believe thou art more delicate than Pharaoh?"

The king himself urged the Israelites on with gentle
words, saying, "My children, I beg you to do this work and
erect these little buildings for me. I will give you great
reward therefor." By means of such artifices and wily
words the Egyptians succeeded in overmastering the Israelites,
and once they had them in their power, they treated
them with undisguised brutality. Women were forced to
perform men's work, and men women's work.

The building of Pithom and Raamses turned out of no
advantage to the Egyptians, for scarcely were the structures
completed, when they collapsed, or they were swallowed by
the earth, and the Hebrew workmen, besides having to