Moses and the Exodus

A long time ago, the Israelites lived in Egypt and were treated very poorly by the Pharaoh. He made them work as slaves.

One day, a baby named Moses was born. To keep him safe from the Pharaoh’s order to kill all Hebrew baby boys, his mother put him in a basket and left him in the river. The Pharaoh’s daughter found him and raised him as her own.

As Moses grew up, he learned he was an Israelite. One day he saw an Egyptian hurting an Israelite and, in anger, killed the Egyptian. Worried about being caught, Moses ran away to Midian.

In Midian, Moses became a shepherd. One day, he saw a bush that was burning but didn’t burn up. God spoke to Moses from the bush and told him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

Moses was scared, but God gave him power to do miracles, like turning his staff into a snake. God told Moses to return to Egypt and ask the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go.

When Moses went to the Pharaoh, he refused. To show His power, God sent ten plagues on Egypt, such as frogs and darkness. The last plague was the death of the firstborn sons in every Egyptian home, but God saved the Israelites by marking their doors with lamb’s blood. This tradition is called Passover.

Finally, the Pharaoh let the Israelites go. Moses led them out of Egypt, and they crossed the Red Sea, which God made part for them. After they crossed, the sea returned and drowned the Pharaoh’s army.

The Israelites wandered in the desert for many years, during which God gave Moses the Ten Commandments to follow.

Eventually, Moses led them to the edge of the Promised Land, but he didn’t enter it. His helper, Joshua, would take them into the land they were promised.