They lived separately and followed their own ways and were very fruitful. About two hundred years had passed since Joseph had brought his brothers down into Egypt, and now they were a mighty horde, a nation within a nation. And the Egyptians began to fear that the Israelites would grow mightier yet, and take their country away from them. A young Pharaoh was on the throne, and he hated and feared the Israelites. He spoke to his captains, saying, “That Hebrew of the old tale bewitched Pharaoh and stole his throne, and he took crops and cattle and sold them back to the people in the time of famine at an enormous profit. Yea, that Hebrew, that foul enchanter did bring all his kinsmen down from Canaan into our land, where they occupy the best acres and breed like rats and consume the harvest. We must master these Israelites or we perish. For two hundred years now, they have lived off the fat of the land. Yes, truly, they have eaten us down to the very bone. Now we will make them disgorge what they have eaten.
