"There are too many Israelis here," they said discontentedly. "If we are not careful, they will take over Egypt soon."
Later, a new Pharaoh inherited the throne.
"If I let all Israelis go to work," he said, "they will become weak and tired, so they won't get into any trouble."
So the cruel slave owners forced the Israelites to make bricks and dragged heavy stones to build Pharaoh's cities and temples.
But it seems that there are still many Israelis in Egypt. Pharaoh decided to pass a cruel law.
"All Israeli boys must be killed at birth." He announced.
Shortly thereafter, an Israeli woman named Jochebed gave birth to a baby boy.
"I don't want them to kill my children," she cried to her husband. "We must save him."
"We can't hide a child." Her husband asserted, "He will cry and the soldiers will find him."
But Jokibe has a plan. She made a cradle out of rushes and then painted it with tar to make it waterproof. Then she put the sleeping baby in the cradle and walked along the Nile. She found a hiding place among the reeds by the river, put the cradle there and let it float gently on the water.
"God will keep my precious son safe," she said to her daughter Miriam who came with her. "You stay here and see what happens?"
When Jochebed came home, Millie hid in the reeds and watched. Soon, she heard laughter and chatting. A Pharaoh's daughter and her servant are walking by the river.
Suddenly, Pharaoh's daughter noticed the cradle.
"Look!" She shouted, "There is a cradle among the reeds. There is also a baby inside. "
A servant waded into the water and picked up the cradle. The baby was awakened by this sudden move and began to cry.
"Poor little boy," Pharaoh's daughter gently picked up the crying baby from the cradle and said, "He must be an Israeli. I'm willing to keep him. I hope someone can take care of him. "
She spoke so kindly that Miriam felt brave enough to come out of her hiding place and talk to the princess.
"I know someone who can take care of him," miriam said. "I'll bring her."
Miriam ran home and brought her mother. They hurried back to the river.
"My name is Jochebed," Miriam's mother said. "My daughter told me that you found a baby hidden in the reeds. I am very willing to take care of him. "
"Thank you," said the princess. She didn't realize that she was talking to the baby's biological mother. "I'm glad you did. Then when he grows up, I want you to take him to the palace. He grows up just like my son. I will call him Moses. "
Jokibe is of course happy. Her clever plan came true better than she imagined. No one dares to kill her child now, because he is already the son of one of Pharaoh's daughters.
Jochebed took Moses home to take care of him. The boy is growing up healthily and happily. When he was old and sensible, Jochebed told him how God saved him from death. She also told him that one day God would free the Israelites from terrible slavery.
The day finally came when Moses entered the Pharaoh's palace. The princess was very satisfied with her excellent and young son and thanked Jokibe for taking such good care of him.
"Dress him in the most gorgeous clothes," she ordered. "I hope he will grow up to be like an Egyptian prince. He must get all the best things. "
Moses got a luxurious chariot and was treated like a prince. The tutor came to the palace to teach him to read and write. However, Moses did not forget that he was an Israelite. He never worships the strange Egyptian animal head god.
Every time he walked out of the palace, he felt very sad when he saw Israeli slaves working hard in the scorching sun.
"One day I will help my people." He thought.
As Moses became more and more mature, he became more and more angry at the way his people were treated. One day, when he was driving a chariot through the countryside, he saw an Egyptian kill an Israeli. Moses was furious and jumped out of the car and killed the Egyptian. When he calmed down, Moses felt very ashamed of the terrible things he had done. He looked around as if no one had seen the murder, so he buried the body in the sand.
The next day Moses went out again. He was surprised to see two Israelis fighting.
"Stop!" He shouted, "You shouldn't fight. You are all Israelis."
"Who do you think you are to tell us what to do?" An Israeli asked rudely, "Do you want to kill us, just like you killed the Egyptian yesterday?"
Moses was frightened. Someone saw what he did yesterday. He knew that his terrible behavior would soon reach the ears of Pharaoh.
It's obvious what will happen. Pharaoh was very angry when he learned that Moses had killed an Egyptian. He wanted to execute Moses.
Moses knew that if he stayed in Egypt, he would be killed. So he immediately fled to the wilderness of Midian.
Soon after, he met the shepherd Jethro. Moses became Jethro's friend. He lives with Jethro's family and helps to look after their large flock of sheep and goats. Finally, he married Jethro's daughter.
Although Moses is now a humble shepherd, he still has to face many adventures. Although he has committed a crime, he has become God's chosen one. Many years later, he led the Israelites to leave Egypt and reach the promised land.