Exodus 1:14

King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיְמָרְר֨וּ אֶת־חַיֵּיהֶ֜ם בַּעֲבֹדָ֣ה קָשָׁ֗ה בְּחֹ֙מֶר֙ וּבִלְבֵנִ֔ים וּבְכָל־עֲבֹדָ֖ה בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־עָבְד֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם בְּפָֽרֶךְ׃

Transliteration

And way-mārərû ʾet-ḥayyêhem in ʿăḇōdâ qāšâ with ḥōmer and with ləḇēnîm and with all ʿăḇōdâ in the śādeh ʾēt all ʿăḇōdātām which ʿāḇədû with them with pāreḵ

Grammar Details

• וַיְמָרְר֨וּ: conjunction *wə-* + verb, Piel imperfect, 3rd masculine plural, vav-consecutive - 'and they made bitter'
• אֶת־חַיֵּיהֶ֜ם: direct object marker + noun, masculine plural + 3rd masculine plural suffix - 'their lives'
• בַּעֲבֹדָ֣ה: preposition + noun, feminine singular - 'with labor'
• *qāšâ*: adjective, feminine singular - 'hard'
• בְּחֹ֙מֶר֙: preposition + noun, masculine singular - 'with mortar'
• וּבִלְבֵנִ֔ים: conjunction *wə-* + preposition + noun, feminine plural - 'and with bricks'
• וּבְכָל־עֲבֹדָ֖ה: conjunction *wə-* + preposition + noun, feminine singular - 'and with all labor'
• בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה: preposition + definite article + noun, masculine singular - 'in the field'
• אֵ֚ת: direct object marker
• כָּל־עֲבֹ֣דָתָ֔ם: construct + noun, feminine singular + 3rd masculine plural suffix - 'all their labor'
• אֲשֶׁר־עָבְד֥וּ: relative pronoun + verb, Qal perfect, 3rd masculine plural - 'which they worked'
• בָהֶ֖ם: preposition + 3rd masculine plural suffix - 'with them'
• בְּפָֽרֶךְ: preposition + noun, masculine singular - 'with rigor'

Word Meanings

• *way-mārərû*: they made bitter, embittered
• *ḥayyêhem*: their lives, their existence
• *ʿăḇōdâ*: labor, service, work, servitude
• *qāšâ*: hard, harsh, severe, cruel
• *ḥōmer*: mortar, clay, cement
• *ləḇēnîm*: bricks
• *śādeh*: field, country, open land
• *ʿăḇōdātām*: their service, their labor, their work
• *ʿāḇədû*: they worked, served, labored
• *pāreḵ*: rigor, harshness, cruelty

Referenced Verses

• Exod 2:23 : 23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
• Exod 6:9 : 9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
• Num 20:15 : 15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers:
• Acts 7:19 : 19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live.
• Acts 7:34 : 34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.
• Ps 81:6 : 6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
• Isa 14:6 : 6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.
• Isa 51:23 : 23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.
• Isa 52:5 : 5 Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.
• Isa 58:6 : 6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
• Jer 50:33-34 : 33 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go. 34 Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.
• Mic 3:3 : 3 Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.
• Nah 3:14 : 14 Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.
• Exod 20:2 : 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
• Lev 25:43 : 43 Thou shalt not ru over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God.
• Lev 25:46 : 46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not ru one over another with rigour.
• Lev 25:53 : 53 And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the other shall not ru with rigour over him in thy sight.
• Exod 5:7-9 : 7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. 9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words. 10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. 11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. 13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. 14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore? 15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? 16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people. 17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD. 18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks. 19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task. 20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: 21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
• Gen 15:13 : 13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranr in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
• Exod 1:13 : 13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour:
• Deut 4:20 : 20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.
• Deut 26:6 : 6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:
• Ruth 1:20 : 20 And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me.
• Ps 68:13 : 13 Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.