Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 26:6
But the Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted us, putting us to hard labor.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Israelite worshipper recites this declaration before the LORD at the sanctuary, immediately after tracing the ancestors' descent into Egypt and their growth into a great nation.
The words — The Hebrew verbs יָרַע (ya.ra') and עָנָה (a.nah) translate literally to "did harm to" and "afflicted," while עֲבֹדָה קָשָׁה (a.vo.dah ka.shah) denotes "hard labor."
The thread — This concise summary of Egyptian oppression directly parallels the detailed accounts of forced brick-making and field service in Exodus 1:11 and Exodus 1:14.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to anchor worship in the concrete reality of historical suffering before presenting offerings, establishing deliverance as the necessary precondition for gratitude.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:
Cross-references
- Exodus 1:11 So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.
- Exodus 1:14 and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.
- Exodus 1:16 “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”
- Exodus 1:22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”
- Exodus 5:9 Make the work harder on the men so they will be occupied and pay no attention to these lies.”
- Exodus 5:23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and You have not delivered Your people in any way.”
- Deuteronomy 4:20 Yet the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of His inheritance, as you are today.
- Exodus 5:19 The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.”