The Cry of the Israelites
The Israelite foremen plead with Pharaoh over the injustice of being beaten without straw, but Pharaoh calls them lazy again and sends them back to work unchanged. They leave knowing the full quota still stands and that they are trapped.
S15o the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way? 16No 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.’ 18Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.” 19The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.”
After leaving Pharaoh, the foremen meet Moses and Aaron and turn their anger on them. They say Moses and Aaron have made them hateful to Pharaoh and put a sword in his hand against them.
20When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them. 21“May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”
Moses returns to the LORD and asks why He has brought trouble on the people and why He sent him. Since speaking in God’s name has only worsened their suffering, Moses says no deliverance has yet appeared.
22So Moses returned to the LORD and asked, “Lord, why have You brought trouble upon this people? Is this why You sent me? 23Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and You have not delivered Your people in any way.”