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The Birth of Moses
In Exodus 1:8-2:10, a new Pharaoh came to power in Egypt and feared the growing number of Israelites, so he made them slaves and ordered that all Hebrew baby boys be killed. But one mother hid her baby boy for three months. When she could no longer keep him safe, she placed him in a basket and set it in the Nile River. Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby, felt compassion, and adopted him, naming him Moses.
Moses Flees to Midian
In Exodus 2:11-25, Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s palace but saw the suffering of his fellow Israelites. One day, he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave and, in anger, killed the Egyptian. When Pharaoh found out, Moses fled to Midian to save his life. There, he helped some women at a well and was welcomed into their family, marrying one of them. Meanwhile, the Israelites cried out to God because of their suffering, and God heard them.
God Calls Moses
In Exodus 3:1-22, while Moses was tending sheep, he saw a bush that was on fire but didn’t burn up. When he went closer, God spoke to him from the bush, telling him to go back to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of slavery. Moses felt unqualified, but God assured him, “I will be with you.” God also revealed His name, “I AM,” showing that He is eternal and unchanging.
God Gives Moses the Strength to Lead
In Exodus 4:1-17, Moses was afraid and doubted that people would listen to him, so God gave him signs to prove that he was sent by Him. God turned Moses’ staff into a snake and made his hand diseased and then healed it. Still, Moses worried about his speaking ability, so God told him that his brother, Aaron, would help him. Despite Moses’ fears, God promised to be with him.
Pharaoh Rejects Moses’ Request
In Exodus 5:1-23, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him that God said, “Let My people go.” But Pharaoh refused and instead made the Israelites’ work even harder by forcing them to make bricks without providing straw. The Israelites became angry with Moses, blaming him for their suffering. Moses cried out to God, wondering why things had gotten worse instead of better.
God Reassures Moses
In Exodus 6:1-13, God reminded Moses that He had a plan to free the Israelites from slavery. He told Moses that He had heard their suffering and would rescue them with great power. God promised to bring them to the land He had given to their ancestors. But when Moses told the Israelites, they were too discouraged to believe him. Even Moses doubted himself, but God commanded him to go back to Pharaoh.
God Shows His Power to Pharaoh
In Exodus 7:1-14, God sent Moses and Aaron back to Pharaoh to demand the release of the Israelites. To prove that God had sent them, Aaron threw down his staff, and it turned into a snake. Pharaoh’s magicians did the same, but Aaron’s snake swallowed theirs, showing God’s greater power. Still, Pharaoh refused to listen. Then, God told Moses that He would send plagues to show His might.
The First Plagues Strike Egypt
In Exodus 7:15-9:7, God began sending plagues to show His power and demand that Pharaoh release the Israelites. First, He turned the Nile River into blood, but Pharaoh still refused to listen. Then came a plague of frogs, followed by gnats and flies, yet Pharaoh’s heart remained stubborn. God then struck Egypt’s livestock, but He protected the animals of the Israelites. Despite these clear signs, Pharaoh still would not let the people go.
More Plagues and Pharaoh’s Stubbornness
In Exodus 9:8-10:29, God sent more plagues on Egypt because Pharaoh refused to free the Israelites. Painful boils broke out on the Egyptians, then a terrible hailstorm destroyed crops and animals. Next, swarms of locusts ate everything left, and darkness covered the land for three days. Each time, Pharaoh either refused to listen or changed his mind after promising to let the Israelites go.
The Final Plague and Israel’s Freedom
In Exodus 11:1-10; 12:29-36, God warned that one final plague would come—the death of every firstborn in Egypt. The Israelites were told to mark their doorposts with lamb’s blood so that death would pass over their homes. That night, every Egyptian firstborn, including Pharaoh’s son, died. In great sorrow, Pharaoh finally let the Israelites go. The Egyptians even gave them gold and silver as they left.