"And they set over him taskmasters" (Exodus 1:11). It should have said "over them." This teaches that they brought a brick-mold and hung it upon Pharaoh's neck, and to every Israelite who said, "I am delicate," they said to him, "Are you more delicate than Pharaoh?" "And they set over him taskmasters" [meaning] a thing that sets bricks upon him, "to afflict him" [to afflict] Pharaoh "with their burdens" the burdens of Israel. "And he built storage cities (arei miskenot)": Rav and Shmuel [differ]. One said they endanger (mesakkenot) their owners; the other said they impoverish (memaskenot) their owners, for the Master said: whoever occupies himself with building becomes impoverished. "Pithom and Raamses": one said Pithom was its name, and why was it called Raamses? Because the first part kept crumbling away (mitrosses). The other said Raamses was its name, and why was it called Pithom? Because the first part the mouth of the deep (pi tehom) swallowed it. "But the more they afflicted him, so he multiplied and so he spread out" (Exodus 1:12) it should have said "so they multiplied and so they spread out." Rabbi Reish Lakish said: the Holy Spirit was announcing to them, "So shall he multiply and so shall he spread out." "And they were disgusted because of the children of Israel": this teaches that they were like thorns in their eyes.
The Brickwork of Slavery and the Cities of Pithom and Raamses
Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 162:14
(שמות א יא) וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלָיו שָׂרֵי מִסִּים, 'עֲלֵיהֶם' מִבָּעְיָא לֵיהּ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ מַלְבֵּן וְתָלוּ לְפַרְעֹה בְּצַוָּארוֹ וְכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁאוֹמֵר אִסְטְנִיס אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לוֹ, כְּלוּם אִסְטְנִיס אַתָּה מִפַּרְעֹה, וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלָיו שָׂרֵי מִסִּים, דָּבָר שֶׁמֵּשִׂים עָלָיו לְבֵנִים, לְמַעַן עַנֹּתוֹ לְפַרְעֹה בְּסִבְלֹתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיִּבֶן עָרֵי מִסְכְּנוֹת, רַב וּשְׁמוּאֵל, חָד אָמַר שֶׁמְּסַכְּנוֹת אֶת בַּעֲלֵיהֶן. וְחָד אָמַר שֶׁמְּמַסְכְּנוֹת אֶת בַּעֲלֵיהֶן. דְּאָמַר מַר, כָּל הָעוֹסֵק בְּבִנְיָן מִתְמַסְכֵּן. אֶת פִּתֹם וְאֶת רַעַמְסֵס, חָד אָמַר פִּתֹם שְׁמוֹ, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ רַעַמְסֵס שֶׁרִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן מִתְרוֹסֵס. וְחָד אָמַר רַעַמְסֵס שְׁמוֹ, וְלָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ פִּתֹם, שֶׁרִאשׁוֹן רִאשׁוֹן פִּי תְּהוֹם בְּלָעוֹ. (שמות א יב) וְכַאֲשֶׁר יְעַנּוּ אֹתוֹ כֵּן רַבּוּ וְכֵן פָּרְצוּ מִבָּעְיָא לֵיהּ, אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מְבַשָּׂרְתָן כֵּן יִרְבֶּה וְכֵן יִפְרֹץ. וַיָּקֻצוּ מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ בְּעֵינֵהֶן דּוֹמִים כְּקוֹצִים.