And the Egyptians tyrannized over the children of Israel by force.

And they embittered their life by hard labors, in the clay and in brick-making, and all the works in the plains, according to all the works, wherein they caused them to serve with violence.

And Pharaoh said, Behold now, the people are very numerous; let us not then give them rest from their work.

You shall no longer give straw to the people for brickmaking as yesterday and the third day; but let them go themselves, and collect straw for themselves.

Let the works of these men be made grievous, and let them care for these things, and not care for vain words.

And you shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord shall not hear you in those days, because you have chosen for yourselves a king.

And Asa was angry with the prophet, and put him in prison, for he was angry at this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at that time.

I have not chosen such a fast, says the Lord; but do you loose every burden of iniquity, do you untie the knots of hard bargains, set the bruised free, and cancel every unjust account?

But the nation which shall put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, I will even leave it upon its land, and it shall serve him, and dwell in it.

Go and speak to Hananiah, saying, Thus says the Lord: You have broken the yokes of wood, but I will make yokes of iron in their place.

For thus said the Lord: I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all the nations, that they may serve the king of Babylon.

And he spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

And you, son of man, fear them not, nor be dismayed at their face (for they will madden and will rise up against you round about, and you dwell in the midst of scorpions), be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their countenance, for they are a provoking house.

Then out of the smoke came forth locusts to the earth. And power was given to them, as scorpions of the earth have power.

And they were not given authority to kill them, but that they should torment them for five months. And their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.

And the appearances of the locusts [was] similar to horses having been prepared for battle, and on their heads [were] like crowns of gold, and their faces [were] like the faces of men.

And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings [was] as the sound of chariots with many horses rushing into battle.