Deuteronomy 26:6-8
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This verse reveals that the harsh treatment wasn't just about labor; the Hebrew word translated "humiliated" points to a deep disrespect that sought to strip them of their dignity. It wasn't just physical hardship, but a crushing of their spirit and identity as God's chosen people.
And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders.
English Standard Version (ESV)
As the Israelites prepare to bring their first harvest offerings into the promised land, they are instructed to recount their history. This confession starts not with Abraham, but with Jacob, who was a wandering Syrian. They then recall their descent into Egypt, their growth into a great nation there, and the terrible oppression and harsh slavery the Egyptians imposed upon them. This difficult past sets the stage for acknowledging God's miraculous deliverance and the gift of the land they now inhabit.
The Bible doesn't shy away from the brutal realities of the past. This verse is a raw cry from the heart of the Israelite experience.
Deuteronomy 26:6 vividly describes the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt. It uses powerful words to paint a picture of their oppression:
These words remind us that God’s people have often faced intense persecution. Acknowledging this pain is part of remembering God's faithfulness, not a sign of weakness.
Why would a command to give thanks start with remembering the worst of times? There's a profound connection here.
In the context of Deuteronomy 26, this painful memory isn't just a historical footnote. It sets the stage for the offering of first-fruits.
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Understand the original words
Mitsrayim · Hebrew Proper Noun
In a biblical context, this term signifies people groups historically or geographically linked to the Nile valley, often representing a place of bondage or worldly power from which God delivers His people.
tsa’aq · Hebrew Verb
A plea for help or rescue directed to God, especially during times of extreme distress or oppression, reflecting a reliance on His mercy and power.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel, signifying His self-existence, faithfulness, and presence with His people.
oni · Hebrew Noun
A condition of misery, suffering, or distress, often used to describe the trials faced by individuals or the nation of Israel as they rely on God for deliverance.
amal · Hebrew Noun
Hard, grueling labor or the state of being subjected to the power of another, often used to describe servitude and physical burden.
lachats · Hebrew Noun
The state of being crushed, pressured, or treated unjustly by an oppressor, highlighting the need for divine justice and intervention.
yad chazaqah · Hebrew Noun Phrase
An anthropomorphic expression denoting God's sovereign, irresistible power used to deliver His people and execute His divine will.
zeroa netuyah · Hebrew Noun Phrase
Refers to the visible and active exertion of God’s power and authority to achieve His redemptive purposes.
oth u-mopheth · Hebrew Noun Phrase
Refers to extraordinary acts or miracles performed by God that manifest His glory, evoke reverence, and confirm His covenantal authority.
This passage details the specific ways the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites with harsh labor, directly supporting the description in Deuteronomy of being subjected to hard bondage.
Exodus 2:23-25This passage shows God hearing the Israelites' cries from their slavery, directly connecting to the hardship described and setting up God's intervention.
Nehemiah 9:9-11This prayer recounts God seeing the affliction of the Israelites in Egypt, mirroring the remembrance of their suffering and oppression in Deuteronomy.
Acts 7:6-7Stephen's speech recounts God's promise and the eventual judgment on the Egyptians for their mistreatment of the Israelites, underscoring the severity of the oppression.
calvinDeuteronomy 26:1-11: "And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein;"
That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name there.
Tunc accipies de primitiis omnium fructuum terrae, quas afteres e…
gillDeuteronomy 26:6: "And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:"
And the Egyptians evil entreated us,.... Ordered their male children to be killed by the midwives, and by another edict to be drowned by the people: and afflicted us; by setting taskmasters over them, who put heavy burdens upon them: and laid upon us hard bondage; in mortar and brick, and all manner of field service, in which they made them serve with rigour, and whereby their lives were ma…
This verse reveals that the harsh treatment wasn't just about labor; the Hebrew word translated "humiliated" points to a deep disrespect that sought to strip them of their dignity. It wasn't just physical hardship, but a crushing of their spirit and identity as God's chosen people.
As the Israelites prepare to bring their first harvest offerings into the promised land, they are instructed to recount their history. This confession starts not with Abraham, but with Jacob, who was a wandering Syrian. They then recall their descent into Egypt, their growth into a great nation there, and the terrible oppression and harsh slavery the Egyptians imposed upon them. This difficult past sets the stage for acknowledging God's miraculous deliverance and the gift of the land they now inhabit.
As the Israelites prepare to bring their first harvest offerings into the promised land, they are instructed to recount their history. This confession starts not with Abraham, but with Jacob, who was a wandering Syrian. They then recall their descent into Egypt, their growth into a great nation there, and the terrible oppression and harsh slavery the Egyptians imposed upon them. This difficult past sets the stage for acknowledging God's miraculous deliverance and the gift of the land they now inhabit.
"And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. And the LORD brought us…" — This verse reveals that the harsh treatment wasn't just about labor; the Hebrew word translated "humiliated" points to a deep disrespect that sought to strip them of their dignity. It wasn't just phy…
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Last reviewed October 2026
