Shamuth (Exodus) — 5

Musha and Aarun Speak to Phar'uh

1 After this presentation to Yasharalym leaders, Musha and Aarun went and spoke to Pharuh. They told him, “This is what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH (AL'Mighty ONE) of Yashar'AL says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my honor in the wilderness.”

2 “Is that so?” retorted Phar'uh. “And who is 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH? Why should I listen to him and let Yashar'AL go? I don’t know 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH and I will not let Yashar'AL go.”

3 But Aarun and Musha persisted. “The 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of the Abarym (Hebrews) has met with us,” they declared. “So let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness so we can offer sacrifices to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH our 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH. If we don’t, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will kill us with a plague or with the sword.”

4 Pharuh replied, “Musha and Aarun, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work! 

5 Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work.”

Making Bricks without Straw

6 That same day Phar'uh sent this order to the Mitzraym slave drivers and the Yasharalym foremen: 

7 “Do not supply any more straw for making bricks. Make the people get it themselves! 

8 But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to our 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH.’ 

9 Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to not listen to the lies of Musha!”

10 So the slave drivers and foremen went out and told the people: “This is what Phar'uh says: I will not provide any more straw for you. 11 Go and get it yourselves. Find it wherever you can. But you must produce just as many bricks as before!” 

12 So the people scattered throughout the land of Mitzraym in search of stubble to use as straw.

13 Meanwhile, the Mitzraym slave drivers continued to push hard. “Meet your daily quota of bricks, just as you did when we provided you with straw!” they demanded. 

14 Then they whipped the Yasharalym foremen they had put in charge of the work crews. “Why haven’t you met your quotas either yesterday or today?” they demanded.

15 So the Yasharalym foremen went to Pharuh and pleaded with him. “Please don’t treat your servants like this,” they begged. 

16 “We are given no straw, but the slave drivers still demand, ‘Make bricks!’ We are being beaten, but it is not our fault! Your own people are to blame!”

17 But Phar'uh shouted, “You are just lazy! Lazy! That’s why you are saying, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH.’ 

18 Now get back to work! No straw will be given to you, but you must still produce the full quota of bricks.”

19 The Yasharalym foremen could see that they were in serious trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce the number of bricks you make each day.” 

20 As they left Pharuh’s court, they confronted Musha and Aarun, who were waiting outside for them. 

21 The foremen said to them, “May 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH judge and punish you for making us stink before Phar'uh and his officials. You have put a sword into their hands, an excuse to kill us!”

22 Then Musha went back to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people? Why did you send me? 

23 Ever since I came to Phar'uh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people, and you have done nothing to rescue them!”