Exodus 1:8-14 ▼

8 Eventually a new king who was unacquainted with Joseph came to power in Egypt.

9 He told his people, |Look, the Israeli people are more numerous and more powerful than we are.

10 Come on, let's be careful how we treat them, so that when they grow numerous, if a war breaks out they won't join our enemies, fight against us, and leave our land.|

11 So the Egyptians placed supervisors over them, oppressing them with heavy burdens. The Israelis built the supply cities of Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh.

12 But the more the Egyptians afflicted the Israelis, the more they multiplied and flourished, so that the Egyptians became terrified of the Israelis.

13 The Egyptians ruthlessly forced the Israelis to serve them,

14 making their lives bitter through hard labor with mortar, bricks, and all kinds of outdoor labor. They ruthlessly imposed all this work on them.