The Hebrews lived fruitfully and multiplied until their came a Pharaoh that feared them. To control the Hebrews, Pharaoh declared them slaves and set taskmasters over them.

The more the taskmasters oppressed and made bitter their lives, the more the Hebrews multiplied in the land. Then Pharaoh ordered the firstborn Hebrew males thrown into the river.

To save her baby, one mother put her son afloat on the river in a basket. He was found by Pharaoh's daughter and was raised in the palace. His name was Moses.

For 40 years Moses was raised as a prince of Egypt. One day he saw a taskmaster mistreating a Hebrew slave. Moses went to the slave's defense and struck down the taskmaster. He thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not, so Moses fled and became a shepherd in Midian.

After 40 years as a shepherd in Midian, Moses was drawn over to a bush that was on fire but not burning up. God spoke to Moses through the bush, telling him His name"I AM" and His plan to deliver the Hebrews as He had promised Abraham He would.

Moses went back to Egypt to deliver God's word to encourage the slaves and warn the Egyptians. Ex 9:13-17 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Get up up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews says: Let my people go so that they may worship me or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the face of the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth'." But Pharaoh chose to make life harder for the slaves.

"I AM" sent Moses to Pharaoh with plagues to reveal the power of "I AM" over the power of Pharaoh and to tell Pharaoh to let  His people go. Pharaoh refused.


haggadah Section: -- Exodus Story