So God treated the midwives well, and the people multiplied and became very strong.

That same day Pharaoh commanded the slave masters and foremen who were over the people:

“You must no longer give straw to the people for making bricks as before. Let them go and collect straw for themselves.

Make the work harder for the men so they will keep at it and pay no attention to lying words!”

The slave masters were pressuring them, saying, “Complete your work for each day, just like when there was straw!”

The Israelite foremen went and cried out to Pharaoh, “Why are you treating your servants this way?

The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of Levi, according to their records.

I will put a division between my people and your people. This sign will take place tomorrow.”’”

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

But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God.”

Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,

Your lamb must be perfect, a male, one year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

When you enter the land that the Lord will give to you, just as he said, you must observe this ceremony.

For seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, and on the seventh day there is to be a festival to the Lord.

Six days you will gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”

On the next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning until evening.

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

“I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the house of slavery.

The people kept their distance, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.

“If a man sells his daughter as a female servant, she will not go out as the male servants do.