So now, get back to work! You will not be given straw, but you must still produce your quota of bricks!”

Those of Pharaoh’s servants who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their servants and livestock into the houses,

but those who did not take the word of the Lord seriously left their servants and their cattle in the field.

On the first day there will be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there will be a holy convocation for you. You must do no work of any kind on them, only what every person will eat – that alone may be prepared for you.

A foreigner and a hired worker must not eat it.

When it was reported to the king of Egypt that the people had fled, the heart of Pharaoh and his servants was turned against the people, and the king and his servants said, “What in the world have we done? For we have released the people of Israel from serving us!”

and they said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the desert? What in the world have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?

Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you? – majestic in holiness, fearful in praises, working wonders?

But they did not listen to Moses; some kept part of it until morning, and it was full of worms and began to stink, and Moses was angry with them.

He said to them, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Tomorrow is a time of cessation from work, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Whatever you want to bake, bake today; whatever you want to boil, boil today; whatever is left put aside for yourselves to be kept until morning.’”

So they put it aside until the morning, just as Moses had commanded, and it did not stink, nor were there any worms in it.

But the people were very thirsty there for water, and they murmured against Moses and said, “Why in the world did you bring us up out of Egypt – to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?”

warn them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.

and you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites.”

So Moses came and summoned the elders of Israel. He set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him,

and all the people answered together, “All that the Lord has commanded we will do!” So Moses brought the words of the people back to the Lord.

The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people may hear when I speak with you and so that they will always believe in you.” And Moses told the words of the people to the Lord.

God spoke all these words:

For six days you may labor and do all your work,

but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates.