Behold, the people of Israel are too many, come let us deal shrewdly with them,...

Explanation

The question is asking about the first step taken by the new king of Egypt towards the Israelites. The statement Behold, the people of Israel are too many, come let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply... suggests that the king was concerned about the growing numbers of the Israelites, and wanted to reduce their population. The question is asking which action the king took as his first step.

Option A states that the king cast all Hebrew male children into the Nile. This is not the correct answer to the question. It is true that the king did order the killing of Hebrew male children, but this was not his first step.

Option B suggests that the king imposed heavy tax on the Israelites. This is also not the correct answer to the question. While it is possible that the king may have imposed taxes on the Israelites, this was not his first step towards dealing with their growing numbers.

Option C states that the king killed all Hebrew male children. This is not the correct answer to the question. While it is true that the king did order the killing of Hebrew male children, this was not his first step.

Option D is the correct answer to the question. The king's first step was to set taskmasters over the Israelites to afflict them with burdens. This meant that the Israelites were forced to work hard labor, which was meant to weaken them and reduce their numbers.

It is important to note that the Israelites were eventually enslaved by the Egyptians, and that this oppression lasted for many years. This is an important part of the history of the Israelites, and highlights the importance of freedom and human rights in the Christian faith.

To learn more about this, please read the relevant sections of the recommended textbooks.