Crushing harshness — pitiless, breaking labor (Exodus 1:13, 14). KJV 'with rigour'; NWT 'under tyranny.' A rare, heavy word (also Leviticus 25's law against ruling a fellow Israelite be-farekh, 'with harshness') — the opposite of the discipline a father gives; this is cruelty made a system. → first discussed at Gen 1:13