'Straw' in the Bible

“You will no longer give the people straw to make brick as before; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

Then the [Egyptian] taskmasters [in charge] of the people and their [Hebrew] foremen went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you any straw.

Go, get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work [quota] will not be reduced in the least.’”

So the people were scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw.

And the taskmasters pressured them, saying, “Finish your work, [fulfill] your daily quotas, just as when there was straw [given to you].”

No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And look, your servants are being beaten, but it is the fault of your own people.”

Get out now and get to work; for no straw will be given to you, yet you are to deliver the same quota of bricks.”