What Did Slavery in Egypt Really Mean?

As late as the 18th century, taxes in much of Europe were often paid in the form of labor, known as corvée. Ziony Zevit argues that this was the form of bondage Egypt imposed on the Israelites, as described in the opening chapter of the book of Exodus, read in synagogues tomorrow. He finds evidence, inter alia, in the statement that the Egyptians placed over the Israelites “taskmasters [literally officials of missim] to afflict them with their burdens.”