Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.

So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.

Then He said to Abram: "Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land [that is] not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.

'how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers.

"But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day.

'But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us.

But she said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.

"This man dealt treacherously with our people, and oppressed our forefathers, making them expose their babies, so that they might not live.

"I have surely seen the oppression of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt." '

Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, [You will be] like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her feathers with yellow gold."

"I removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were freed from the baskets.

Draw your water for the siege! Fortify your strongholds! Go into the clay and tread the mortar! Make strong the brick kiln!

So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor.

"You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves.

"Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words."

'Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.' "

And the taskmasters forced [them] to hurry, saying, "Fulfill your work, [your] daily quota, as when there was straw."

Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, "Why are you dealing thus with your servants?

But he said, "You [are] idle! Idle! Therefore you say, 'Let us go [and] sacrifice to the LORD.'

And the officers of the children of Israel saw [that] they [were] in trouble after it was said, "You shall not reduce [any] bricks from your daily quota."

And they said to them, "Let the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us."

" I [am] the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

'You shall not rule over him with rigor, but you shall fear your God.

'And you may take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit [them as] a possession; they shall be your permanent slaves. But regarding your brethren, the children of Israel, you shall not rule over one another with rigor.

'He shall be with him as a yearly hired servant, and he shall not rule with rigor over him in your sight.

He who struck the people in wrath with a continual stroke, He who ruled the nations in anger, Is persecuted [and] no one hinders.

But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, Who have said to you, 'Lie down, that we may walk over you.' And you have laid your body like the ground, And as the street, for those who walk over."

Now therefore, what have I here," says the LORD, "That My people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them Make them wail," says the LORD, "And My name [is] blasphemed continually every day.

" [Is] this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke?

Thus says the LORD of hosts: "The children of Israel [were] oppressed, Along with the children of Judah; All who took them captive have held them fast; They have refused to let them go.

Their Redeemer [is] strong; The LORD of hosts [is] His name. He will thoroughly plead their case, That He may give rest to the land, And disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

Who also eat the flesh of My people, Flay their skin from them, Break their bones, And chop [them] in pieces Like [meat] for the pot, Like flesh in the caldron."