So they put overseers of forced work over them, in order to make their strength less by the weight of their work. And they made store-towns for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses.

And God said, Truly, I have seen the grief of my people in Egypt, and their cry because of their cruel masters has come to my ears; for I have knowledge of their sorrows;

The same day Pharaoh gave orders to the overseers and those who were responsible for the work, saying,

And the overseers of the people and their responsible men went out and said to the people, Pharaoh says, I will give you no more dry stems.

And the overseers went on driving them and saying, Do your full day's work as before when there were dry stems for you. And the responsible men of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh's overseers had put over them, were given blows, and they said to them, Why have you not done your regular work, in making bricks as before?