How Can We Say What God Wants Said?

Jun 30, 2024    Brian Jones

Exodus 5:1-9


1 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.’”


2 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.”


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 labor? 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.”