Exodus 1:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses.

NIV: So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

NASB: So they appointed taskmasters over them to oppress them with hard labor. And they built for Pharaoh storage cities, Pithom and Raamses.

CSB: So the Egyptians assigned taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. They built Pithom and Rameses as supply cities for Pharaoh.

NLT: So the Egyptians made the Israelites their slaves. They appointed brutal slave drivers over them, hoping to wear them down with crushing labor. They forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses as supply centers for the king.

KJV: Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.

NKJV: Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.

The first part of this verse notes the presence of taskmasters who managed the slave work of the Israelites. These men served to manage slave labor under Pharaoh's command. They afflicted them or oppressed them "with heavy burdens." This general phrase could refer to hard labor of any kind. However, the context is clear this work focused on building Pithom and Raamses. The Hebrew grammar used here is helpful, using a preterite with the vav consecutive in this sentence. This focuses on the idea that the building of these cities was "the result of" this decision by Pharaoh.

Because of the name Raamses, many have assumed the Pharaoh Raamses II was the leader of Egypt during Moses' time. However, that figure ruled far later than the chronology of the life of Moses and the Exodus from Egypt. This city existed by this name before the rule of Raamses or was perhaps used later to refer to an earlier city.

This part of the book of Exodus is crucial in understanding the Bible's view of slavery. The terms "slave" and "slavery" are used to mean a wide variety of things in Scripture. Here, under the harsh treatment of Egypt, Israel experiences the same kind of "slavery" which modern readers assume when encountering that term. This is forced, brutal, race-based, permanent, possessive slavery. The term often used for this practice is "chattel slavery," where the subjects are treated as sub-human and lacking in any rights. God's view of this practice will be made clear in His fierce judgment of Egypt, shown later in this same story.

Exodus 1:1–14 describes the explosive growth of the nation of Israel and the erosion of their relationship to Egypt. Joseph's efforts in the past saved Egypt from ruin, and his family was welcomed into the land. Generations later, the drastic increase in their population is seen as a threat to the Egyptian people. Motivated by a combination of fear and disgust, the king of Egypt brutally enslaves the people of Israel in an attempt to reduce their numbers. This effort fails, and the following passage shows Pharaoh resorting to infanticide in an effort to control the Hebrews.

The children of Abraham and Jacob grow rapidly, forming a prosperous nation made up of twelve tribes, one for each son of Jacob. This inspires fear and hate from the Egyptians. Their king first tries to slow down the Hebrews' growth by enslaving them. Next, he increases the brutality of their work. Then, he tries to command Jewish midwives to kill their own people's newborn baby boys. When these all fail, he openly orders the murder of all Jewish infant boys. Inadvertently, this creates the very situation which leads to the rise of Israel's eventual leader, Moses.

Exodus chapter 1 establishes the difficult reality faced by the nation of Israel. At the end of Genesis, Abraham's descendants were finally safe. In this passage, they become prosperous and expand rapidly. This, however, results in fear and hatred from the native Egyptians, who enact a program of slavery and infanticide against the Hebrews. This sets the scene for the arrival of Israel's greatest leader, the prophet Moses, who will speak for God during this time of Israel's rescue. The next chapter explains Moses' dangerous childhood and exile in the desert.

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.