Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Art » Primitive » Of the brickmaker
They said one to another, “Come, let us make bricks and fire them thoroughly [in a kiln, to harden and strengthen them].” So they used brick for stone [as building material], and they used tar (bitumen, asphalt) for mortar.
You shall no more give the people straw to make brick; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of the bricks which they made before you shall still require of them; you shall not diminish it in the least. For they are idle; that is why they cry, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
Get out now and get to work; for no straw will be given to you, yet you are to deliver the same quota of bricks.”
Arts of the » Brick-maker
They said one to another, “Come, let us make bricks and fire them thoroughly [in a kiln, to harden and strengthen them].” So they used brick for stone [as building material], and they used tar (bitumen, asphalt) for mortar.
You shall no more give the people straw to make brick; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of the bricks which they made before you shall still require of them; you shall not diminish it in the least. For they are idle; that is why they cry, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
Get out now and get to work; for no straw will be given to you, yet you are to deliver the same quota of bricks.”
Brick » Made by israelites
He also brought out the people who were there, and put them to [work with] the saws and sharp iron instruments and iron axes, and made them work at the brickkiln. And he did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the men returned to Jerusalem.
You shall no more give the people straw to make brick; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of the bricks which they made before you shall still require of them; you shall not diminish it in the least. For they are idle; that is why they cry, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. Let heavier work be laid upon the men that they may labor at it and pay no attention to lying words. read more.
The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they said to the people, Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. Go, get straw where you can find it; but your work shall not be diminished in the least. So the people were scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather the short stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Finish your work, your daily quotas, as when there was straw. And the Hebrew foremen, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, Why have you not fulfilled all your quota of making bricks yesterday and today, as before? Then the Hebrew foremen came to Pharaoh and cried, Why do you deal like this with your servants? No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, Make bricks! And behold, your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people. But [Pharaoh] said, You are idle, lazy and idle! That is why you say, Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord. Get out now and get to work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the full quota of bricks. And the Hebrew foremen saw that they were in an evil situation when it was said, You shall not diminish in the least your full daily quota of bricks.
The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they said to the people, Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. Go, get straw where you can find it; but your work shall not be diminished in the least. So the people were scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather the short stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Finish your work, your daily quotas, as when there was straw. And the Hebrew foremen, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, Why have you not fulfilled all your quota of making bricks yesterday and today, as before? Then the Hebrew foremen came to Pharaoh and cried, Why do you deal like this with your servants? No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, Make bricks! And behold, your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people. But [Pharaoh] said, You are idle, lazy and idle! That is why you say, Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord. Get out now and get to work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the full quota of bricks. And the Hebrew foremen saw that they were in an evil situation when it was said, You shall not diminish in the least your full daily quota of bricks.
“Take some large stones in your hands and hide them in the mortar in the brickwork [of the terrace] which is at the entrance of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of some of the men of Judah;
Draw water for a [long, continued] siege!
Strengthen your fortresses!
Go down to the clay pits, trample the mortar!
Prepare the brick kiln [to burn bricks for the rampart]!
Cruelty » Instances of » Egyptians to the israelites
The very same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, You shall no more give the people straw to make brick; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of the bricks which they made before you shall still require of them; you shall not diminish it in the least. For they are idle; that is why they cry, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. read more.
Let heavier work be laid upon the men that they may labor at it and pay no attention to lying words. The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they said to the people, Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. Go, get straw where you can find it; but your work shall not be diminished in the least. So the people were scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather the short stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Finish your work, your daily quotas, as when there was straw. And the Hebrew foremen, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, Why have you not fulfilled all your quota of making bricks yesterday and today, as before? Then the Hebrew foremen came to Pharaoh and cried, Why do you deal like this with your servants? No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, Make bricks! And behold, your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people. But [Pharaoh] said, You are idle, lazy and idle! That is why you say, Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord. Get out now and get to work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the full quota of bricks.
Let heavier work be laid upon the men that they may labor at it and pay no attention to lying words. The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they said to the people, Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. Go, get straw where you can find it; but your work shall not be diminished in the least. So the people were scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather the short stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Finish your work, your daily quotas, as when there was straw. And the Hebrew foremen, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, Why have you not fulfilled all your quota of making bricks yesterday and today, as before? Then the Hebrew foremen came to Pharaoh and cried, Why do you deal like this with your servants? No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, Make bricks! And behold, your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people. But [Pharaoh] said, You are idle, lazy and idle! That is why you say, Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord. Get out now and get to work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the full quota of bricks.
Oppression » Examples of
The people of the land have practiced oppression and extortion and have committed robbery; they have wronged the poor and needy and they have oppressed the stranger without justice.
They made their lives bitter with hard labor in mortar, brick, and all kinds of field work. All their labor was harsh and severe.
Look! The wages that you have [fraudulently] withheld from the laborers who have mowed your fields are crying out [against you for vengeance]; and the cries of the harvesters have come to the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
Now one of the wives of a man of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha [for help], saying “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant [reverently] feared the Lord; but the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves [in payment for a loan].”
Then I looked again and considered all the acts of oppression that were being practiced under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them.
But you [in contrast] have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress and exploit you, and personally drag you into the courts of law?
But the number of bricks which they were making before, you shall [still] require of them; you are not to reduce it in the least. For they are idle and lazy; that is why they cry, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
Now there was a great outcry of the [poorer] people and their wives against their Jewish brothers [to whom they were deeply in debt].
For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house (nation) of Israel
And the men of Judah are His delightful planting [which He loves].
So He looked for justice, but in fact, [He saw] bloodshed and lawlessness;
[He looked] for righteousness, but in fact, [He heard] a cry of distress and oppression.
Servant » Instances of » israelites
then beware that you do not forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply more and, should war befall us, they join our enemies, fight against us, and escape out of the land. So they set over [the Israelites] taskmasters to afflict and oppress them with [increased] burdens. And [the Israelites] built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more [the Egyptians] oppressed them, the more they multiplied and expanded, so that [the Egyptians] were vexed and alarmed because of the Israelites. read more.
And the Egyptians reduced the Israelites to severe slavery. They made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar, brick, and all kinds of work in the field. All their service was with harshness and severity. Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom one was named Shiprah and the other Puah, When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live. But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but let the male babies live. So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, Why have you done this thing and allowed the male children to live? The midwives answered Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and quickly delivered; their babies are born before the midwife comes to them. So God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplied and became very strong. And because the midwives revered and feared God, He made them households [of their own]. Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son born [to the Hebrews] you shall cast into the river [Nile], but every daughter you shall allow to live.
And the Egyptians reduced the Israelites to severe slavery. They made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar, brick, and all kinds of work in the field. All their service was with harshness and severity. Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom one was named Shiprah and the other Puah, When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live. But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but let the male babies live. So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, Why have you done this thing and allowed the male children to live? The midwives answered Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and quickly delivered; their babies are born before the midwife comes to them. So God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplied and became very strong. And because the midwives revered and feared God, He made them households [of their own]. Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son born [to the Hebrews] you shall cast into the river [Nile], but every daughter you shall allow to live.
You shall no more give the people straw to make brick; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of the bricks which they made before you shall still require of them; you shall not diminish it in the least. For they are idle; that is why they cry, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. Let heavier work be laid upon the men that they may labor at it and pay no attention to lying words. read more.
The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they said to the people, Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. Go, get straw where you can find it; but your work shall not be diminished in the least. So the people were scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather the short stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Finish your work, your daily quotas, as when there was straw. And the Hebrew foremen, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, Why have you not fulfilled all your quota of making bricks yesterday and today, as before?
The taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they said to the people, Thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. Go, get straw where you can find it; but your work shall not be diminished in the least. So the people were scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather the short stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters were urgent, saying, Finish your work, your daily quotas, as when there was straw. And the Hebrew foremen, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, Why have you not fulfilled all your quota of making bricks yesterday and today, as before?
then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.