raoh all the wonders which I have put in
thine hand: but I will harden his heart, and he will not let the
people go. And thou shalt say to Pharaoh, 'Thus saith the Lord, Israel
is my son, my firstborn: and I have said to thee, Let my son go, that
he may serve me; and thou hast refused to let him go: behold I will
slay thy son, thy firstborn.'"

And the Lord said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." And
he went, and met him in the mountain of God, and kissed him. And Moses
told Aaron all the words of the Lord wherewith he had sent him, and all
the signs wherewith he had charged him. And Moses and Aaron went and
gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: and Aaron
spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses, and did the
signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed.

"LET MY PEOPLE GO."

_Moses and Aaron Demand the Release of the Israelites_.

_Pharaoh Refuses_.

And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, "Thus saith
the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a
feast unto me in the wilderness.'"

And Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should hearken to his voice
to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, and moreover I will not let
Israel go."

{150}

And they said, "The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we
pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to
the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the
sword."

And the king of Egypt said to them, "Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron,
loose the people from their works? get you to your burdens." And
Pharaoh said, "Behold, the people of the land are now many, and ye
make them rest from their burdens."

And the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, and
their officers, saying, "Ye shall no more give the people straw to
make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for
themselves. And the number of the bricks, which they did make
heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish aught
thereof: for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, 'Let us go and
sacrifice to our God.' Let heavier work be laid upon the men, that
they may labor therein; and let them not regard lying words."

And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and
they spoke to the people, saying, "Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give
you straw. Go yourselves, get you straw where ye can find it: for