A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible: Let my people go

Usage

A theme in Negro spirituals.

Definition

The Israelites are kept in slavery in Egypt, and God sends a message through Moses to Pharaoh that he should release them.

Bible References

Exodus 5:1

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness. ²But Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go. ³Then they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword. ⁴But the king of Egypt said to them, Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens. ⁵And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens! ⁶The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, ⁷You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God. ⁹Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words. ¹⁰So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. ¹¹Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least. ¹²So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. ¹³The taskmasters were urgent, saying, Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw. ¹⁴And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past? ¹⁵Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, Why do you treat your servants like this? ¹⁶No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, Make bricks! And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people. ¹⁷But he said, You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord. ¹⁸Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks. ¹⁹The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day. ²⁰They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; ²¹and they said to them, The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us. ²²Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? ²³For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.

¹And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. ²And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go. ³And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. ⁴And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens. ⁵And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens. ⁶And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, ⁷Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. ⁹Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labor therein; and let them not regard vain words. ¹⁰And 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. ¹¹Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. ¹²So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. ¹³And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. ¹⁴And the officers of the children 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 to day, as heretofore? ¹⁵Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? ¹⁶There 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. ¹⁷But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD. ¹⁸Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks. ¹⁹And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task. ²⁰And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: ²¹And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because 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. ²²And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, LORD, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? ²³For 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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