Exodus 5:6-Exodus 6:1 - Further Oppression Of Israel
6 That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people: 7 "You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect straw for themselves. 8 But you must require of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. That is why they are crying, 'Let us go sacrifice to our God.' 9 Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words!"
10 So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, "Thus says Pharaoh: 'I am not giving you straw. 11 You go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.'" 12 So the people spread out through all the land of Egypt to collect stubble for straw. 13 The slave masters were pressuring them, saying, "Complete your work for each day, just like when there was straw!" 14 The Israelite foremen whom Pharaoh's slave masters had set over them were beaten and were asked, "Why did you not complete your requirement for brickmaking as in the past -- both yesterday and today?"
15 The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, "Why are you treating your servants this way? 16 No straw is given to your servants, but we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are even being beaten, but the fault is with your people."
17 But Pharaoh replied, "You are slackers! Slackers! That is why you are saying, 'Let us go sacrifice to the Lord.' 18 So now, get back to work! You will not be given straw, but you must still produce your quota of bricks!"
19 The Israelite foremen saw that they were in trouble when they were told, "You must not reduce the daily quota of your bricks." 20 When they went out from Pharaoh, they encountered Moses and Aaron standing there to meet them,
21 and they said to them, "May the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the opinion of Pharaoh and his servants, so that you have given them an excuse to kill us!"
22 Moses returned to the Lord, and said, "Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 From the time I went to speak to Pharaoh in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have certainly not rescued them!"
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh, for compelled by my strong hand he will release them, and by my strong hand he will drive them out of his land."