Exodus 4:25   (Read all of Exodus 4)

But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it. "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said.

Exodus 4:26   (Read all of Exodus 4)

So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.)

Exodus 4:27   (Read all of Exodus 4)

The Lord said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him.

Exodus 4:28   (Read all of Exodus 4)

Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform.

Exodus 4:30   (Read all of Exodus 4)

and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people,

Exodus 4:31   (Read all of Exodus 4)

and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

Exodus 5:1   (Read all of Exodus 5)

Afterward 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 festival to me in the wilderness.' "

Exodus 5:2   (Read all of Exodus 5)

Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go."

Exodus 5:3   (Read all of Exodus 5)

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."

Exodus 5:4   (Read all of Exodus 5)

But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!"

Exodus 5:5   (Read all of Exodus 5)

Then Pharaoh said, "Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working."

Exodus 5:6   (Read all of Exodus 5)

That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people:

Exodus 5:7   (Read all of Exodus 5)

"You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw.

Exodus 5:8   (Read all of Exodus 5)

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.'

Exodus 5:9   (Read all of Exodus 5)

Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies."

Exodus 5:10   (Read all of Exodus 5)

Then the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw.

Exodus 5:11   (Read all of Exodus 5)

Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.' "

Exodus 5:12   (Read all of Exodus 5)

So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw.

Exodus 5:13   (Read all of Exodus 5)

The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, "Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw."

Exodus 5:14   (Read all of Exodus 5)

And Pharaoh's slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed, demanding, "Why haven't you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?"

Exodus 5:15   (Read all of Exodus 5)

Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you treated your servants this way?

Exodus 5:16   (Read all of Exodus 5)

Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people."

Exodus 5:17   (Read all of Exodus 5)

Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are-lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.'

Exodus 5:18   (Read all of Exodus 5)

Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks."