6. That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people:
7. “You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect straw for themselves.
8. But you must require of them the same quota of bricks that they were making before. Do not reduce it, for they are slackers. That is why they are crying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to our God.’
9. Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words!”
10. So the slave masters of the people and their foremen went to the Israelites and said, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I am not giving you straw.
11. You go get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, because there will be no reduction at all in your workload.’”