English Standard Version
Exodus 1:11
11Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (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.
Context of Exodus 1:11
9And he said to his people, "Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land." Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. 13So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves
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 3:7Then the Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings,
- Exodus 5:15Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, "Why do you treat your servants like this?
- Genesis 15:13Then the Lord said to Abram, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years.
- Numbers 20:15how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers.
- Deuteronomy 26:6And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor.
- Exodus 2:11One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people.
- Exodus 5:4But the king of Egypt said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens."
- Psalms 68:13though you men lie among the sheepfolds— the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with shimmering gold.
- Psalms 81:6"I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket.
- Psalms 105:13wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people,
- Genesis 47:11Then Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
- Proverbs 27:4Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries