Exodus 1:14

World English Bible (2000)

and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all kinds of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיְמָרְר֨וּ אֶת־חַיֵּיהֶ֜ם בַּעֲבֹדָ֣ה קָשָׁ֗ה בְּחֹ֙מֶר֙ וּבִלְבֵנִ֔ים וּבְכָל־עֲבֹדָ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־עָבְד֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃

Transliteration

And way-mārərû ʾet-ḥayyêhem in ʿăḇōdâ qāšâ with ḥōmer and with ləḇēnîm and with all ʿăḇōdâ in the śādeh ʾēt all ʿăḇōdātām which ʿāḇədû with them with pāreḵ

Grammar Details

• וַיְמָרְר֨וּ: conjunction *wə-* + verb, Piel imperfect, 3rd masculine plural, vav-consecutive - 'and they made bitter'
• אֶת־חַיֵּיהֶ֜ם: direct object marker + noun, masculine plural + 3rd masculine plural suffix - 'their lives'
• בַּעֲבֹדָ֣ה: preposition + noun, feminine singular - 'with labor'
• *qāšâ*: adjective, feminine singular - 'hard'
• בְּחֹ֙מֶר֙: preposition + noun, masculine singular - 'with mortar'
• וּבִלְבֵנִ֔ים: conjunction *wə-* + preposition + noun, feminine plural - 'and with bricks'
• וּבְכָל־עֲבֹדָ֖ה: conjunction *wə-* + preposition + noun, feminine singular - 'and with all labor'
• בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה: preposition + definite article + noun, masculine singular - 'in the field'
• אֵ֚ת: direct object marker
• כָּל־עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔ם: construct + noun, feminine singular + 3rd masculine plural suffix - 'all their labor'
• אֲשֶׁר־עָבְד֥וּ: relative pronoun + verb, Qal perfect, 3rd masculine plural - 'which they worked'
• בָהֶ֖ם: preposition + 3rd masculine plural suffix - 'with them'
• בְּפָֽרֶךְ: preposition + noun, masculine singular - 'with rigor'

Word Meanings

• *way-mārərû*: they made bitter, embittered
• *ḥayyêhem*: their lives, their existence
• *ʿăḇōdâ*: labor, service, work, servitude
• *qāšâ*: hard, harsh, severe, cruel
• *ḥōmer*: mortar, clay, cement
• *ləḇēnîm*: bricks
• *śādeh*: field, country, open land
• *ʿăḇōdātām*: their service, their labor, their work
• *ʿāḇədû*: they worked, served, labored
• *pāreḵ*: rigor, harshness, cruelty

Referenced Verses

• Exod 2:23 : 23 It happened in the course of those many days, that the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
• Exod 6:9 : 9 Moses spoke so to the children of Israel, but they didn't listen to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
• Num 20:15 : 15 how our fathers went down into Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians dealt ill with us, and our fathers:
• Acts 7:19 : 19 The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn't stay alive.
• Acts 7:34 : 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people that is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into Egypt.'
• Ps 81:6 : 6 "I removed his shoulder from the burden. His hands were freed from the basket.
• Isa 14:6 : 6 who struck the peoples in wrath with a continual stroke, who ruled the nations in anger, with a persecution that none restrained.
• Isa 51:23 : 23 and I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to your soul, 'Bow down, that we may walk over you;' and you have laid your back as the ground, and as the street, to those who walk over."
• Isa 52:5 : 5 "Now therefore, what do I here," says Yahweh, "seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? those who rule over them mock," says Yahweh, "and my name continually all the day is blasphemed.
• Isa 58:6 : 6 "Isn't this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?
• Jer 50:33-34 : 33 Thus says Yahweh of Armies: The children of Israel and the children of Judah are oppressed together; and all who took them captive hold them fast; they refuse to let them go. 34 Their Redeemer is strong; Yahweh of Armies is his name: he will thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
• Mic 3:3 : 3 who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them, and break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
• Nah 3:14 : 14 Draw water for the siege. Strengthen your fortresses. Go into the clay, and tread the mortar. Make the brick kiln strong.
• Exod 20:2 : 2 "I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
• Lev 25:43 : 43 You shall not rule over him with harshness, but shall fear your God.
• Lev 25:46 : 46 You may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession; of them may you take your slaves forever: but over your brothers the children of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness.
• Lev 25:53 : 53 As a servant hired year by year shall he be with him: he shall not rule with harshness over him in your sight.
• Exod 5:7-9 : 7 "You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 The number of the bricks, which they made before, you require from them. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle; therefore they cry, saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor therein; and don't let them pay any attention to lying words." 10 The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you straw. 11 Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.'" 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The taskmasters were urgent saying, "Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!" 14 The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, "Why haven't you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?" 15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, "Why do you deal this way with your servants? 16 No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, 'Make brick!' and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people." 17 But he said, "You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, 'Let us go and sacrifice to Yahweh.' 18 Go therefore now, and work, for no straw shall be given to you, yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!" 19 The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble, when it was said, "You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!" 20 They met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: 21 and they said to them, "May Yahweh look at you, and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us."
• Gen 15:13 : 13 He said to Abram, "Know for sure that your seed will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.
• Exod 1:13 : 13 The Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel serve,
• Deut 4:20 : 20 But Yahweh has taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of inheritance, as at this day.
• Deut 26:6 : 6 The Egyptians dealt ill with us, and afflicted us, and laid on us hard bondage:
• Ruth 1:20 : 20 She said to them, "Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara; for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.
• Ps 68:13 : 13 while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of a dove sheathed with silver, her feathers with shining gold.