He said to his people, "Look at the Israelite people, more numerous and stronger than we are!

But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and spread. As a result the Egyptians loathed the Israelites,

Moses said to him, "When I leave the city I will spread my hands to the Lord, the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth belongs to the Lord.

The Lord said to Moses, "I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will release you from this place. When he releases you, he will drive you out completely from this place.

The Israelites did so, and they gathered -- some more, some less.

Then Moses cried out to the Lord, "What will I do with this people? -- a little more and they will stone me!"

You are to make two more gold rings and attach them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the juncture above the waistband of the ephod.

and told Moses, "The people are bringing much more than is needed for the completion of the work which the Lord commanded us to do!"

Moses instructed them to take his message throughout the camp, saying, "Let no man or woman do any more work for the offering for the sanctuary." So the people were restrained from bringing any more.

Now the materials were more than enough for them to do all the work.

They made two more gold rings and attached them to the bottom of the two shoulder pieces on the front of the ephod, close to the juncture above the waistband of the ephod.