Amplified Bible
Exodus 1:11
11So they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with hard labor. And the sons of Israel built Pithom and Raamses as storage cities for Pharaoh.
Exodus 1:11 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
- New International Version (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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.
Context of Exodus 1:11
9He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are too many and too mighty for us [they greatly outnumber us]. 10Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they will not multiply and in the event of war, join our enemies, and fight against us and escape from the land.” So they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with hard labor. And the sons of Israel built Pithom and Raamses as storage cities for Pharaoh. 12But the more the Egyptians oppressed them, the more they multiplied and expanded, so that the Egyptians dreaded and were exasperated by the Israelites. 13And the Egyptians made the Israelites serve rigorously [forcing them into severe slavery].
Read all of Exodus 1Exodus 1:11 word by word
וַיָּשִׂ֤ימוּ עָלָיו֙ שָׂרֵ֣י מִסִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן עַנֹּת֖וֹ בְּסִבְלֹתָ֑ם וַיִּ֜בֶן עָרֵ֤י מִסְכְּנוֹת֙ לְפַרְעֹ֔ה אֶת־פִּתֹ֖ם וְאֶת־רַעַמְסֵֽס׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore they did setשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: appointH7760
- over them taskmastersשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- over them taskmastersמַסmas mis · taskworkerH4522
- to afflictעָנָה‛ânâh · to afflictH6031
- them with their burdensסִבְלָהsebâlâh · burdenH5450
- And they builtבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- for Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- treasureמִסְכְּנוֹתmiskenâh · storageH4543
- citiesעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- Pithomפִּתֹםpithôm · PithomH6619
- and Raamsesרַֽעַמְסֵסra‛mesês ra‛amsês · RaamsesH7486
Cross-references for Exodus 1:11
- Exodus 3:7The Lord said, “I have in fact seen the affliction (suffering, desolation) of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters (oppressors); for I know their pain and suffering.
- Exodus 5:15Then the Hebrew foremen came to Pharaoh and cried, “Why do you deal like this with your servants?
- Genesis 15:13God said to Abram, “Know for sure that your descendants will be strangers [living temporarily] in a land (Egypt) that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.
- Numbers 20:15that our fathers (ancestors) went down to Egypt, and we lived there for a long time, and the Egyptians treated [both] us and our fathers badly.
- Deuteronomy 26:6And the Egyptians treated us badly and oppressed us, and imposed hard labor on us.
- Exodus 2:11One day, after Moses had grown [into adulthood], it happened that he went to his countrymen and looked [with compassion] at their hard labors; and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his countrymen.
- Exodus 5:4But the king of Egypt said to Moses and Aaron, “Why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens!”
- Psalms 68:13When you lie down [to rest] among the sheepfolds, You [Israel] are like the wings of a dove [of victory] overlaid with silver, Its feathers glistening with gold [trophies taken from the enemy].
- Psalms 81:6“I removed the burden from his shoulder; His hands were freed from the basket.
- Psalms 105:13And they wandered from one nation to another, From one kingdom to another people,
- Genesis 47:11So Joseph settled his father and brothers and gave them a possession in Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses (Goshen), as Pharaoh commanded.
- Proverbs 27:4Wrath is cruel and anger is an overwhelming flood, But who is able to endure and stand before [the sin of] jealousy?
Commentaries on Exodus 1:11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11Set over them task-masters - מסים שרי sarey missim, chiefs or princes of burdens, works, or tribute; , Sept. overseers of the works. The persons who appointed them their work, and exacted the performance of it. The work itself being oppressive, and the manner in which it was exacted still more so, there is some room to think that they not only worked them unmercifully, but also obliged them to pay an exorbitant tribute at the same time. Treasure cities…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11Taskmasters - The Egyptian “Chiefs of tributes.” They were men of rank, superintendents of the public works, such as are often represented on Egyptian monuments, and carefully distinguished from the subordinate overseers. The Israelites were employed in forced labor, probably in detachments, but they were not reduced to slavery, properly speaking, nor treated as captives of war. Amosis had special need of such laborers, as proved by the inscriptions…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-14Verses 8-14 The land of Egypt became to Israel a house of bondage. The place where we have been happy, may soon become the place of our affliction; and that may prove the greatest cross to us, of which we said, This same shall comfort us. Cease from man, and say not of any place on this side heaven, This is my rest. All that knew Joseph, loved him, and were kind to his brethren for his sake; but the best and most useful services a man does to others, are…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11Archaeologists have identified Pithom and Rameses with the modern cities of Tell el-Maskhutah and Qantir. Ancient remains show people built these cities during the Late Bronze period (1550–1250 BC), when the Israelites were also present.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters--Having first obliged them, it is thought, to pay a ruinous rent and involved them in difficulties, that new government, in pursuance of its oppressive policy, degraded them to the condition of serfs--employing them exactly as the laboring people are in the present day (driven in companies or bands), in rearing the public works, with taskmasters, who anciently had sticks--now whips--to punish the indolent…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 1:11
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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