21. Moses, the Prince

Moses grew up among the riches of the Egyptian Pharaoh. He knew that although he lived in the king's palace, he was an Israelite and he had pity on his people. The king was still treating them very badly.

One day, Moses secretly killed an Egyptian when he was beating one of the Israelite slaves. But some Israelites knew it and may speak it out.

Moses' secret was no longer safe. If the king were to catch him now, he would be killed. So Moses fled to a nearby land called Midian. One day he helped seven sisters who were treated badly by a well. The girls were very grateful and their father asked Moses to come stay with them.

Moses became a shepherd for the father. He stayed with the family and eventually married one of the sisters.

Moses liked going out into the fields to look after his father-in-law's sheep. One day he took them to graze on the tender grass at the bottom of Mount Sinai. There he saw a bush that was covered with flames.

Moses looked closer at the bush. The flames burned hot but the bush was not burning! A voice began to speak to him from

"Moses!" the voice said. "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."

Moses hid his face for he was very much afraid.

"I know the terrible things that are happening to my people in Egypt," God said. "I have come to save them. You will lead my people back to the Promised Land of Canaan, Moses."

"I am not strong and wise enough to do such a thing," said Moses.

"Certainly, I will be with you," God said.

"But how will they know that?" asked Moses.

God told Moses to take the stick he was holding and throw it on the ground. When he did, the stick turned into a snake.

"Pick it up by its tail," God told Moses.

He did, and the snake turned back into a stick.

"I will give you the power to show these and other signs to the people so they will know I have sent you," God said.

On the way to Egypt, Moses met his brother Aaron and told him about all the things God had said. They went first to the Israelite leaders to give them God's message.

The people of Israel were very thankful that the Lord had sent someone to help them.

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