Pharaoh’s First Refusal
After that, 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.’” Exo 10:9Act 4:291Co 5:81Ki 21:20Ezk 2:6Jon 3:3-4Mat 10:28Exo 3:18
But 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.” Exo 3:19Job 21:152Ki 18:352Th 1:8Jhn 16:3Rom 1:281Sa 2:122Ch 32:15
“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.” Exo 3:182Ch 30:82Ki 17:25Deu 28:21Ezr 7:23Zec 14:16-19Ezk 6:11
But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labor!” Exo 1:11Act 24:5Amo 7:10Luk 23:2Act 16:20-21Jer 38:4 Pharaoh also said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you would be stopping them from their labor.” Exo 1:7-11Pro 14:28
Bricks and Straw
That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen: Exo 5:10Exo 5:192Ch 26:11Deu 1:15Deu 16:18Exo 1:11Exo 3:7Exo 5:13-15 “You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw. Gen 24:25Jdg 19:19 But 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.’ Psa 106:41 Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to these lies.” 2Ki 18:20Eph 5:6Jer 43:2Job 16:3Mal 3:14Zec 1:6
So 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. Exo 1:11Exo 3:7Pro 29:12 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’” Exo 5:13-14
So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 1Co 3:12Exo 15:7Isa 47:14Isa 5:24Jol 2:5Nam 1:10Oba 1:18 The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”
Then 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?” Isa 10:24
The Cry of the Israelites
So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way? No 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.”
“You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ 2Th 3:10-11Exo 5:8Jhn 6:27Mat 26:8 Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.” Dan 2:9-13Ezk 18:18
The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.” Ecc 4:1Ecc 5:8Deu 32:36 When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.
“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!” Gen 34:301Ch 19:61Sa 13:41Sa 27:122Sa 10:6Exo 6:9Gen 16:52Co 2:15-16
So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me? Jer 20:71Ki 19:101Ki 19:41Sa 30:6Exo 17:4Hab 2:3Num 11:11Num 11:14-15 Ever 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.” Heb 10:36-37Isa 26:17-18Isa 28:16Jer 11:21Psa 118:26Jhn 5:43