Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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14 and they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar, and
in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigor.
The method they took to suppress them, and check their growth, Ex 1:11, 13, and 14. The Israelites behaved themselves so peaceably and inoffensively that they could not find any occasion of making war upon them, and weakening them by that means: and therefore,
1. They took care to keep them poor, by charging them with heavy taxes, which, some think, is included in the burdens with which they afflicted them.
2. By this means they took an effectual course to make them slaves. The Israelites, it should seem, were much more industrious laborious people than the Egyptians, and therefore Pharaoh took care to find them work, both in building (they built him treasure-cities), and in husbandry, even all manner of service in the field: and this was exacted from them with the utmost rigour and severity. Here are many expressions used, to affect us with the condition of God's people. They had taskmasters set over them, who were directed, not only to burden them, but, as much as might be, to afflict them with their burdens, and contrive how to make them grievous. They not only made them serve, which was sufficient for Pharaoh's profit, but they made them serve with rigour, so that their lives became bitter to them, intending hereby,
(1.) To break their spirits, and rob them of everything in them that was ingenuous and generous.
(2.) To ruin their health and shorten their days, and so diminish their numbers.
(3.) To discourage them from marrying, since their children would be born to slavery.
(4.) To oblige them to desert the Hebrews, and incorporate themselves with the Egyptians. Thus he hoped to cut off the name of Israel, that it might be no more in remembrance. And it is to be feared that the oppression they were under had this bad effect