Topical Bible: Cruelty: Egyptians to the Israelites

◄ Cruelty: Egyptians to the Israelites ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

The narrative of the Israelites' oppression under Egyptian rule is a significant theme in the Old Testament, illustrating the severe cruelty inflicted upon God's chosen people. This period of suffering is primarily documented in the Book of Exodus, where the Israelites, descendants of Jacob, found themselves enslaved by a new Pharaoh who did not remember Joseph's contributions to Egypt (Exodus 1:8).

Historical Context

The Israelites initially settled in Egypt during a time of famine, welcomed by Pharaoh due to Joseph's high standing. However, as the generations passed, the Israelites multiplied and became numerous, which incited fear in the heart of a new Pharaoh. Concerned that the Israelites might ally with Egypt's enemies, Pharaoh decided to subjugate them through harsh labor (Exodus 1:9-10).

Forms of Cruelty

1. Forced Labor: The Egyptians imposed rigorous labor on the Israelites, compelling them to build store cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. The labor was intense and unrelenting, designed to break their spirits and reduce their numbers (Exodus 1:11-14). The Bible states, "They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor, the Egyptians used them

Nave's Topical Index

Exodus 5:6-18
And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
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Library

The Story of Moses, the Child who was Found in the River
... cities for them, and give to the Egyptians a large ... little boys that were born to
the Israelites; though their ... all this hate, and wrong, and cruelty, the people ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of moses the.htm

How Agreeable all virtues are to God.
... kill all the male children of the Israelites were without ... Now, Egyptians and pagans
as they were, yet they ... God by so barbarous and unnatural a cruelty as the ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter i how agreeable all.htm

Book 4 Footnotes
... had prostituted themselves to the lewd Israelites, and the ... because of his former
cruelty: "As thy sword hath ... of Sodom, the plagues of the Egyptians, and the ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 4 footnotes.htm

The Finding of Moses
... nation in numbers now, but the Egyptians still ruled ... the land of Goshen, where the
Israelites lived ... of the poor Israelite slaves with great cruelty, beating him ...
/.../steedman/the babe in the bulrushes/the finding of moses.htm

Whether There was any Reasonable Cause for the Ceremonial ...
... corners of their garments, so that the Israelites might be ... them to do certain things
savoring of cruelty to animals. ... For the Egyptians held it to be wicked to ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether there was any reasonable.htm

From Egypt to Sinai.
... There still remains evidence of this cruelty in the ... power are overthrown as were
the Egyptians, and those ... divine will are elevated just as were the Israelites. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter v from egypt to.htm

A Living Book
... which Joseph was sold, where the Israelites became a ... But other nations besides the
Egyptians are mentioned in the ... them for their pride and cruelty, unless they ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/duff/the bible in its making/chapter i a living book.htm

Egypt
... he was singularly good-tempered and light-hearted, averse to cruelty, though subject ...
For 400 years the Israelites had been "afflicted" by the Egyptians. ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter v egypt.htm

The Credibility of Scripture Sufficiently Proved in So Far as ...
... concerning the eternal God which the Israelites had received by ... may choose to credit
the Egyptians in carrying ... he, "are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 8 the credibility of.htm

Translation from the Greek.
... as they themselves daringly assert, the cruelty [2460] of ... the Lord, being no longer
accounted Egyptians and Idumeans, but becoming Israelites: so that ...
/.../origen/origen de principiis/translation from the greek.htm