And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
And they made their lives miserable with harsh slavery, forcing them to work with mortar and bricks, and with all kinds of hard labor in the fields. All the work they forced them to do was brutal and without mercy.
This verse describes how the Egyptians made the Israelites' lives unbearably hard through cruel and exhausting slave labor.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Exodus, after the death of Joseph, a new Pharaoh in Egypt became fearful of the growing Israelite population and enslaved them to prevent any potential uprising. This led to the Israelites enduring brutal forced labor, including making bricks and mortar for construction, as well as agricultural work in the fields, all under harsh and relentless supervision. These oppressive conditions highlighted the Egyptians' cruelty and set the foundation for God's eventual intervention through Moses to deliver His people.
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