The Prince Of Egypt

After reading several Biblical Stories from THE BIBLE AS IN LITERATURE, and viewing the animated picture, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, I have realized that there are many significant differences that change the meaning of the message being sent through these works. The story of Moses is told through both of these works of literature. Although they are telling the same story they are different in many ways. The first difference that caught my attention is Moses? encounter with the burning bush. Another difference between the two, are the ways that they show many miraculous works being performed. By contrasting the significant changes of these two works it is simple to see how God?s relationship with Moses, and the way he shows his power through Moses, effects the meaning behind the story.

While watching over his father in- law?s flock, Moses? attention is drawn to a burning bush. The reason this bush catches his attention is because the bush is on fire , but it is not burning up. "And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt" (Exodus 3:2,3). When God saw that Moses? attention was attracted to the bush, he began to talk to Moses saying, "Moses, Moses!? Do not come near; put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground" (112). By saying this God was saying to him that he is now in the presence of the Lord. Moses obeys what God tells him, and then God Continues to tell him that he is the chosen one. After hearing this Moses fears that he is not the right man for the job. He feels as though the people will not Listen to him, and he also fears that he will not know what to say or do. ?Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring forth my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt? But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?? (Exodus3 :10,11). Hearing this, God promises Moses that he will always be with him and tell him everything to say and do. He said, "But I will be with you??(112). Then Moses says to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" (112). God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And then he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"(Exodus 3 :14) God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you': this is my name for ever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. » (exodus 3 :15)?. Moses I still doubting God and he feels that if he goes to the people of Isreal, and tell them everything God has said that they will want to know who had sent him. God tells Moses to say to them that he is the Great I Am. This is refered to as aseity. This basically means that God exist because he exist.

All of those things that are evident in The Bible, are evident in the movie, The Prince Of Egypt. The only difference is that at the burning bush Moses? attention is drawn to the bush because he sees somewhat of a smoley substance. In the movie this smoky substance represents God. The showing the smoke around the bush, proves that the film maker interpreted the Bible differently than what was maybe attended. Never in The Bible did it say that God appeared to Moses as a cloud of smoke. The Bible only say that God spoke to Moses from the burning bush. The movie depicts God as more of a visible figure, rather than a spirit. This is significant because most people that believed in God in The Bible were depending on their faith. While in the movie, it could illustrate that people believed in God because they could see him, and knew he was there.

Another difference between the Bible and the Movie, is how God?s works are depicted. This means that in The Bible it is more focused on God using Moses to make things happen. While on the other hand, the movie illustrates Moses as doing all of these things by using his rod. In the Bible it clearly states that God gave Moses the power to do all of these marvolous acts. With the help of God, moses was able to turn the see into blood, bring many palgues upon Egypt, split the sea so that they couls escape the Egyptians, and much more. In The Bible, Moses speaks of God , and to prove how powerful God is to Pharoah God turns Moses? rod into a snake. God cast Plagues upon Egypt because phaoroah will not let God?s people go. Pharoah does not believe in the higher power that Moses speaks of. This results in God turning the sea into blood. God does this through Moses. He says to him, « Say to Aaron," Take your rod and stretch out over the rivers of egypt?that they may become blood, and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt? " (118). After this, " ?the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts ;so Pharoahs heart remained hardened and he would not listen to them" (118). As a result the Lord sent more Plagues. He sent swarms of frogs,gnats,flies,and locusts ; boils and cattle disease ; hail,a nd finally daylong darkness. Still Phaorah refused to let God"s people go. God also warned them that there would be another plague that is far worst than any he has sent. "Yet on plague more will I bring upon Pharoah and upon Egypt ;afterwards he will let you go hence?"(118). After this God went throughout Egyprt and killed the first born in every family. He spared his people, and told them to sacrifice a lamb, and to smear the blood over the door. This is known as the passover. After this, Pharoah lets Gods people go because his son is killed, and he now believes. While the Isrealites are leaving from Egypt, they notice that Pharoahs army is right behind them ready to attack. Once again God gives Moses the power to split the sea. Moses and his followers run through, and when the Egyptians try to follow they are swallowed up by the sea.

Of Course all of these events took place, but in the movie they are illustrated much differently. In the movie everything that God did in the Bible, seems to be done by Moses. It seems that moses turns the water to blood, and send the plagues. It is depicted that Moses Splits the sea. In the movie it all just seems that Moses did all these things for God, but without the help of God.

The contrasting between The Bible, and the motion picture, The Prince Of Egypt, is evident in the paragraphs above. The significance of the burnig bush, and God?s relationship with moses, as well as the way God uses his powers through Moses are changed from the text to the movie. The movie takes the text and it adds more, or takes away from what was originally said. This could take away from illustrating the original message. For example, the burning bush in the text proves that people believed in God just because of their faith. They had no choice because they could not see him. While in the movie, God is depicted many times as something like a cloud of smoke. This makes an individual believe that people believed in God because they could see his existencce. This is just one way that proves that the slight changes made from the text to the movie, effects the siginficance of the whole story.