3 Then they said, ‘The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.’
4 But the king of Egypt said, ‘Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labour? Get back to your work!’
5 Then Pharaoh said, ‘Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.’
6 That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people:
7 ‘You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw.
8 But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, “Let us go and sacrifice to our God.”
9 Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.’