Exodus 1:13

They forced the Israeli people to work very hard,

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:

In Context

12But the more cruelly they treated the Israeli people, the bigger the Israeli population grew, and they became more numerous all over the land. So the Egyptian people began to be afraid of the Israeli people.

14and by making them slaves, they made their lives miserable. They forced them to build many buildings with mortar and bricks. They also forced them to do other work in the fields. In making them do all this work, the Egyptian officials treated them ruthlessly/cruelly.

Read all of Exodus 1

Cross References

2 Chronicles 10:11What I mean is that my father required you to work hard and pay high taxes. But I will make those loads heavier. It was as though my father whipped you, but I will whip you with whips that have pieces of metal in them.’”

Proverbs 28:15Wicked people who mistreat poor people whom they rule are as dangerous to them as [SIM] a lion roaring at them or a bear springing up to attack them.

Matthew Henry on Exodus 1:9-15

8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. 9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. 11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities,… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Exodus 1:13