Digging Up the Bible: Egyptian Brickmaking

DIGGING UP THE BIBLE
Important Archeological Finds that help Us Understand Scripture
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Linda Manuel—1996
 

Egyptian Brickmaking—Rekh-mi-Re Tomb Painting
(14^th century BC)

When we consider the Book of Exodus, we usually think of Moses, the Red Sea, Israel's escape from bondage, and Mt. Sinai. Before God rescued the Israelites, however, the people had to make bricks. The Egyptians enslaved the Israelites after the death of Joseph and forced the people to build great storage facilities:

They put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor the Egyptians used them ruthlessly. (Exod 1:11-14)

The Israelites had to make bricks, and the method they employed was already centuries old. They mixed dry clay with water, added chopped straw, pressed it into a mold, and left it in the sun. As the mixture dried, the straw began to decompose, releasing certain chemicals which made the clay stronger, more plastic and homogeneous. That was the normal procedure, until their taskmasters gave the people different instructions:

Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people: "You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies." Then the slave drivers and the foremen went out and said to the people, "This is what Pharaoh says: 'I will not give you any more straw. Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all." So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. (Exod 5:6-12)

Making bricks without straw caused them to dry brittle and more likely to break. The slaves had to produce a daily quota of usable bricks and faced severe punishment if they failed to meet it, so the Israelites had to make a greater number than usual:

The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, "Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw." The Israelite foremen appointed by Pharaoh's slave drivers were beaten and were asked, "Why didn't you meet your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?" Then the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: "Why have you treated your servants this way? Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, 'Make bricks!' Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people." Pharaoh said, "Lazy, that's what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, 'Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.' Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks." The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, "You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day." (Exod 5:13-19)

This painting is from the tomb of Rekh-mi-Re in Thebes (see map below). He was Vizier of Upper Egypt for Thut-mose III (1490-1436 B.C.), who may have been the Pharaoh of Israel's enslavement. The tomb painting shows the main participants in the brickmaking process, including the task masters with whips and clubs (lower right). The hieroglyphs indicate that the workers are foreign captives, perhaps Israelites.

 

Significance for Biblical Studies: The Rekh-mi-Re Tomb Painting of Egyptian Brickmaking adds support for a conviction that the Bible preserves an accurate record of ancient events and practices. It also serves as a reminder that God did not abandon His people. As He says repeatedly:

I will remember the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of Egypt in the sight of the nations (Lev 26:45).

I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you (Ezek 16:60).

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