Moses and Aaron tell Pharaoh, "Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness." (Exodus 5:1 KJV). Pharaoh refuses to let the Israelites go and instead commands that they no longer be given straw with which to make brick - they must gather the straw themselves, but still produce the same quota.
The Israelite foremen realized that they could not meet this quota and they asked Pharaoh to relent, but he would not. They then accused Moses and Aaron of stirring up trouble and giving the Egyptians a reason to kill them.
After they said this, Moses asked God, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all." (Exodus 5:22-23 NIV).
PEOPLE: Moses - Aaron - Pharaoh - יהוה YHVH God - children of Israel
PLACES: Egypt
RELATED ARTICLES: Shemot (parsha) - Animal sacrifice
ENGLISH TEXT: American Standard - Douay-Rheims - Free - King James - Jewish Publication Society - Tyndale - World English - Wycliffe