Israelite Slaves Making Bricks Under Egyptian Overseersby CNSDA
1:13Exodus 1:13
And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
After Joseph and all his generation died, a new king came to power over Egypt who did not know Joseph. Learning that the children of Israel were able and understanding workmen of great service, he was unwilling to lose their labor and feared that because they were more and mightier they might join his enemies in war. He therefore ranked the free Israelites with the class of slaves who had sold their flocks, their lands, and themselves to the kingdom.
To serve with rigor meant the Egyptians unjustly forced the free Israelites, though they were not slaves, into harsh and complete slave labor. Taskmasters were set over them to afflict them with burdens and heavy labor. Their lives were made bitter with hard bondage in brickmaking, in mortar, and in all manner of service in the field. They built for Pharaoh the treasure-cities Pithom and Raamses, even their women were compelled to work in the fields as slaves, and daily quotas were imposed upon them. Only enough sustenance was provided to keep them working, while the Egyptians enriched themselves from their extorted labor.
The oppression was intended to subdue the Israelites with hard labor, to crush out their independent spirit, to reduce their numbers, and to destroy them. Despite the affliction, the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied and grew. The Egyptians were grieved and angry because they could not decrease their numbers.
Because harsh labor failed, the Egyptians hardened their hearts to go further, moved by Satan to destroy the male children at birth in order to defeat God's purpose to raise up a deliverer among the Hebrews. The women who feared God saved the male children alive, and the Lord prospered them. Until at last Pharaoh in anger charged all his people to cast every newborn son into the river.
The Egyptians oppressed Israel with heavy burdens until God intervened, and the goods Israel received when leaving Egypt were only small compensation for their hard work. That prior attempt to destroy Israel through forced labor exposes as false Pharaoh's later profession of special interest in Israel's welfare and tender care for their little ones when he would let only the men go. That claim was pretense to serve his own purpose and keep Israel in bondage, while he charged that God in requiring wives and children to go into the wilderness would only lead them out to destroy them.
After Joseph and all his generation died, a new king came to power over Egypt who did not know Joseph. Learning that the children of Israel were able and understanding workmen of great service, he was unwilling to lose their labor and feared that because they were more and mightier they might join his enemies in war. He therefore ranked the free Israelites with the class of slaves who had sold their flocks, their lands, and themselves to the kingdom.
To serve with rigor meant the Egyptians unjustly forced the free Israelites, though they were not slaves, into harsh and complete slave labor. Taskmasters were set over them to afflict them with burdens and heavy labor. Their lives were made bitter with hard bondage in brickmaking, in mortar, and in all manner of service in the field. They built for Pharaoh the treasure-cities Pithom and Raamses, even their women were compelled to work in the fields as slaves, and daily quotas were imposed upon them. Only enough sustenance was provided to keep them working, while the Egyptians enriched themselves from their extorted labor.
The oppression was intended to subdue the Israelites with hard labor, to crush out their independent spirit, to reduce their numbers, and to destroy them. Despite the affliction, the more they were oppressed the more they multiplied and grew. The Egyptians were grieved and angry because they could not decrease their numbers.
Because harsh labor failed, the Egyptians hardened their hearts to go further, moved by Satan to destroy the male children at birth in order to defeat God's purpose to raise up a deliverer among the Hebrews. The women who feared God saved the male children alive, and the Lord prospered them. Until at last Pharaoh in anger charged all his people to cast every newborn son into the river.
The Egyptians oppressed Israel with heavy burdens until God intervened, and the goods Israel received when leaving Egypt were only small compensation for their hard work. That prior attempt to destroy Israel through forced labor exposes as false Pharaoh's later profession of special interest in Israel's welfare and tender care for their little ones when he would let only the men go. That claim was pretense to serve his own purpose and keep Israel in bondage, while he charged that God in requiring wives and children to go into the wilderness would only lead them out to destroy them.