出埃及記5:1-23

5:1 後來摩西、亞倫去對法老說：「耶和華─以色列的上帝這樣說：『容我的百姓去，在曠野向我守節。』」
5:2 法老說：「耶和華是誰，使我聽他的話，容以色列人去呢？我不認識耶和華，也不容以色列人去！」
5:3 他們說：「希伯來人的上帝遇見了我們。求你容我們往曠野去，走三天的路程，祭祀耶和華─我們的上帝，免得他用瘟疫、刀兵攻擊我們。」
5:4 埃及王對他們說：「摩西、亞倫！你們為甚麼叫百姓曠工呢？你們去擔你們的擔子吧！」
5:5 又說：「看哪，這地的以色列人如今眾多，你們竟叫他們歇下擔子！」
5:6 當天，法老吩咐督工的和官長說：
5:7 「你們不可照常把草給百姓做磚，叫他們自己去撿草。
5:8 他們素常做磚的數目，你們仍舊向他們要，一點不可減少；因為他們是懶惰的，所以呼求說：『容我們去祭祀我們的上帝。』
5:9 你們要把更重的工夫加在這些人身上，叫他們勞碌，不聽虛謊的言語。」
5:10 督工的和官長出來對百姓說：「法老這樣說：『我不給你們草。
5:11 你們自己在哪裡能找草，就往那裡去找吧！但你們的工一點不可減少。』」
5:12 於是百姓散在埃及遍地，撿碎秸當作草。
5:13 督工的催著說：「你們一天當完一天的工，與先前有草一樣。」
5:14 法老督工的，責打他所派以色列人的官長，說：「你們昨天今天為甚麼沒有照向來的數目做磚、完你們的工作呢？」
5:15 以色列人的官長就來哀求法老說：「為甚麼這樣待你的僕人？
5:16 督工的不把草給僕人，並且對我們說：『做磚吧！』看哪，你僕人挨了打，其實是你百姓的錯。」
5:17 但法老說：「你們是懶惰的！你們是懶惰的！所以說：『容我們去祭祀耶和華。』
5:18 現在你們去做工吧！草是不給你們的，磚卻要如數交納。」
5:19 以色列人的官長聽說「你們每天做磚的工作一點不可減少」，就知道是遭遇禍患了。
5:20 他們離了法老出來，正遇見摩西、亞倫站在對面，
5:21 就向他們說：「願耶和華鑒察你們，施行判斷；因你們使我們在法老和他臣僕面前有了臭名，把刀遞在他們手中殺我們。」
5:22 摩西回到耶和華那裡，說：「主啊，你為甚麼苦待這百姓呢？為甚麼打發我去呢？」
5:23 自從我去見法老，奉你的名說話，他就苦待這百姓，你一點也沒有拯救他們。」

 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’”

² Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”
³ Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”
⁴ But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!” ⁵ Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.”
⁶ That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: ⁷ “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. ⁸ But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ ⁹ Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”
¹⁰ Then the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw. ¹¹ Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.’” ¹² So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. ¹³ The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.” ¹⁴ And Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed, demanding, “Why haven’t you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”
¹⁵ Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way? ¹⁶ Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
¹⁷ Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ ¹⁸ Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”
¹⁹ The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.” ²⁰ When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, ²¹ and they said, “May the Lord look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
²² Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? ²³ Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”

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    摩西奉上帝的名，向法老挑戰，希望法老能讓以色列人去敬拜上帝。所得到的結果當然不如預期的狀態，反而加重以色列百姓的負擔，要他們做更多的苦工，因為法老以為他們要偷懶！

    這就像許多人剛信主時的經歷，就是主日要去做禮拜時，就被家人、老闆、同事、…，認為要偷懶，找個理由去休息。不是被恥笑，就是被責備或臭罵一頓！因為許多人的心中沒有安息親近上帝的觀念，認為要「勤勞」做工，才會有所成就，才不會餓死！

    這也看見魔鬼或世界是怎樣對待人，也因為這樣摩西才會感嘆：「我們一生的年日是七十歲，若是強壯可到八十歲；但其中所矜誇的不過是勞苦愁煩，轉眼成空，我們便如飛而去。」（詩篇90:10）

    我們既然認識主了，就要將主日空出來，敬拜上帝，這不是偷懶，是從新得力的時刻！如此，才能活出人該有的價值與意義！