Exodus ‘Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.’ Read the quotation above about the Bible story of Moses. 1. 2. 3. 4. Identify an example of a simile in the quotation above. List all the adjectives used in the quotation above. List all the verbs used in the quotation above. List all the nouns used in the quotation above. Stretch: What imagery does the writer use here? Why might this be? How is it effective? What do you know about the Biblical figure of Moses? If you’re unfamiliar with this figure, what can you surmise from the images? Discuss your ideas with a partner. Be prepared to talk for 20 seconds. Make use of the connective ‘Furthermore’ in your speech. Exodus For many years, the Jews had been slaves in Egypt. They were treated with great cruelty by their Egyptian masters. The Egyptians were afraid that the Jews might try to take over the country, so they decided that they must get rid of all Jews in Egypt. As part of this, they ordered that all baby boys should be killed at birth. Moses was not killed, because his mother hid him in a basket by the side of the river. He was found by the Pharaoh’s daughter. She took him back to the palace and brought him up as if he were her own son. When Moses grew up, he saw that the Jews were being very badly treated. One day he lost his temper and killed a slave-driver who had beaten a Jew to death. Then he had to leave Egypt, or he too would have been killed. After being away for 40 years, Moses saw a strange site in the desert, a bush on fire, but the fire did not consume the bush. When Moses went to investigate more closely, he encounters God, speaking to him through the bush. God had a mission for Moses. Moses was to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and take them to Canaan, the promised land God had promised their ancestor Abraham. Moses takes this call seriously, but timidly, and God, trying to help Moses has Moses take his older brother Aaron along for support. God makes Moses like God and Aaron like God’s prophet as they approach Pharaoh. The Pharaoh did not want to let the Jews go, but a series of disasters, known as the Ten Plagues, happened in Egypt. Moses told the Pharaoh that these plagues were sent by God, and after the tenth plague the Pharaoh agreed to free the Jews. Famously, Moses is said to have parted the Red Sea in order to help his people escape from Pharoh. Plague 1 Plague 2 Plague 3 Plague 4 Plague 5 Plague 6 Plague 7Plague 8 Plague 9 Plague 10 - River water turned to blood Frogs Lice Flies Death of livestock Boils Hail Locusts Darkness Death of the firstborn The Prince of Egypt (1998) - The 10 Plagues Scene (6/10) | Movieclips - YouTube This Bible story is where we get saying ‘a plague of locusts’. Write a description of YOUR experience of the ten plagues, as one of the following: • Pharaoh • Moses • An ordinary Egyptian Plague 1 - River water turned to blood Plague 2 - Frogs Plague 3 - Lice Plague 4 - Flies Plague 5 - Death of livestock Plague 6 - Boils Plague 7 - Hail Plague 8 - Locusts Plague 9 - Darkness Plague 10 - Death of the firstborn Think of a new plague which could have been visited upon Egypt and describe its effects. Exodus The Jews’ troubles were not over even after they had left Egypt. They spent the next 40 years wandering from place to place looking for the ‘Promised Land’. They were nomads. These are called the years in the wilderness. A wilderness is like a desert where not very much grows. Eventually they found their way to the country called Canaan, and this became their home. During the years when they were wandering, Moses was the Jews’ leader. Jews believe that whilst they were in the wilderness, God gave Moses the Torah, the teaching which Jews follow. The teaching is very important for Jews, because it is part of their agreement with God. This agreement is a very serious one. It is called the Covenant. God promised that the Jews would be the ‘chosen people’. This does not mean that they would be his favourites. It means that they were chosen to be given extra responsibilities. God would look after them but, in return, the Jews must obey the laws which God gave, the Commandments. In Jewish history, this is remembered as God’s second promise to the Jews. The first promise was to Abraham – God promised that Abraham would be the father of a great nation. The second promise was to Moses – God would take special care of the Jews, if they obeyed his laws. What are your views of The Ten Commandments? Do you think they all still apply to the modern world? Would you alter any and how? How might the Exodus story have been influential to literature? What themes or ideas in the story might have influenced or inspired writers? Why? Exodus The story of Exodus is one which has influenced many examples of literature. Why do you think this might be? If a text describes a person as being ‘cast into the wilderness’ what might that suggest? If a text describes a place as ‘the promised land’ what might this imply? If a character is compared to Moses, what might this suggest? If something is described as being like ‘parting the Red Sea’ what might this imply? • What knowledge have you learnt today? • What skills have you learnt/developed today? • How has your previous learning helped you in today’s lesson?
