Moses and his brother Aaron stood before Pharaoh, the god king of Egypt.

They said, " The Lord God of Israel commands you to let His people go, so that they may worship Him in the Desert." Pharaoh was not impressed. "Who is your God to command me," he bellowed and sent Moses and Aaron away.

The next morning as the Pharaoh and all his officials were offering prayers to the great god of the Nile, two figures approached. It was Moses and Aaron again. They shouted out to Pharaoh. 'The Lord God of Israel says that because you did not listen, you will now see that He alone is God". Aaron raised his staff and struck the water. Immediately, the Nile became a river of blood. Pharaoh fled back to his palace.

For a week there was no clean water in all of Egypt. The fish in the Nile died and the river began to stink.

Moses and Aaron returned to Pharoah.

"The Lord God of Israel says 'Let my people go!' " But still, Pharoah would not listen. So, once again, Aaron struck the Nile with his staff. The blood in the river cleared, but only to reveal millions and millions of frogs. They clambered out of the river and into every house in Egypt, including Pharaoh's palace.

Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. "Rid my country of these frogs," said Pharaoh, "and tomorrow I will let your people go into the desert to worship your god." Moses prayed to God and all the frogs died. But Pharoah did not keep his promise.

So Aaron, following God's instructions, took up his staff and struck the ground. Everywhere across Egypt, the dust on the ground turned into fleas, which infested the Egyptians and their animals. But, still, Pharoah would not keep his promise.

Then God sent swarms of flies which filled every house in Egypt, including Pharoah's palace.

"Why can't you worship your God here in Egypt?" Pharoah asked Moses and Aaron. "That's not what the Lord our God commands us to do," they replied. "As He wishes," Pharoah said, "Now pray for me!"

Moses prayed to God and immediately all the flies disappeared. But, once again, Pharaoh changed his mind and would not let the Jews go.

The next day, God sent a terrible disease on all the farm animals belonging to the Egyptians and they all died. But not one animal belonging to the Jews became sick.

"I will not let your people go!" Pharoah called out.

The next morning, the people of Egyptian woke to find that boils had broken out all over their bodies and the bodies of their animals. The pain from the boils was even worse the next day when God sent hailstones the size of rocks showering down upon Egypt. The hailstones killed people and animals and flattened houses and crops in the field. But the hail did not fall where the Jews lived.

Pharoah begged for the hail to stop. But when the hail had stopped, Pharoah did not keep all of his promise. "Only the men may go!" he said. "Your women and children must stay behind."

Then God sent a swarm of locusts, which ate everything that the hail had not destroyed.

"I have sinned against the Lord your God and to you," Pharoah confessed to Moses and Aaron. "Now drive away these locust and go!"

But, for the fourth time, when the plague was lifted, Pharoah went back on his word. As a result, the country of Egypt was plunged into darkness for three days.

Pharoah called for Moses and Aaron.

"I've changed my mind," he announced. "Your women and children can go with you, but your animals must stay behind in Egypt."

When Moses protested, Pharoah became furious. "Get out of my palace!" he screamed. "And never come here again. If you do, you will die!"

"As you wish," said Moses, "I will never come here again".

Then he went on to tell the king the terrible punishment which lay ahead.

"At midnight tonight, the Lord God shall go through the land of Egypt and every first born son of every Egyptian and every Egyptian animal will die. The son of the Egyptian woman who grinds your corn will die, as will your own son, oh great and mighty Pharaoh. Then all the people of Egypt, from the highest to the lowest, will grovel in the dust before me, and say, 'Go!' Then we will go."

Moses stormed out of the palace and hurried back to his people. Following God's instructions, he ordered them to prepare to leave Egypt. They were to have a final meal of roast lamb and bread. After they had killed their lambs, they were to paint the door frames of their houses with the blood. Because time was short, they were not to leave the bread to rise. They were to eat this final meal, standing up, fully dressed, fully packed and ready to leave Egypt for good.

At midnight, God killed all the first born sons in the land of Egypt, but he passed over the houses of the Jews, so that no Jewish child or animal died.

In the night a grieving Pharaoh sent a message to Moses and Aaron. "Go!"

The Jews left Egypt immediately and headed for the Sea of Reeds, where they set up camp. Yet again, Pharaoh changed his mind and taking six hundred of his best chariots, he chased after the Jews.

There was no escape for the Jews. Either, they would be hacked to pieces by the Egyptian army or they would drown in the Sea of Reeds. They began to panic and shout at Moses.

But Moses remained calm and shutting his ears to the voices of the people and listening instead to the voice of God, he lifted his staff. To the utter amazement of the crowd, the sea divided leaving a strip of dry ground for them to cross over.

By the time Moses and all the people had crossed, the Egyptian army had reached the sea. They followed the Jews across the sea on the strip of dry land. But when they were half way across, Moses lowered his staff and the waters crashed down upon them, drowning them all.

At last, the Jews were free. Free from slavery and Pharoah's broken promises. But free to do what? To go where? They would have to trust God to tell them.