Moses: Leads the Israelites out of Egypt

1. Moses:Leads the Israelites out of Egypt • Using this PowerPoint presentation, you will: • know about how Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt • begin to understand the significance of the Passover for Jewish people • be aware of why the festival of Sukkot is a special time for Jews

2. The Israelites had been in Egypt for 400 years. Pharaoh, the extremely powerful king, was using them as slaves. God had spoken to Moses from the burning bush. Moses returned to Egypt to ask Pharaoh to let the Israelites go free. Pharaoh sent Moses away. Pharaoh didn’t want to let the slaves go free. He made them work harder, making bricks for buildings. If they didn’t work hard he had them whipped and beaten. Life for the Israelites became unbearable.

3. Moses returned again and asked Pharaoh to let his people go. Again Pharaoh ignored him. God turned the water in the River Nile to blood. For seven days no one could drink the water. The smell of rotten, dead fish was vile. Pharaoh didn’t let the Israelites go.

4. Moses again asked Pharaoh to let his people go. Again Pharaoh ignored him. Pharaoh would not listen. Suddenly masses of frogs came out of the river. They went everywhere – in houses, beds, tables and in food. Pharaoh didn’t let the Israelites go.

5. Moses repeatedly asked Pharaoh to let his people go. Pharaoh refused to listen so many more plagues descended on Egypt. Lice caused people and animals to itch and scratch. Swarms of flies covered everyone and everything. Only the Israelites had no flies around them. The Egyptians came out in boils and sores, which caused them great pain. Great storms of hailstones fell on Egypt. They were so big they caused lots of destruction and the death of Egyptians and animals. Masses of locusts covered the land. They ate every plant and green leaf. Still Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go.

6. When the plagues came Pharaoh would often agree to let the Israelites go. But once the plagues had gone he would then change his mind. The ninth plague was when a darkness covered the land of Egypt. People could not see anything for three days. Pharaoh became very stubborn. He would not let the Israelites go. God decided there would be one more final plague to hit Egypt. This would then force Pharaoh to let the Israelites go.

7. After the plague of darkness, Moses asked Pharaoh one last time to let the Israelites go, warning Pharaoh there would be one last plague. • Moses said the eldest child in every Egyptian family would die. Pharaoh still refused to listen. • God asked Moses to tell the Israelites to get ready to leave. • Each family was to kill a lamb. • They were to paint the doorposts of their houses with the blood. • The families had to stay indoors, dressed in their outdoor clothes ready to leave quickly. • They had to roast the lamb quickly and eat it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. (bread with no yeast)

8. At midnight, God’s angel passed through the land of Egypt. The eldest child in every Egyptian family died. The Egyptians cried out in pain at the death of the firstborn. When the angel of death went over the Israelites houses and saw the blood on the doorposts he “passed over” and no one inside died. Pharaoh was so upset and distressed he ordered Moses leave Egypt and to take the Israelites with him! Quickly they gathered their things together and left Egypt, after 400 years. They were now on their way back to their homeland of Canaan.

9. When leaving Egypt Moses told the Israelites to never forget the special night when God saved them all from slavery. To remember this, every year they were to take a lamb and kill it, putting its blood on their doorposts. When their children asked why they did this people were to explain what happened in Egypt. This annual celebration, called the Passover, is still kept by Jewish people today.

10. Designed and Created by: Beth Davies Ysgol Penrhyn. New Broughton. Wrexham. June 2008