Page:JPS-1917-Universal.djvu/91

Rh 'Go in peace.' And the said unto Moses in Midian: 'Go, return into Egypt; for all the men are dead that sought thy life.' And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. And the said unto Moses: 'When thou goest back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand; but I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go. And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh: Thus saith the : Israel is My son, My first-born. And I have said unto 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 first-born.'—And it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that the met him, and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said: 'Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me.' So He let him alone. Then she said: 'A bridegroom of blood in regard of the circumcision.'

And the 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 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 had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed; and when they heard that the had remembered the children of Israel, and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh: 'Thus saith the, 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 , that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not the, and moreover I will not let Israel go.' 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 unto the our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.' And the king of Egypt said unto them: 'Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, cause the people to break loose from their work? get you unto your burdens.' And Pharaoh said: 'Behold, the people of the land are now many, and will 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 tale 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 labour 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 nought