What Cities Did the Israelites Build?
When the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, Scripture records that Pharaoh subjected them to harsh labor in order to suppress their growth and exploit their manpower. One of the clearest descriptions of their forced construction work appears in Exodus 1:11, which states:
“So they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses.”
These cities—Pithom and Raamses—play an important role in understanding the nature of Israel’s oppression and Egypt’s infrastructure during that era.
1. Pithom: A Royal Storage and Distribution Center
Location and Historical Identity
Pithom (also spelled Per-Atum) is typically identified with Tell el-Maskhuta in the eastern Nile Delta. The name means “House of Atum”, referencing the Egyptian sun god Atum.
Purpose of the City
Pithom served as:
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A store city, where grain, food provisions, and military supplies were kept
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A strategic supply depot along the eastern frontier of Egypt
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A support center for trade and military expeditions heading toward the Sinai and Canaan
The Israelites’ forced labor likely involved:
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Constructing storage buildings with thick brick walls
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Building ramps, foundations, and city fortifications
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Digging irrigation canals essential for the city’s function
Historical Significance
Egyptian records speak of fortified supply cities in this region, confirming the biblical picture of settlements used to sustain troops and manage trade routes. Pithom may have been one such center during the Ramesside period.
2. Raamses: A Major Royal City in the Delta
Origins and Name
The second city the Israelites built is Raamses, sometimes spelled Rameses or Ramesses. It is commonly associated with Pi-Ramesses, meaning “House of Ramesses”, named after Pharaoh Ramesses II.
It is identified with Qantir and Tell el-Dab‘a in the northeastern Nile Delta.
Purpose of the City
Raamses was:
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A royal capital during the 19th and 20th Egyptian dynasties
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A military stronghold, housing chariot forces
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A central administrative complex
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A logistics and storage city with large granaries
The labor force needed would have been immense. The Israelites’ slavery indicates:
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Brick-making under harsh conditions
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Construction of storehouses, stables, and garrisons
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Expansive civic and industrial infrastructure, including canals
Why Is Raamses Significant Biblically?
Raamses is also mentioned as the place where the Israelites began their journey during the Exodus (Exodus 12:37). Its prominence underlines how deeply their labor was woven into Egypt’s power structure.
Why Were These Cities Important to Pharaoh?
Pharaoh’s motivations included:
1. Controlling Israel’s Population
By giving the Israelites heavy labor, he sought to weaken them and curb their growth (Exodus 1:10–11).
2. Expanding Egypt’s Military Power
Store cities ensured stable supply lines for troops guarding Egypt’s eastern frontier.
3. Strengthening Economic Infrastructure
Grain storage, trade routes, and administrative functions increased Egypt’s wealth.
4. Displaying Royal Power
Building monumental cities was a common method for pharaohs to showcase their might and legacy.
The Symbolism of These Cities
Pithom and Raamses symbolize:
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The depth of Israel’s suffering under oppression
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The magnitude of Egyptian imperial demands
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The stage upon which God would soon demonstrate His power by delivering Israel
Their construction highlights the injustice the Israelites endured and sets the backdrop for the dramatic events of the Exodus.
Conclusion
The Israelites, under oppressive Egyptian slavery, built two significant cities:
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Pithom – a fortified storage and supply city
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Raamses – a major royal and administrative center in the Nile Delta
These cities not only reflect the Israelites’ suffering but also illustrate the vast scale of Egyptian state projects and the strategic importance of the eastern Delta. The forced labor in building Pithom and Raamses laid the historical and theological foundation for God’s intervention and the eventual liberation of His people.