׁטְרֵ֧י בְנֵֽי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל אֹתָ֖ם בְּרָ֣ע לֵאמֹ֑ר לֹא־ תִגְרְע֥וּ מִלִּבְנֵיכֶ֖ם דְּבַר־ י֥וֹם בְּיוֹמֽוֹ׃
20When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them. 20וַֽיִּפְגְּעוּ֙ אֶת־ מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽת־ אַהֲרֹ֔ן נִצָּבִ֖ים לִקְרָאתָ֑ם בְּצֵאתָ֖ם מֵאֵ֥ת פַּרְעֹֽה׃
21“May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” [the foremen] said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!” 21וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם יֵ֧רֶא יְהוָ֛ה עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם וְיִשְׁפֹּ֑ט אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִבְאַשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־ רֵיחֵ֗נוּ בְּעֵינֵ֤י פַרְעֹה֙ וּבְעֵינֵ֣י עֲבָדָ֔יו לָֽתֶת־ חֶ֥רֶב בְּיָדָ֖ם לְהָרְגֵֽנוּ׃
22So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me? 22וַיָּ֧שָׁב מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶל־ יְהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֲדֹנָ֗י לָמָ֤ה הֲרֵעֹ֙תָה֙ לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה לָ֥מָּה זֶּ֖ה שְׁלַחְתָּֽנִי׃
23Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and You have not delivered Your people in any way.” 23וּמֵאָ֞ז בָּ֤אתִי אֶל־ פַּרְעֹה֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר בִּשְׁמֶ֔ךָ הֵרַ֖ע לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה וְהַצֵּ֥ל לֹא־ הִצַּ֖לְתָּ אֶת־ עַמֶּֽךָ׃
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