Moshe Navi Ben Amram (“Alexander Hamilton”)

[PHAROAH]

How does a Hebrew, poor man, son of a slave and a

Bondsman, born to nothing in a

Rigged system of Imperial oppression

Fished from the Nile river

Grow up to be a prophet and a leader?

[AARON]

The adoptee grew up free so he could free

His fam’ly’s people working by Pharaoh’s decree

A crime of the first degree

While Egypt sat carefree

No one knew, exactly who this boy would grow to be.

[MIRIAM]

And every day while slaves were being slaughtered and carted

Around along the land, he watched and stood at Pharaoh’s hand

Not knowing, he’d have died at the Pharaoh’s command

If the midwives hadn’t saved him or his mother hadn’t planned.

[YOHEVED]

Then an overseer struck a slave down on his luck

Our man took a stand against the overlording schmuck

Hit him hard enough to kill him, buried him in sandy muck

But then there was no way home-- yeah our guy was truly stuck

[PHAROAH]

Well the word got around, they said, “This kid is insane, man!

Took on a new people and he overthrew our game plan!

Dropped his titles but he can’t just choose a new clan,

So c’mon, tell us who you became. What’s your name, man?”

[MOSES]

Moshe Navi ben Amram

My name is Moshe Navi ben Amram

And there’s a million things I haven’t done

22

But just you wait, just you wait...

[TZIPPORAH]

When he was born his mother tucked, him away, so he’d stay

Hidden away from pharoah’s ruthless soldiers ‘til the day

Until he cried too loud to hide, locked inside

[COMPANY]

So Moshe went floating with his sister beside

[JETHRO]

Drawn out of the water, the water of the river Nile

Nursed by his loving Mother awhile, learned of the Jews’ exile

The stories of:

[JETHRO]

Hashem, Avot v’imahot

[COMPANY]

Hashem, Avot v’imahot

[JETHRO]

When he grew older he remembered to let them have a vote.

[PHARAOH]

There woulda been nothin’ left to say

About a lesser man

He woulda grown up Egyptian not

questioned the pharaoh’s masterplan

Instead he grew, knew that something

just wasn’t right

Started seeing the slaves’ agony and

finally saw the light

Takin’ on the system of pharaoh’s

hierarchy

Breakin’ the conventions of egyptian

oligarchy

He ran far away, headed for a new land

In Midyan you can be a new man

[COMPANY]

In Midyan you can

Be a new man—

In Midyan you can

Be a new man—

[COMPANY]

Takin’

Breakin’

Oooh...

[MOSES]

Just you wait!

Just you wait!

[COMPANY]

In Midyan you can be a new man—

[WOMEN]

In Midyan—

23

[MEN]

Midyan—

[MOSES]

Just you wait!

[COMPANY]

Moshe Navi ben Amram

We are waiting in our chains for you

You couldn’t stay gone

You’d never let your people down!

Oh, Moshe Navi ben Amram

When The Holy Land sings for you

Will they know what you overcame?

Will they know you rewrote the game?

The world will never be the same, oh

[PHARAOH]

The well is in the distance now

See if you can spot it

He’ll meet Tzipporah there

And find a place where he’ll fit

His life will become simpler ‘til

The burning bush gets all lit

[COMPANY]

Moshe Navi ben Amram

We are waiting in our chains for you

You’d never let your people down!

Oh, Moshe Navi ben Amram

Moshe Navi ben Amram...

The Holy Land sings for you

Will they know what you overcame?

Will they know you rewrote the game?

The world will never be the same, oh

[MEN]

Just you wait

[COMPANY]

Just you wait

[YOHEVED/MIRIAM]

We watched for him

[AARON]

Me? I spoke for him

[JETHRO]

Me? I trusted him

[TZIPPORAH]

Me? I loved him

[PHARAOH ]

And me? I’m the damn fool that fought him

24

[COMPANY]

There’s a million things I haven’t done

But just you wait!

[PHAROAH]

What’s your name, man?

[COMPANY]

Moshe Navi ben Amram!


haggadah Section: -- Exodus Story