VERSE STUDY • KJV

Exodus 5:7-18

⁷ Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸ And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish [ought] thereof: for they [be] idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go [and] sacrifice to our God. ⁹ Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words. ¹⁰ And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. ¹¹ Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. ¹² So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. ¹³ And the taskmasters hasted [them], saying, Fulfil your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw. ¹⁴ And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, [and] demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore? ¹⁵ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? ¹⁶ There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants [are] beaten; but the fault [is] in thine own people. ¹⁷ But he said, Ye [are] idle, [ye are] idle: therefore ye say, Let us go [and] do sacrifice to the LORD. ¹⁸ Go therefore now, [and] work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

⁷ Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸ And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish [ought] thereof: for they [be] idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go [and] sacrifice to our God. ⁹ Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words. ¹⁰ And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. ¹¹ Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. ¹² So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. ¹³ And the taskmasters hasted [them], saying, Fulfil your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw. ¹⁴ And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, [and] demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore? ¹⁵ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? ¹⁶ There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants [are] beaten; but the fault [is] in thine own people. ¹⁷ But he said, Ye [are] idle, [ye are] idle: therefore ye say, Let us go [and] do sacrifice to the LORD. ¹⁸ Go therefore now, [and] work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

⁷ “You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw. ⁸ 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.’ ⁹ Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to these lies.” ¹⁰ 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. ¹¹ Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’” ¹² So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. ¹³ The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.” ¹⁴ 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?” ¹⁵ So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way? ¹⁶ 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.” ¹⁷ “You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ ¹⁸ Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.”

WEB World English Bible

⁷ “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸ The number of the bricks, which they made before, you require from them. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ ⁹ Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor therein; and don’t let them pay any attention to lying words.” ¹⁰ The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you straw. ¹¹ Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.’” ¹² So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. ¹³ The taskmasters were urgent saying, “Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!” ¹⁴ The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, “Why haven’t you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?” ¹⁵ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants? ¹⁶ No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, ‘Make brick!’ and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” ¹⁷ But he said, “You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to Yahweh.’ ¹⁸ Go therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!”

ASV American Standard Version

⁷ Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸ And the number of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof: for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. ⁹ Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard lying words. ¹⁰ And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. ¹¹ Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it: for nought of your work shall be diminished. ¹² So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. ¹³ And the taskmasters were urgent saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. ¹⁴ And the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task both yesterday and to-day, in making brick as heretofore? ¹⁵ Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? ¹⁶ There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault it in thine own people. ¹⁷ But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and sacrifice to Jehovah. ¹⁸ Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the number of bricks.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

⁷ ‘Ye do not add to give straw to the people for the making of the bricks, as heretofore—they go and have gathered straw for themselves; ⁸ and the proper quantity of the bricks which they are making heretofore ye do put on them, ye do not diminish from it, for they are remiss, therefore they are crying, saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to our God; ⁹ let the service be heavy on the men, and let them work at it, and not be dazzled by lying words.’ ¹⁰ And the exactors of the people, and its authorities, go out, and speak unto the people, saying, ‘Thus said Pharaoh, I do not give you straw, ¹¹ ye—go ye, take for yourselves straw where ye find it, for there is nothing of your service diminished.’ ¹² And the people is scattered over all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw, ¹³ and the exactors are making haste, saying, ‘Complete your works, the matter of a day in its day, as when there is straw.’ ¹⁴ And the authorities of the sons of Israel, whom the exactors of Pharaoh have placed over them, are beaten, saying, ‘Wherefore have ye not completed your portion in making brick as heretofore, both yesterday and to-day?’ ¹⁵ And the authorities of the sons of Israel come in and cry unto Pharaoh, saying, ‘Why dost thou thus to thy servants? ¹⁶ Straw is not given to thy servants, and they are saying to us, Make bricks, and lo, thy servants are smitten—and thy people hath sinned.’ ¹⁷ And he saith, ‘Remiss—ye are remiss, therefore ye are saying, Let us go, let us sacrifice to Jehovah; ¹⁸ and now, go, serve; and straw is not given to you, and the measure of bricks ye do give.’

Surrounding context — Exodus 5

4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now [are] many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.

6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,

7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.

8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish [ought] thereof: for they [be] idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go [and] sacrifice to our God.

9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.

10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.

11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.

12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

13 And the taskmasters hasted [them], saying, Fulfil your works, [your] daily tasks, as when there was straw.

14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, [and] demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?

15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?

16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants [are] beaten; but the fault [is] in thine own people.

17 But he said, Ye [are] idle, [ye are] idle: therefore ye say, Let us go [and] do sacrifice to the LORD.

18 Go therefore now, [and] work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.

19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see [that] they [were] in evil [case], after it was said, Ye shall not minish [ought] from your bricks of your daily task.

20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh:

21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

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