Bricks and brickmaking in the Bible

• At Babel: 'Let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly'Gen 11:3
  The verses

  Gen 11:3And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” So they used brick instead of stone, and tar instead of mortar.
• They used brick instead of stone, and tar instead of mortarGen 11:3
  The verses

  Gen 11:3And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” So they used brick instead of stone, and tar instead of mortar.
• Ezekiel drew the city of Jerusalem on a brickEzek 4:1
  The verses

  Ezek 4:1“Now you, son of man, take a brick, place it before you, and draw on it the city of Jerusalem.
• David put the Ammonites to work at the brick kilns2 Sam 12:31
  The verses

  2 Sam 12:31David brought out the people who were there and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and axes, and he made them work at the brick kilns. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.
• Jeremiah buried stones in the brick pavement of Pharaoh's palace at TahpanhesJer 43:9
  The verses

  Jer 43:9“In the sight of the Jews, pick up some large stones and bury them in the clay of the brick pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace at Tahpanhes.
• A boast in Isaiah: 'The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with stone'Isa 9:10
  The verses

  Isa 9:10“The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with finished stone; the sycamores have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.”
• Isaiah mentions incense burned on altars of brickIsa 65:3
  The verses

  Isa 65:3to a people who continually provoke Me to My face, sacrificing in the gardens and burning incense on altars of brick,
• Nahum to Nineveh: 'Tread the mortar; repair the brick kiln!'Nah 3:14
  The verses

  Nah 3:14Draw your water for the siege; strengthen your fortresses. Work the clay and tread the mortar; repair the brick kiln!

In Egypt

• The Israelites' lives were made bitter with work in brick and mortarExod 1:14
  The verses

  Exod 1:14and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.
• They built the store cities Pithom and RamesesExod 1:11
  The verses

  Exod 1:11So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.
• Pharaoh: no more straw, but the same quota of bricksExod 5:7–8
  The verses

  Exod 5:7–8“You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw. But require of them the same quota of bricks as before; do not reduce it. For they are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
• The people scattered over Egypt to gather stubble for strawExod 5:12
  The verses

  Exod 5:12So the people scattered all over the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw.
• The Israelite foremen were beaten for missing the quotaExod 5:14
  The verses

  Exod 5:14Then the Israelite foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over the people, were beaten and asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as you did before?”
• 'No straw has been given, yet we are told: Make bricks!'Exod 5:16
  The verses

  Exod 5:16No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
• 'You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks'Exod 5:18–19
  The verses

  Exod 5:18–19Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.” The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.”