Exodus 5:3-7

Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, otherwise He will strike us with plague or with the sword.”

But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you let the people neglect their work? Get back to your labors!”

Again Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!”

So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying,

“You are no longer to give the people straw to make bricks as previously; have them go and gather straw for themselves.