Exodus 1:14

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Exodus 1:12–16 · Berean Standard Bible

12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.

13 They worked the Israelites ruthlessly

14 and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.

15 Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,

16 “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”

Hebrew words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Exodus 2:23

After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God.

Exodus 6:9

Moses relayed this message to the Israelites, but on account of their broken spirit and cruel bondage, they did not listen to him.

Genesis 15:13

Then the LORD said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.

Numbers 20:15

how our fathers went down to Egypt, where we lived many years. The Egyptians mistreated us and our fathers,

Deuteronomy 4:20

Yet the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of His inheritance, as you are today.

Deuteronomy 26:6

But the Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted us, putting us to hard labor.

Ruth 1:20

“Do not call me Naomi,” she replied. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has dealt quite bitterly with me.

Acts 7:19

He exploited our people and oppressed our fathers, forcing them to abandon their infants so they would die.

Acts 7:34

I have indeed seen the oppression of My people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.’

Psalms 68:13

Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, the wings of the dove are covered with silver, and her feathers with shimmering gold.”

Psalms 81:6

“I relieved his shoulder of the burden; his hands were freed from the basket.

Nahum 3:14

Draw your water for the siege; strengthen your fortresses. Work the clay and tread the mortar; repair the brick kiln!

Exodus 1:13

They worked the Israelites ruthlessly

Exodus 5:7

“You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw.

Exodus 5:8

But require of them the same quota of bricks as before; do not reduce it. For they are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’

Exodus 5:9

Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to these lies.”

Exodus 5:10

So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and said to them, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I am no longer giving you straw.

Exodus 5:11

Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it; but your workload will in no way be reduced.’”

Exodus 5:12

So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.

Exodus 5:13

The taskmasters kept pressing them, saying, “Fulfill your quota each day, just as you did when straw was provided.”

Exodus 5:14

Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?”

Exodus 5:15

So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way?

Exodus 5:16

No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”

Exodus 5:17

“You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’

Exodus 5:18

Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.”

Exodus 5:19

The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.”

Exodus 5:20

When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.

Exodus 5:21

“May the LORD look upon you and judge you,” the foremen said, “for you have made us a stench before Pharaoh and his officials; you have placed in their hand a sword to kill us!”

Exodus 20:2

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

Leviticus 25:43

You are not to rule over them harshly, but you shall fear your God.

Leviticus 25:46

You may leave them to your sons after you to inherit as property; you can make them slaves for life. But as for your brothers, the Israelites, no man may rule harshly over his brother.

Leviticus 25:53

He shall be treated like a man hired from year to year, but a foreign owner must not rule over him harshly in your sight.

Isaiah 14:6

It struck the peoples in anger with unceasing blows; it subdued the nations in rage with relentless persecution.

Isaiah 51:23

I will place it in the hands of your tormentors, who told you: ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you,’ so that you made your back like the ground, like a street to be traversed.”

Isaiah 52:5

And now what have I here? declares the LORD. For My people have been taken without cause; those who rule them taunt, declares the LORD, and My name is blasphemed continually all day long.

Isaiah 58:6

Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to break the chains of wickedness, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and tear off every yoke?

Jeremiah 50:33

This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “The sons of Israel are oppressed, and the sons of Judah as well. All their captors hold them fast, refusing to release them.

Jeremiah 50:34

Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of Hosts is His name. He will fervently plead their case so that He may bring rest to the earth, but turmoil to those who live in Babylon.

Micah 3:3

You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.”