This new king of Egypt learned that the children of Israel were of great service to the kingdom. Many of them were able and understanding workmen, and he was not willing to lose their labor. This new king ranked the children of Israel with that class of slaves who had sold their flocks, their herds, their lands, and themselves, to the kingdom. “Therefore they did set over them taskmasters, to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure-cities, Pithom, and Raamses. But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor. 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.” They compelled their women to work in the fields, as though they were slaves. Yet their numbers did not decrease. As the king and his rulers saw that they continually increased, they consulted together to compel them to accomplish a certain amount every day. They thought to subdue them with hard labor, and were angry because they could not decrease their numbers, and crush out their independent spirit. {1SP 161.1}

Denne nye ægypterkonge lærte at Israels børn var til stor tjeneste for riget. Mange af dem var duelige og forstående arbejdsfolk, og han ville ikke miste deres arbejde. Denne nye konge satte Israels børn i klasse med slaver, som havde solgt deres kvæg, deres hjord, deres lande og sig selv til riget. "Så satte man fogeder over dem til at plage dem med trællearbejde, og de måtte bygge Forråds byer for Farao: Pitom og Ra'amses. Men jo mere man plagede dem, des flere blev de, og des mere bredte de sig, så ægypterne fik rædsel for israelitterne. Og ægypterne tvang israelitterne til trællearbejde. Og gjorde dem livet bittert ved hårdt arbejde med ler og tegl og alle hånde markarbejde, ved alt det arbejde, de tvang dem til at udføre for sig." De tvang deres kvinder til at arbejde på markerne, som om de var slaver. Alligevel blev der ikke mindre af dem. Idet kongen og hans herskere så at de hele tiden blev flere, rådførte de sig med hinanden, at tvinge dem til at udrette en vis del arbejde hver dag. De ville (162) underlægge dem med hårdt arbejde, og blev vrede over at de ikke blev mindre i antal, for trenkte deres selvstændighed.