Bid that they cease from the labour of the making of bricks to build your walls and cities." "And if I refuse, what then ?" "Then the curse of Jahveh shall be on you, Pharaoh, and with plague upon plague shall he smite this land of Egypt." Now a sudden rage seized Meneptah.
"What!" he cried.

"Do you dare to threaten me in my own palace, and would ye cause all the multitude of the people of Israel who have grown fat in the land to cease from their labours?
Hearken, my servants, and, scribes, write down my decree.

Go ye to the country of Goshen and say to the Israelites that the bricks they made they shall make as aforetime and more work shall they do than aforetime in the days of my father, Rameses.

Only no more straw shall be given to them for the making of the bricks.

Because they are idle, let them go forth and gather the straw themselves; let them gather it from the face of the fields." There was silence for a while.