And Jehovah said: I have given attention to see the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I have acknowledged their pain.

And it came to pass after many days that the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.

And Jehovah said: I have given attention to see the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I have acknowledged their pain.

Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.

So the Egyptians made the children of Israel work with harshness.

And they made their lives bitter with hard labor; in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of labor in the field. All their labor in which they made them work was with harshness.

And Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.

For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, I will now arise, says Jehovah; I will set him in the safety for which he pants.

Do not rob the poor, because he is poor; nor oppress the afflicted in the gate;

for Jehovah will plead their case, and plunder the soul of those who plunder them.

So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold the tears of the oppressed ones, and they had no comforter! And on the side of those who oppressed them there was power, but they had no comforter.

If you see the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, do not be astonished at the matter; for He who is higher than the highest watches; so there are those higher than they.

Thus says Jehovah of Hosts: The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together. And all who captured them have held them fast; they have refused to let them go.

Their Redeemer is strong; Jehovah of Hosts, is His name. He shall thoroughly plead their case, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

Hear this word, you cows of Bashan who are in the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands, Bring in, that we may drink.

Woe to those who devise wickedness and do evil on their beds! In the morning light they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.

Therefore thus says Jehovah: Behold, I am devising evil against this family, from which you shall not remove your necks; nor shall you walk haughtily, for this is an evil time.