15th Week in Ord. Time, Monday – 17th July 2023 – Exodus 1,8-14.22; Mt 10,34-11,1
Oppression Abounds
The first reading sets the background for the book of Exodus. After Joseph’s death, a new dynasty came to power in Egypt. New Pharaoh does not value the work of Joseph and he resented the growing numbers and the increasing power of the Hebrews. He saw them as a possible threat to the integrity of his kingdom. Their increase had to be stopped, otherwise, in time of war, they might take sides with the enemy and leave the country. The implication is that an important source of slave labour would be lost. Therefore, the Pharaoh had planned to “deal shrewdly” and included forced labour. This was the first phase of oppression. After this phase, we note that the greater the oppression, the more the Hebrew population increased. Secondly, as a result, the working conditions became even more severe, that they were reduced to doing forced labour under Egyptian taskmasters. They “ruthlessly” forced them to work, making “their lives bitter” with harsh labour as brick makers and workers in fields. Thirdly, the Pharaoh commanded the midwives to throw newborn Hebrew sons into the Nile. Despite these efforts, nothing could stop God’s plan to turn the Hebrew people into a mighty nation.
