Years turned into centuries.
The golden age of Joseph faded like a memory whispered across the sands. The Pharaohs who once honored his wisdom died, and a new king rose , one who looked upon the children of Israel and saw not friends… but fear.
He gazed from his balcony at the fields where Israelites worked tirelessly under the sun. "They are too many," he said to his council. "If war should come, they might side with our enemies. No, we must weaken them before they rise."
And so the cruelty began.
***
The Chains of Egypt
What was once friendship became slavery. The Israelites built Pharaoh's cities , Pithom and Raamses , their sweat mixing with the dust of the bricks they made.
The overseers were merciless, their whips singing through the air. Yet, the more Pharaoh tried to crush them, the more they multiplied. The Hebrews whispered among themselves at night: "Where is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?"
Pharaoh grew enraged. He summoned his advisors and said, "If the men cannot be broken, then the children must be stopped." His eyes hardened like stone. "Every male child born to the Hebrews shall be thrown into the Nile."
It was a dark decree , one that painted the river red with innocent cries.
***
A Hidden Child
In the midst of fear, a Levite woman gave birth to a son. His cries were soft, yet they carried the weight of destiny. For three months she hid him, wrapping him in silence, praying he would not be found.
When she could hide him no longer, she made a small basket of reeds, coated it with tar and pitch so it would float , and placed her baby gently inside. Her heart trembled as she set the basket among the reeds of the Nile.
Her daughter, Miriam, followed at a distance, watching with wide eyes. The basket swayed with the river's rhythm , a tiny ark carrying the hope of a nation.
Then, footsteps echoed. A royal procession approached , Pharaoh's daughter. She knelt beside the water and saw the basket. When she opened it, the baby's tears met her compassion.
"This must be one of the Hebrew children," she said softly. Then she smiled through tears. "But he shall not die."
She named him Moses, meaning "drawn out of the water."
***
The Boy Who Watched
Miriam stepped forward bravely and said, "Shall I find someone to nurse him for you?"
Pharaoh's daughter agreed, and Miriam ran to bring her mother , the same woman who had let her baby go. Moses' own mother nursed him until he was old enough to live in Pharaoh's palace.
Thus, the child destined to challenge the empire was raised in the heart of its power.
***
Moses in the Palace
Years passed. Moses grew into a man of learning and strength. His Egyptian tutors taught him wisdom, war, and leadership , yet deep inside, he could never forget the songs his mother once hummed about the God of Israel.
He saw the pain of his people , their bent backs, their bloodied hands ,and the memory of the whip haunted him.
One day, while walking among the laborers, Moses saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew slave. Something inside him broke. He looked left and right , no one was near. In a flash of anger, he struck the Egyptian down and buried him in the sand.
The next day, he saw two Hebrews fighting. "Why do you strike your brother?" he asked.
One of them sneered, "Who made you ruler over us? Will you kill me like you killed the Egyptian?"
Moses froze. The word had spread.
When Pharaoh heard, his fury roared through the palace. "Bring me Moses! He shall die for his treachery!"
Moses fled that night , into the wilderness, alone, the stars his only witnesses.
***
The Desert Years
Days turned into weeks as Moses wandered the desert, hungry and weary. At last, he came to the land of Midian, where he rested by a well.
There, he saw shepherds harassing the daughters of a priest named Jethro. Moses rose, his old courage returning, and defended them.
Jethro, grateful, welcomed him into his home. Moses found peace for the first time in years , he married Zipporah, one of Jethro's daughters, and became a shepherd himself.
He thought his story was over. That the God of his ancestors had forgotten him.
But destiny was not finished.
***
The Mountain of Fire
One ordinary day, as Moses led his flock near Mount Horeb, he saw something strange , a bush that burned with fire… yet was not consumed.
He stepped closer, curiosity in his eyes. Then a voice, deep and eternal, echoed from the flames:
> "Moses, Moses."
***
He fell to his knees. "Here I am."
> "Do not come closer. Remove your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your fathers , the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
***
Moses covered his face in awe.
> "I have seen the misery of My people in Egypt. I have heard their cries. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people out of bondage."
Moses trembled. "Who am I to go to Pharaoh?"
> "I will be with you," said the voice. "And when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship Me on this mountain."
Moses hesitated again. "What shall I say if they ask, 'Who sent you?'"
The fire burned brighter, and the voice thundered:
> "I AM WHO I AM. Tell them I AM has sent you."
Moses bowed low, trembling , a shepherd chosen to challenge a king.
***
A Return to Egypt
As the flames dimmed, Moses looked at his staff. It seemed ordinary , yet when God told him to throw it down, it became a serpent. When he lifted it again, it was wood once more.
"This," said the voice, "will show Pharaoh that I am the Lord."
So Moses returned to Egypt with his brother Aaron. Together, they stood before Pharaoh , now older, colder, crueler.
Moses raised his staff and spoke with the power of heaven:
> "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Let My people go."
Pharaoh laughed. "Who is this God that I should obey Him? The Hebrews are lazy ,double their labor!"
And the whip cracked again. But Moses did not waver. He understood now , not just his purpose, but his God.
***
End of Chapter 11
The fires of destiny had been lit.
The staff was ready.
The plagues, the miracles, and the liberation of a nation — all waited just beyond the next sunrise.
And for the first time in generations, the Israelites dared to hope again.