Moses

A long time ago in Egypt the pharaoh decided that the Hebrew's were multiplying to quickly and he thought, as there were so many they might revolt. So he made it the law that every son born to a Hebrew would be fed to alligators. Soon after that law was made a Hebrew slave had a baby and it was a boy. The baby was called Moses. To save him from certain death she wove a basket from reeds and pushed Moses into the River Nile. Her daughter followed Moses to make sure nothing happened to him. Before long the basket Moses was in floated to the place where the pharaoh's sister was bathing. Catching sight of the basket she looked into it and saw the baby. Quickly she gave him to one of her maids and went to ask her brother, the pharaoh if she could keep him. Although Moses was a Hebrew boy the pharaoh agreed to let his sister raise Moses as her own. Realising what had happened, Moses' sister ran back and told her mother who then went and got a job as Moses' nurse. Moses was raised as an Egyptian and grew up content with his lot in life. Then one day Moses saw an Egyptian slave worker beating a Hebrew slave and angrily attacked the guard. After the scuffle Moses realised he had killed the slave worker and needed to escape before anyone realised. As Moses needed to escape he went to his brother, Aaron, for help. Aaron provided him with a camel and Moses rode of into the desert. Moses met an old shepherd tending his flock of sheep and told him why he had run away. After he had explained the shepherd let him stay and help tend the sheep. Time moved on and one of Moses' sheep ran away. To recover the sheep he climbed a sheer, rock-strewn mountainside. When he reached the top of the mountain he caught sight of a burning bush. Then someone spoke, "Moses, remove you're sandals, you are standing on holy ground," Moses removed his shoes and then enquired to know the owner of the voice. The voice spoke to him, telling him who it was, "I was of the god of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I am your god and the god of the Israelites. I want you to take them from the land of Egypt into the desert and set them free from the brutal reign of the pharaoh." Moses was uncertain of his ability though and questioned god's wisdom. "I am not gifted with the power of words. Will they listen to me? And how will they trust me if I have no signs to show them?" God answered all his queries, "Aaron, your brother, is gifted with good speaking ability and shall be your speaker. I shall give you and the Hebrews signs to show that all is well. Now go and lead them from Egypt," Then, before Moses could question god in more detail, god went. So Moses left the desert and went back to Egypt. He gathered all the Hebrews, including his brother and Aaron spoke, "Brothers, god has come to Moses. He says it is time we leave Egypt and gain our freedom. Will you help us?" After some debate the Hebrews agreed to have a try at freedom. To begin with Moses went to the house of the pharaoh and said "Let my people go." The pharaoh didn't want to lose the Hebrews as they were slaves and he didn't have to pay them to work so he replied, "No, I will not let the slaves go free." And Moses threw down his stick and it turned into a snake, but the pharaoh called his magicians and they threw down their staffs, which also became snakes. Then Moses' snake ate the other snakes but pharaoh refused to let the Hebrews go. The next day Moses and Aaron went to meet the pharaoh at the River Nile. Then Aaron took the stick and held it out over the River and all the water in the River, canals ponds and even jars and pots became blood. The fish died and the river was unclean, so the Egyptians could not drink from it. A week passed and the river turned back to water. Then Moses went back to the pharaoh and ordered, "Let my people go or I will fill Egypt with frogs. They will come into the Nile and into your storehouses and buildings and bedchambers and even your beds. Let my people go." And the pharaoh said, "No, I will not let your people go," Then Moses made frogs come up and cover the land of Egypt. Still the pharaoh would not let his the Hebrews go. Then Moses went to the pharaoh and sad, "Your land will be overcome with flies. They will cover the ground, your animals and your people. They will destroy your land. Let my people go," and even then the pharaoh refused. So Moses left the kings presence and summoned the flies. Then the flies covered the country and the land was brought to ruin. Then Moses came upon the pharaoh and said "A hailstorm such as Egypt has never seen will wreak havoc on you and your people. Hail will fall and everything left in the open will die," Then some Egyptians took their animals and people to shelter, others however paid no heed and they were struck down by hail and lightning. Then Moses said, "Let my people go." And pharaoh said "No," so Moses said, "Egypt will be permeated with locusts, they will cling to the food and eat the trees. They will enter your houses and destroy your property," then he left and locusts swarmed through Egypt, destroying everything in their path. However, the pharaoh still would not let the Hebrews go and the locusts went. Then Moses said, "Disease will be brought upon your animals. Every one of them will die. Let my people go," The pharaoh ignored what Moses had said and disease was wrought upon the Egyptian animals. Then Moses said, "Darkness will smother Egypt, people will be unable to leave their houses or do their work. The darkness will be so thick they can feel it." But the pharaoh wouldn't let the slaves go and for three days and three nights the Egyptians could not see each other and couldn't leave their houses. Finally, as the pharaoh would still not let the Hebrews go, Moses went to the pharaohs palace and said "The firstborn son of all Egyptians will die. Even yours. If the Egyptians have no son the firstborn daughter will die. No one will be spared the death of a child." But the pharaoh was in denial and yelled in annoyance, "Stop bothering me! Go and make your bricks like you're supposed to!" then Moses called a meeting of all Hebrews "Each family must kill a lamb and daub it's blood over the door of your houses. You must then roast the lamb and eat it with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast. You must roast it whole and none of it can be eaten raw or boiled. You must not leave any of it, if you do you must burn theses remains. You must be ready to leave." The Hebrews departed to complete the commands of Moses. At midnight that night the Lord moved through the house taking the lives of the firstborn. If he came upon a house marked with blood he passed over it and went on into the other houses. By morning every firstborn Egyptian child was dead and the Egyptians were in a state of mourning. Moses went to see the pharaoh. He found the pharaoh in the great hall, weeping. He was cradling his son, his firstborn in his arms. "Go," he hissed, "Depart from this country. Take everyone and leave, before we are all dead." The Hebrew's were free.