Tree of Life Version
Exodus 1:11
11So they set slave masters over them to afflict them with forced labor, and they 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, “Look, the people of Bnei-Yisrael are too numerous and too powerful for us. 10Come, we must deal shrewdly with them, or else they will grow even more numerous, so that if war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and then escape from the land.” So they set slave masters over them to afflict them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Raamses as storage cities for Pharaoh. 12But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread. So the Egyptians dreaded the presence of Bnei-Yisrael. 13They worked them harshly,
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 Adonai said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their slave masters, for I know their pains.
- Exodus 5:15The foremen of Bnei-Yisrael came and cried out to Pharaoh saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants?
- Genesis 15:13Then He said to Abram, “Know for certain that your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will be enslaved and oppressed 400 years.
- Numbers 20:15Our forefathers went down to Egypt, so we lived there for a very long time. The Egyptians mistreated us, and our fathers.
- Deuteronomy 26:6The Egyptians treated us badly, afflicted us, and imposed hard labor on us.
- Exodus 2:11Now it happened in those days, after Moses had grown up, that he went out to his brothers and saw their burdens. He noticed an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.
- Exodus 5:4But the king of Egypt said to them, “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, make the people break loose from their work? Go to your labors!”
- Psalms 68:13“Kings of armies, flee, flee!” She who stays at home divides the spoil.
- Psalms 81:6He set it up as a testimony in Joseph, when He went throughout the land of Egypt, I heard a language I did not understand.
- Psalms 105:13wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people,
- Genesis 47:11Joseph settled his father and his brothers and gave them property in the land of Egypt, in the best part of the land, in the land of Rameses, just as Pharaoh commanded.
- Proverbs 27:4Wrath is cruel and 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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries