Poole, Reginald S.: The cities of Egypt (London, 1882)

PITHOM.

107

(who prescribes to them) the works, and gives directions
to the masters. (They are rewarded) with wine and all
kinds of good dishes; they perform their service with a
mind full of love for the king; they build for Thothmcs
III. a holy of holies for (the gods) ; may it be rewarded
to him through a range of many endless years.' The
overseer is made to say, ' The stick is in my hand, be
not idle.' Very aptly Dr. Brugsch quotes these two
passages of Scripture : ' They did set over them task-
masters (superintendents of works) to afflict them with
their burdens' (Exod. i. n); 'And the taskmasters
hasted (them), saying, Fulfil your works, (your) daily
tasks' (v. 13). Pharaoh's retort to the complaint of
the Hebrew overseers, ' Ye (are) idle, idle' (ver. 17),
is even more pointedly illustrative of the text of our
picture.

These captives were engaged in two separate labours,
the building of a provision-house, and of a sanctuary.
(Brugsch, 'History,' 2 ed. i., p. 417 foil.) The chief work
here is brick-making and building with bricks. In the
narrative of Exodus, nothing is said of any other
labour : quarrying is, however, mentioned traditionally.
The great bulk of Egyptian building was with brick ;