Exodus 1:8-14

International Standard Version

The Israelis Become Slaves

⁸ Eventually a new king who was unacquainted with Joseph came to power in^[a] 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^[b] placed supervisors over them, oppressing them with heavy burdens. The Israelis^[c] built the supply cities of Pithom and Rameses for Pharaoh. ¹² But the more the Egyptians afflicted the Israelis,^[d] the more they multiplied and flourished, so that the Egyptians^[e] became terrified of^[f] 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^[g] work on them.