They made their lives bitter by hard service with mortar and bricks and by all kinds of service in the fields. Every kind of service the Israelites were required to give was rigorous.

Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and hard labor.

They judged the people under normal circumstances; the difficult cases they would bring to Moses, but every small case they would judge themselves.

Then the Lord said to Moses: “I have seen this people. Look what a stiff-necked people they are!

Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go up among you, for you are a stiff-necked people, and I might destroy you on the way.”

For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I went up among you for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments, that I may know what I should do to you.’”

and said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, let my Lord go among us, for we are a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”