¹⁴ They made their lives bitter with harsh labor^(A) in brick^(B) and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.^(C)

Moses Flees to Midian

¹¹ One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people^(A) were and watched them at their hard labor.^(B) He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.

⁴ But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor?^(A) Get back to your work!” ⁵ Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous,^(B) and you are stopping them from working.”

⁶ That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers^(C) and overseers in charge of the people: ⁷ “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks;^(D) 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.^(E) They are lazy;^(F) that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’^{(G) 9} Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”

⁶ “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.^(A) I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem^(B) you with an outstretched arm^(C) and with mighty acts of judgment.^(D)