and you may leave them as an inheritance to your children, whom they must serve as long as they live. But you must not treat any Israelites harshly.

as if they had been hired on an annual basis. Their master must not treat them harshly.

and made their lives miserable by forcing them into cruel slavery. They made them work on their building projects and in their fields, and they had no pity on them.

(SEE 1:13)

Years later the king of Egypt died, but the Israelites were still groaning under their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry went up to God,

Then the LORD said, "I have seen how cruelly my people are being treated in Egypt; I have heard them cry out to be rescued from their slave drivers. I know all about their sufferings,

I have indeed heard the cry of my people, and I see how the Egyptians are oppressing them.

The Egyptian slave drivers beat the Israelite foremen, whom they had put in charge of the work. They demanded, "Why aren't you people making the same number of bricks that you made before?"

I was angry with my people; I treated them as no longer mine: I put them in your power, and you showed them no mercy; even the aged you treated harshly.

The people ask, "Why should we fast if the LORD never notices? Why should we go without food if he pays no attention?" The LORD says to them, "The truth is that at the same time you fast, you pursue your own interests and oppress your workers.

Masters, behave in the same way toward your slaves and stop using threats. Remember that you and your slaves belong to the same Master in heaven, who judges everyone by the same standard.

Masters, be fair and just in the way you treat your slaves. Remember that you too have a Master in heaven.

Do not cheat an Israelite, but obey the LORD your God.

But the midwives were God-fearing and so did not obey the king; instead, they let the boys live.

(SEE 1:20)

They had no fear of God, and so they attacked you from the rear when you were tired and exhausted, and killed all who were straggling behind.

The LORD Almighty says, "I will appear among you to judge, and I will testify at once against those who practice magic, against adulterers, against those who give false testimony, those who cheat employees out of their wages, and those who take advantage of widows, orphans, and foreigners---against all who do not respect me.