Exodus 5:5-8, 20-23

Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them stop their work!” The very same day Pharaoh gave orders to the [Egyptian] taskmasters in charge of the people and their [Hebrew] foremen, saying, “You will no longer give the people straw to make brick as before; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of bricks which they were making before, you shall [still] require of them; you are not to reduce it in the least. For they are idle and lazy; that is why they cry, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’

When they left Pharaoh’s presence, the foremen met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them. And the foremen said to them, “May the LORD look upon you and judge you, because you have made us odious (something hated) in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and you have put a sword in their hand to kill us.” Then Moses turned again to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have You brought harm and oppression to this people? Why did You ever send me? [I cannot understand Your purpose!] Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has harmed and oppressed this people, and You have done nothing at all to rescue Your people.”