From Brickmaking Slavery to Freedom!
DO THE pyramids of Giza (near modern Cairo) bring to mind abused slaves toiling under a hot sun to drag huge stones into place? And do you imagine Hebrew slaves among them?
Actually, the Egyptian pyramids seen on the next page date from before the time when the family of Joseph’s father Jacob (or, Israel) moved to Egypt. But more common than building with huge stones was the use of bricks, produced by the millions under the same blazing sun.
The Hebrews who were welcome in Egypt during Joseph’s time were blessed by God with increase, bringing dread to the Egyptians. We read: “So they set over [the Hebrews] chiefs of forced labor for the purpose of oppressing them in their burden-bearing; and they went building cities . . . The Egyptians made the sons of Israel slave under tyranny. And they kept making their life bitter with hard slavery at clay mortar and bricks.”—Exodus 1:7-14.
On the right, you can see that bricks are still made in Egypt, some being baked in kilns such as the one seen here. (Compare Genesis 11:1-3; 19:28.) Evidently, however, most ancient Egyptian bricks were sun dried. What persists is the use of straw in making bricks. Straw is visible in bricks found in the unearthed ruins of ancient Beer-sheba (inset).
Adding straw strengthened the bricks. To make them, mud (or clay), water, and straw were slowly trampled by foot, then pressed in molds, and finally set out to dry. Imagine toiling at such work one long day after another. Surely, you can understand why the Israelites ‘sighed because of the slavery and cried out in complaint, so that their cry for help kept going up to the true God.’—Exodus 2:23.
Jehovah heard them and sent Moses to Pharaoh to gain the Israelites’ freedom. Instead, haughty Pharaoh increased their burden. Now they would have to gather their own straw, still maintaining their quota of bricks as before. Why, this was like a death sentence! God said: “Now you will see what I shall do to Pharaoh, because on account of a strong hand he will send them away.”—Exodus 5:1–6:1.
You probably know the rest. Jehovah was capable of defeating tyrannical Pharaoh. After the tenth plague, God ‘brought the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt.’ (Exodus 12:37-51) Leaving behind the pyramids, the bricks, and the harsh slavery, Israel marched toward the Promised Land. Such historical facts should reassure us of Jehovah God’s ability to provide true freedom for Christians in the coming new world, with its earthly Paradise.—Compare Romans 8:20, 21.
[Full-page picture on page 31]
[Picture Credit Line on page 2]
Photos, pages 30, 31: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.