Moses: A Short Story

One day, an old man named Shaul said to his grandson Simeon "It is time you learned the story of our people. I want to tell you about a tragic time for the Israelites, the time we spent in Egypt. and a great man named Moses who saved us from slavery. "I was only a boy then, just about your age," Shaul started. "All of the Israelites were slaves to the terrible Pharaoh, ruler of Egypt. Everyone, even the children, worked all day and into the night, making bricks to build Pharaoh's city. "One day I saw Moses walking proudly to Pharaoh's palace," said Shaul. "I was such a curious boy then I dropped my work and crept away. I wanted to hear what this brave man had to say. Let God's people go!' Moses told Pharaoh. "Set them free, or God will surely
"Days later I woke up to hear a strang rumbling throughout the city. When I listened more closely, it sound like croaking. I looked outside and saw the land was covered with frogs! They were in the river, over the roads, on the rooftops, in the wells, and all over Pharaoh's palace! It was an amazing sight!" "Where did they come from Simeon asked his grandfather. "Moses had warned Pharaoh that many terrible plagues would fall over Egypt if God's people were not set free," Shaul explained. "This was one of those plagues. It was not the first sign that God sent to Egypt, and it would not be the last. Pharaoh promised to set the Israelites free, if only Moses would ask God to take the frogs away. But when the frogs were gone, Pharaoh broke his promise. "God sent swarms of flies upon Egypt, he made the Egyptians cattle sick, he pounded the land with hailstorms, and he took away the sunshine. Each time these tragedies fell on Egypt, Moses went to Pharaoh and demanded, "Let God's people
"What happened? How did you survive asked Simeon. "It is not a happy story, but I will tell you now," said Shaul. "We walked through the hot desert with very little to eat for many months. We suffered greatly, but still we sang to God and prayed, and he provided food for us. "Then one day Moses told everyone to wait for him, and he climbed up to a mountaintop. He said he was going to talk to God. He was gone for a long time. Some of the Israelites did not want to wait. Finally Moses returned with two tablets containing the laws that God had spoken to him. They were Ten Commandments from God, and we still follow them today." "I know them all, Grandfather said Simeon proudly. "You taught them to