Moses reported the condition of his fellow Hebrews during the time that Pithom and Raamses were under construction. They were tasked to make daily quota of bricks. Pharaoh's taskmasters (nogesim) set over them Hebrew foremen (saresim), who would received made bricks from Hebrew slaves.
"Therefore they did set over them
sare-missim [directors of forced labour]
to afflict them with their burdens. And they built store-cities, Pithom and Raamses, for Pharaoh.
... made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour." - Exodus 1:11,14
"And the taskmasters [nogesim] hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. And the
soterim [foremen]
of the descendants of Israel, which Pharaoh's
nogesim [taskmasters]
had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?
"Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tally of bricks. And the
šōṭərê [officers]
of the descendants of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task." - Exodus 5:13,14,18-19
That there was a daily quota of brick-making is evident in the Papyrus Anastasi 3, written in 1211 BCE:
"Total, 12 building jobs. Likewise, the men are making bricks in their spells of duty, bringing them for work in the house. They are making quota of bricks daily." -P. Anastasi III, Verso 3:1-3
The scenario of lacking straw to make bricks by Semitic workers to build store-city Pithom is proved true by the scientists who conducted scientific studies in the Pithom of Rameses in Tel el-Retabeh. This only means that Moses is accurate in his report, although many are rejecting this confirmation.
Adding to his accuracy is the rigorous making of bricks during the Year 5 of king Rameses II in 1275 BCE that we can discern from the
‘Louvre Leather Roll,"
which records 40 stablemasters (probably the nogesim), who were superior of saterim (foremen). Each foreman might have 10 or so workers under him.
"The Great Stable of Rameses (II) Meryamun ...
Yupa son of Urhiya, (target) 2000 bricks: 660 arrived, 410 arrived, 560 arrived. Total, 1630; deficit, 370. ...
Year 5, 1st month of Shemu [Summer], Day 2; copy of receipt of bricks from.. (someone)..."
From Days 2 to 6, the totalled made bricks is 12,390, and from Days 9 to 14 is 15,200.
Each worker has a target of 2000 bricks, and these should be given to the 40 taskmasters in charge of brick-production, which may imply a total of 80,000 bricks.
In the Leather, Paherypedjet son of Paser failed to deliver his quota of 2000 bricks. The record of king Rameses II (1275 BCE) gives us insight that brickmakers are identified by the name of their fathers, similar indication given by Moses in naming those who were involved in petitioning to pharaoh for their 3 days off. For example, Yupa could be a believer of "Yah" for his father's name is "Urhi-Ya."
This practice was continued until in 1230 BCE when Moses intervened for the Hebrew workers, probably citing a law about rest days.
As what we can learn in columns 8-9 in Louvre Leather Roll inscription, there were no brick-deliveries were made on Days 1, 7 and 8 of the 1st month of Shemu, as for example the Day 1 of that month was the date of the feast of the goddess Renenutet. This harvest festival and other feast days made workers "idle" as they have "to offer to their gods," and that's possibly why the pharaoh was cautious of allowing additional holidays. The wise answer of the pharaoh is that he did not know YHWH, that is, no holiday for God YHWH.
Moses knew the law of that time and without hesitation he requested 3-days off for a feast of the Hebrew God, YHWH (Exo. 5:1). This may imply that while it's allowed to have rest on the Days 1, 7, and 8, then there's no hard thing to give YHWH's people 3-day rest, too.
"And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus says YHWH God of Israel, Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness.
And Pharaoh said, Who is YHWH, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not YHWH, neither will I let Israel go.
And they said, The God of the Hebrews has met with us: let us go, we pray thee, 3 days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto YHWH our God; lest He fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying,
Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves." -Exodus 5:1-7
NOTES:
Kenneth A. Kitchen, The Bring The Brick - Fields of Egypt.
