Exodus 5:19 - Prayer Tents

Moses and Aaron before the King of Egypt

5Then Moses and Aaron went to the king of Egypt and said, "The LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'Let my people go, so that they can hold a festival in the desert to honor me.' "H310H4872H175H935H559H6547H559H3068H430H3478H5971H7971H2287H4057

2"Who is the LORD?" the king demanded. "Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD; and I will not let Israel go."H6547H559H3068H8085H6963H3478H7971H3045H3068H3478H7971

3Moses and Aaron replied, "The God of the Hebrews has revealed himself to us. Allow us to travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God. If we don't do so, he will kill us with disease or by war."H559H430H5680H7122H3212H7969H3117H1870H4057H2076H3068H430H6293H1698H2719

4The king said to Moses and Aaron, "What do you mean by making the people neglect their work? Get those slaves back to work!H4428H4714H559H4872H175H6544H5971H4639H3212H5450

5You people have become more numerous than the Egyptians. And now you want to stop working!"H6547H559H5971H776H7227H7673H5450

6That same day the king commanded the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen:H6547H6680H3117H5065H5971H7860H559

7"Stop giving the people straw for making bricks. Make them go and find it for themselves.H3254H5414H5971H8401H3835H3843H8032H8543H3212H7197H8401

8But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before, not one brick less. They don't have enough work to do, and that is why they keep asking me to let them go and offer sacrifices to their God!H4971H3843H6213H8032H8543H7760H1639H7503H6817H559H3212H2076H430

9Make them work harder and keep them busy, so that they won't have time to listen to a pack of lies."H5656H3513H582H6213H8159H8267H1697

10The slave drivers and the Israelite foremen went out and said to the Israelites, "The king has said that he will not supply you with any more straw.H5065H5971H3318H7860H559H5971H559H559H6547H5414H8401

11He says that you must go and get it for yourselves wherever you can find it, but you must still make the same number of bricks."H3212H3947H8401H834H4672H3588H1697H5656H1639

12So the people went all over Egypt looking for straw.H5971H6327H776H4714H7197H7179H8401

13The slave drivers kept trying to force them to make the same number of bricks every day as they had made when they were given straw.H5065H213H559H3615H4639H3117H1697H1961H8401

14The Egyptian slave drivers beat the Israelite foremen, whom they had put in charge of the work. They demanded, "Why aren't you people making the same number of bricks that you made before?"H7860H1121H3478H6547H5065H7760H5221H559H3615H2706H3835H8543H3117H8032H8543

15Then the foremen went to the king and complained, "Why do you do this to us, Your Majesty?H7860H1121H3478H935H6817H6547H559H6213H5650

16We are given no straw, but we are still ordered to make bricks! And now we are being beaten. It is your people that are at fault."H8401H5414H5650H559H6213H3843H5650H5221H2398H5971

17The king answered, "You are lazy and don't want to work, and that is why you ask me to let you go and offer sacrifices to the LORD.H559H7503H7503H559H3212H2076H3068

18Now get back to work! You will not be given any straw, but you must still make the same number of bricks."H3212H5647H8401H5414H5414H8506H3843

19The foremen realized that they were in trouble when they were told that they had to make the same number of bricks every day as they had made before.H7860H1121H3478H7200H7451H559H1639H3843H3117H3117H1697

20As they were leaving, they met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them.H6293H4872H175H5324H7125H3318H6547

21They said to Moses and Aaron, "The LORD has seen what you have done and will punish you for making the king and his officers hate us. You have given them an excuse to kill us."H559H3068H7200H8199H7381H887H5869H6547H5869H5650H5414H2719H3027H2026

Moses Complains to the Lord

22Then Moses turned to the LORD again and said, "Lord, why do you mistreat your people? Why did you send me here?H4872H7725H3068H559H136H7489H5971H7971

23Ever since I went to the king to speak for you, he has treated them cruelly. And you have done nothing to help them!"H935H6547H1696H8034H7489H5971H5337H5971H5337