Chapter 7

The Burden of Israel


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And it came to pass that not many days after this, Moses and Aaron went and spoke unto Pharaoh, saying:

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Thus saith YHVHa, the Elohimb of Israel: Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

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And Pharaoh replied unto them: Who is YHVH, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not YHVH, neither will I let Israel go.

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And Aaron said: The Elohim of the Hebrews hath met with us; let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert and sacrifice unto YHVH, our Elohim, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.

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And the king of Egypt said unto them: Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, lead the people from their works? Get you unto your burdens.

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And Pharaoh said: Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.

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¶ And it came to pass in that day the same did Pharaoh command the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying:

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Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

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And the talea of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught thereof, for they be idle; therefore, they cry, saying: Let us go and sacrifice to our Elohim.

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Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard these deceptions.

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¶ And it came to pass that the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying: Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.

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Go ye, get your straw where ye can find it; yet not aught of your work shall be diminished.

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So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

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And the taskmasters hasted them, saying: Fulfill your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.

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And the officers of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and demanded: Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick, both yesterday and today, as heretofore?

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Then the officers of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying: Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?

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There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us: Make brick; and behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.

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But Pharaoh answered them, saying: Ye are idle, ye are idle; therefore, ye say: Let us go and do sacrifice to YHVH.

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Go, therefore, now and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.

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And the officers of Israel did see that they were in evil case after it was said: Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks of your daily task.

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And these very officers met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh;

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And they said unto them: YHVH look upon you and judge for ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

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¶ And it came to pass that Moses returned unto YHVH and said: Lorda, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? Is this why thou hast sent me?

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For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

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Then YHVH said unto Moses: Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand shall he let Israel go, and with a strong hand shall he drive Israel out of his land.

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And Elohim spoke unto Moses and said unto him: I am YHVH; and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob.

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I am YHVH, Elohim Shaddaia, the Lord YEHOVAHb; and was not my name known unto them?

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Yea, and I have also established my covenant with them, which I made with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

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And I have also heard the groaning of my children, Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.

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Wherefore, say unto my children, Israel: I am YHVH; and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm and with great judgments;

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And I will take you unto myself for a people, and I will be your Elohim; and ye shall know that I am YHVH, your Elohim, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

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And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for a heritage; I, YHVH, will do it; even so must it be.