The great prophet-rock and for-ko-no-da-tel from-ra-il-chan pro-is-ho-dil from the ko-le-na of Le-vi-i-na. He was born in Egypt near 1570 BC and was raised to the age of fa-ra-o-na. In all his actions and actions, Mo-and-se was an instrument in the hands of the All-highest. Mo-and-hey was a man to whom God revealed the secrets of existence: the creation of the world and man . On Mount Si-nai, he received 10 of His commandments from God. By the power of God he created great signs and miracles. He lived for 120 years in the country of Mo-avit. He was buried in the valley near Beth-the-mountain, but “no one knows the place of his burial even to this day” ().

The books of the Bible tell us about the life of Mo-and-Sei - Exodus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

Kontakion of the Prophet Moses

The prophetic face with Moses and Aaron rejoices today with joy, / for the end of their prophecy has been fulfilled on us; / today the Cross shines, through which you saved us. / Through those prayers, Christ God have mercy on us.

Translation: The assembly of the prophets with Moses and Aaron today joyfully triumphs, since the result of their prophecies has been fulfilled on us: today the Cross by which we are saved shines. According to their prayers, Christ our God, have mercy on us.

One of the central events of the Old Testament is the story of Moses, the salvation of the Jewish people from the power of the Egyptian Pharaoh. Many skeptics are looking for historical evidence of the events that took place, since in the biblical account there were many miracles performed on the way to the Promised Land. However, be that as it may, this story is quite entertaining and tells about the incredible liberation and resettlement of an entire people.

The birth of the future prophet was initially shrouded in mystery. Almost the only source of information about Moses was the biblical writings, since there is no direct historical evidence, there is only indirect evidence. In the year of the prophet’s birth, the ruling Pharaoh Ramses II ordered all newborn children to be drowned in the Nile, since, despite the hard work and oppression of the Jews, they continued to be fruitful and multiply. Pharaoh was afraid that one day they might side with his enemies.

That is why Moses’ mother hid him from everyone for the first three months. When this was no longer possible, she tarred the basket and placed her child there. Together with her eldest daughter, she took her to the river and left Mariam to see what happened next.

God wanted Moses and Ramses to meet. History, as mentioned above, is silent about the details. The basket was picked up by the pharaoh's daughter and brought to the palace. According to another version (which some historians adhere to), Moses belonged to the royal family and was the son of that very daughter of Pharaoh.

Be that as it may, but future prophet ended up in the palace. Miriam, who had observed whoever lifted the basket, offered Moses' own mother as a nurse. So the son returned to the family for a while.

Life of a Prophet in the Palace

After Moses grew up a little and no longer needed a nurse, his mother took the future prophet to the palace. He lived there for quite a long time, and was also adopted by the pharaoh's daughter. Moses knew what kind of person he was, he knew that he was a Jew. And although I studied the same as other children royal family, but did not absorb cruelty.

The story of Moses from the Bible shows that he did not worship the many gods of Egypt, but remained faithful to the beliefs of his ancestors.

Moses loved his people and suffered every time he saw their torment, when he saw how mercilessly every Israelite was exploited. One day something happened that forced the future prophet to flee Egypt. Moses witnessed the brutal beating of one of his people. In a fit of rage, the future prophet snatched the whip from the hands of the overseer and killed him. Since no one saw what he did (as Moses thought), the body was simply buried.

After some time, Moses realized that many already knew what he had done. Pharaoh orders the arrest and death of his daughter's son. History is silent about how Moses and Ramses treated each other. Why did they decide to try him for the murder of the overseer? You can take into account different versions of what happened, however, most likely, the decisive thing was that Moses was not an Egyptian. As a result of all this, the future prophet decides to flee Egypt.

Flight from Pharaoh and the further life of Moses

According to biblical data, the future prophet headed to the land of Midian. The further history of Moses tells of his family life. He married the daughter of the priest Jethro, Zipporah. Living this life, he became a shepherd and learned to live in the desert. He also had two sons.

Some sources claim that before marrying, Moses lived for some time with the Saracens and had a prominent position there. However, it should still be taken into account that the only source of the narrative about his life is the Bible, which, like any ancient scripture, over time acquired a certain allegorical touch.

Divine revelation and the appearance of the Lord to the prophet

Be that as it may, but biblical story It tells about Moses that it was in the land of Midian, when he was tending flocks, that the Lord was revealed to him. The future prophet was eighty years old at this time. It was at this age that he encountered a thorn bush on his way, which blazed with flames but did not burn.

At this point, Moses was instructed that he must save the people of Israel from Egyptian power. The Lord commanded to return to Egypt and take his people to the promised land, freeing them from long-term slavery. However, the Almighty Father warned Moses about difficulties on his way. So that he had the opportunity to overcome them, he was given the ability to perform miracles. Because Moses was tongue-tied, God ordered his brother Aaron to help him.

Return of Moses to Egypt. Ten Plagues

The history of the prophet Moses, as a herald of God's will, began on the day when he appeared before the Pharaoh, who ruled at that time in Egypt. This was a different ruler, not the one from whom Moses fled at one time. Of course, Pharaoh refused the demand to release the Israeli people, and even increased the labor obligation for his slaves.

Moses and Ramses, whose history is more obscure than researchers would like, clashed in a confrontation. The prophet did not accept the first defeat; he came to the ruler several more times and ultimately said that God’s punishment would fall on the Egyptian land. And so it happened. By the will of God, ten plagues occurred that fell on Egypt and its inhabitants. After each of them, the ruler called on his sorcerers, but they found Moses’ magic more skillful. After each misfortune, Pharaoh agreed to let the people of Israel go, but each time he changed his mind. Only after the tenth did Jewish slaves become free.

Of course, the story of Moses did not end there. The Prophet still had years of travel ahead of him, as well as confrontation with the unbelief of his fellow tribesmen, until they all reached the Promised Land.

The establishment of Passover and the exodus from Egypt

Before the last plague that befell the Egyptian people, Moses warned the people of Israel about it. This was the killing of the firstborn in every family. However, the forewarned Israelites anointed their door with the blood of a lamb no older than one year, and the punishment passed them by.

On the same night the celebration of the first Easter took place. The story of Moses in the Bible tells of the rituals that preceded it. The slaughtered lamb had to be roasted whole. Then eat while standing, with the whole family gathered. After this event, the people of Israel left the land of Egypt. Pharaoh, in fear, even asked to do this quickly, seeing what happened at night.

The fugitives came out at first dawn. The sign of God's will was a pillar, which was fiery at night and cloudy during the day. It is believed that this particular Easter eventually transformed into the one we know now. The liberation of the Jewish people from slavery symbolized exactly this.

Another miracle that happened almost immediately after leaving Egypt was the crossing of the Red Sea. At the command of the Lord, the waters parted and dry land formed, along which the Israelites crossed to the other side. The pharaoh who chased them also decided to follow along the bottom of the sea. However, Moses and his people were already on the other side, and the waters of the sea closed again. This is how Pharaoh died.

The covenants that Moses received on Mount Sinai

The next stop for the Jewish people was Mount Moses. The story from the Bible tells that on this path the fugitives saw many miracles (manna from heaven, springs of spring water appearing) and became stronger in their faith. Ultimately, after a three-month journey, the Israelites came to Mount Sinai.

Leaving the people at its foot, Moses himself climbed to the top for the instructions of the Lord. There a dialogue took place between the Father of All and his prophet. As a result of all this, the Ten Commandments were received, which became basic for the people of Israel, which became the basis of legislation. Commandments were also received that covered civil and religious life. All this was written down in the Book of the Covenant.

The Israelite People's Forty-Year Desert Journey

The Jewish people stood near Mount Sinai for about a year. Then the Lord gave a sign that we needed to move on. The story of Moses as a prophet continued. He continued to bear the burden of mediating between his people and the Lord. For forty years they wandered through the desert, sometimes living for a long time in places where conditions were more favorable. The Israelites gradually became zealous fulfillers of the covenants that the Lord gave them.

Of course, there were outrages. Not everyone was comfortable with such long journeys. However, as the story of Moses from the Bible testifies, the people of Israel still reached the Promised Land. However, the prophet himself never reached it. Moses had a revelation that another leader would lead them further. He died at the age of 120, but no one ever found out where it happened, since his death was a secret.

Historical facts confirming biblical events

Moses, whose life story we know only from biblical accounts, is a significant figure. However, is there official data that confirms his existence as a historical figure? Some people think all this is just a beautiful legend, which was invented.

However, some historians are still inclined to believe that Moses is a historical figure. This is evidenced by some information contained in the biblical story (slaves in Egypt, the birth of Moses). Thus, we can say that this is far from a fictional story, and all these miracles actually happened in those distant times.

It should be noted that today this event has been depicted more than once in cinema, and cartoons have also been created. They tell about heroes such as Moses and Ramses, whose history is little described in the Bible. Special attention the cinema focuses on the miracles that happened during their journey. Be that as it may, all these films and cartoons educate and instill morality in the younger generation. They are also useful for adults, especially those who have lost faith in miracles.

God sends us all to each other!
And, thank God, God has many of us...
Boris Pasternak

Old world

Old Testament history, in addition to a literal reading, also requires a special understanding and interpretation, for it is literally filled with symbols, prototypes and predictions.

When Moses was born, the Israelites lived in Egypt - they moved there during the lifetime of Jacob-Israel himself, fleeing famine.

Nevertheless, the Israelites remained strangers among the Egyptians. And after some time, after the change of the pharaoh dynasty, local rulers began to suspect a hidden danger in the presence of the Israelis in the country. Moreover, the people of Israel have increased not only quantitatively, but also their specific gravity in the life of Egypt constantly increased. And then the moment came when the concerns and fears of the Egyptians regarding aliens grew into actions consistent with this understanding.

The pharaohs began to oppress the Israeli people, dooming them to hard labor in quarries, building pyramids and cities. One of the Egyptian rulers issued a cruel decree: to kill all male babies born in Jewish families in order to destroy the tribe of Abraham.

This entire created world belongs to God. But after the Fall, man began to live by his own mind, his own feelings, moving further and further away from God, replacing Him with various idols. But God chooses one from all the peoples of the earth in order to use his example to show how the relationship between God and man develops. After all, it was the Israelites who had to keep faith in one God and prepare themselves and the world for the coming of the Savior.

Rescued from the water

Once in a Jewish family of descendants of Levi (one of Joseph's brothers), a boy was born, and his mother for a long time hid it, fearing that the baby would be killed. But when it became impossible to hide it any longer, she wove a basket of reeds, tarred it, put her baby there and launched the basket along the waters of the Nile.

Not far from that place, the daughter of Pharaoh was bathing. Seeing the basket, she ordered it to be fished out of the water and, opening it, found a baby in it. Pharaoh's daughter took this baby to her and began to raise him, giving him the name Moses, which translated means “taken out of the water” (Ex. 2.10).

People often ask: why does God allow so much evil in this world? Theologians usually answer: He respects human freedom too much to prevent a person from doing evil. Could He make Jewish babies unsinkable? Could. But then Pharaoh would have ordered them to be executed in a different way... No, God acts more subtly and better: He can even turn evil into good. If Moses had not set off on his voyage, he would have remained an unknown slave. But he grew up at court, acquired skills and knowledge that would be useful to him later, when he freed and led his people, saving many thousands of unborn babies from slavery.

Moses was brought up at the court of Pharaoh as an Egyptian aristocrat, but he was fed milk by his own mother, who was invited to the house of Pharaoh’s daughter as a nurse, for Moses’ sister, seeing that he was taken out of the water in a basket by the Egyptian princess, offered the princess services to care for the child to his mother.

Moses grew up in the house of Pharaoh, but he knew that he belonged to the people of Israel. One day, when he was already mature and strong, an event occurred that had very significant consequences.

Seeing the overseer beating one of his fellow tribesmen, Moses stood up for the defenseless and, as a result, killed the Egyptian. And thus he placed himself outside of society and outside the law. The only way to escape was to escape. And Moses leaves Egypt. He settles in the Sinai desert, and there, on Mount Horeb, his meeting with God takes place.

Voice from the thorn bush

God said He chose Moses to save the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Moses had to go to Pharaoh and demand that he release the Jews. From a burning and unburnt bush, a burning bush, Moses receives a command to return to Egypt and lead the people of Israel out of captivity. Hearing this, Moses asked: “Behold, I will come to the children of Israel and say to them: “The God of your fathers has sent me to you.” And they will say to me: “What is His name?” What should I tell them?

And then God for the first time revealed his name, saying that his name is Yahweh (“Existing One,” “He Who Is”). God also said that in order to convince unbelievers, He gave Moses the ability to perform miracles. Immediately, by His order, Moses threw his rod (shepherd's stick) to the ground - and suddenly this rod turned into a snake. Moses caught the snake by the tail - and again there was a stick in his hand.

Moses returns to Egypt and appears before Pharaoh, asking him to let the people go. But Pharaoh does not agree, because he does not want to lose his many slaves. And then God brings plagues on Egypt. The country is plunged into darkness solar eclipse, then she is struck by a terrible epidemic, then she becomes the prey of insects, which in the Bible are called “dog flies” (Ex. 8.21)

But none of these tests could frighten the pharaoh.

And then God punishes Pharaoh and the Egyptians in a special way. He punishes every firstborn child in Egyptian families. But so that the children of Israel, who were supposed to leave Egypt, would not perish, God commanded that in every Jewish family a lamb should be slaughtered and the doorposts and lintels in the houses should be marked with its blood.

The Bible tells how an angel of God, taking vengeance, passed through the cities and villages of Egypt, bringing death to the firstborn in dwellings whose walls were not sprinkled with the blood of lambs. This Egyptian execution shocked Pharaoh so much that he released the people of Israel.

This event came to be called the Hebrew word “Passover,” which translated means “passing,” because the wrath of God bypassed the marked houses. Jewish Passover, or Passover, is the holiday of Israel's deliverance from Egyptian captivity.

God's Covenant with Moses

The historical experience of peoples has shown that internal law alone is not enough to improve human morality.

And in Israel, the voice of the internal law of man was drowned out by the cry of human passions, therefore the Lord corrects the people and adds an external law to the internal law, which we call positive, or revealed.

At the foot of Sinai, Moses revealed to the people that God had freed Israel for this purpose and brought them out of the land of Egypt in order to conclude an eternal union, or Covenant, with them. However, this time the Covenant is not made with one person, or with a small group of believers, but with a whole people.

“If you obey My voice and keep My Covenant, then you will be My possession above all nations, for all the earth is Mine, and you will be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Ex. 19.5-6)

This is how the birth of the people of God occurs.

From the seed of Abraham come the first sprouts of the Old Testament Church, which is the ancestor of the Universal Church. From now on, the history of religion will no longer be only the history of longing, longing, search, but it becomes the history of the Testament, i.e. union between Creator and man

God does not reveal what the calling of the people will be, through which, as He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, all the nations of the earth will be blessed, but He demands from the people faith, fidelity and truth.

The phenomenon in Sinai was accompanied by terrible phenomena: clouds, smoke, lightning, thunder, flames, earthquakes, and the sound of a trumpet. This communication lasted forty days, and God gave Moses two tablets - stone tables on which the Law was written.

“And Moses said to the people, Fear not; God has come (to you) to test you and so that the fear of Him may be before you, so that you will not sin.” (Ex. 19, 22)
“And God spoke (to Moses) all these words, saying:

1. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; Let you have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth below, or that is in the water under the earth; You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I am the Lord your God. God is jealous, punishing the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing mercy to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave without punishment the one who takes His name in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; six days thou shalt work, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, neither thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor yours, nor your donkey, nor any of your livestock, nor the stranger who is in your gates; For in six days the Lord created heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them, and rested on the seventh day; Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.
5. Honor your father and your mother, (so that it may go well with you and) that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
6. Dont kill.
7. Don't commit adultery.
8. Don't steal.
9. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, (nor his field), nor his male servant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, (nor any of his livestock), nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” (Ex.20, 1-17).

The law that was given to ancient Israel by God had several purposes. Firstly, he claimed public order and justice. Secondly, he singled out the Jewish people as a special religious community professing monotheism. Third, he had to produce internal change in man, to morally improve man, to bring man closer to God through instilling in man love for God. Finally, the law of the Old Testament prepared humanity for the adoption of the Christian faith in the future.

Fate of Moses

Despite the great difficulties of the prophet Moses, He remained a faithful servant of the Lord God (Yahweh) until the end of his life. He led, taught and mentored his people. He arranged their future, but did not enter the Promised Land. Aaron, the brother of the prophet Moses, also did not enter these lands because of the sins he had committed. By nature, Moses was impatient and prone to anger, but through Divine education he became so humble that he became “the meekest of all people on earth” (Num. 12:3).

In all his deeds and thoughts, he was guided by faith in the Almighty. In a sense, the fate of Moses is similar to the fate of the Old Testament itself, which through the desert of paganism brought the people of Israel to the New Testament and froze on its threshold. Moses died at the end of forty years of wandering on the top of Mount Nebo, from which he could see the promised land, Palestine.

And the Lord said to him to Moses:

“This is the land about which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: “To your seed I will give it.” I let you see it with your eyes, but you will not enter it.” And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.” (Deut. 34:1–5). The vision of 120-year-old Moses “did not become dull, neither did his strength fail” (Deut. 34:7). The body of Moses is forever hidden from people, “no one knows the place of his burial even to this day,” says the Holy Scriptures (Deut. 34:6).

Alexander A. Sokolovsky

The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the son of Helchiah, saying: Say to this people: How long will you sin, adding sin upon sin, iniquity upon iniquity? Does not My sight see the (deeds) that you do?" said the Lord. Does not My ear hear the (words) that you say to each other? - said God Almighty...

Since we have a noteworthy story about the embassy to the Jewish high priest Eleazar, and you, Philocrates, reminded us in every case that you consider it important to know why and for what we were sent, I, knowing your curiosity, tried to portray to you... .

In the twenty-fifth year of Jeconiah king of Judah, the word of YHWH was spoken to Baruch the son of Neriah, and it was said to him: You have seen all that this people has done to Me. The evil committed by the remaining two tribes exceeds the evil committed by the ten tribes that were carried away into captivity...

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Life of the Holy Prophet Moses

The story of his existence

Lord bless, father.

When Jacob was 87 years old, he gave birth to Levi, and Levi was 49 years old when he fathered Armia, Haidad, Hebron and Kayath. Kayat gave birth to Ambrava at the age of 60. Ambra was a hundred years old when he gave birth to Aaron, Miriam and Moses in the 101st year of the coming of the Israelites to Egypt. Moses was the seventh from the tribe of Abraham, his mother was Agaveth, daughter of Levi.

One day King Pharaoh had a dream: here he was sitting on his royal throne in Egypt and raised his eyes and saw an old man standing opposite him, and in his hands were scales. And he put all the elders of Egypt and all his nobles on one bowl, and on another bowl he put all the lambs. Waking up early the next morning, (the king) called all his servants and told them the dream. And the people were frightened with great fear, and the sorcerer Valaom said: “Evil will rise in Egypt soon.” And the king said: “What will happen, tell us.” And Balaom said to the king: “A baby will be born to the Israelites and will waste the entire kingdom of Egypt, know this, king, write in the laws of Egypt that every baby that is born to the Jews should be drowned in water, let them kill him.”
And Pharaoh called the Jewish midwives and ordered them to kill the babies and throw others into the river. But the grandmothers feared God and did not do as the Egyptian king Pharaoh commanded them.<...>

The Jewish wives went into the field and gave birth there. The angels of God bathed the newborns and wrapped them, and placed two stones in both their hands, so that they could suck oil from one and honey from the other. And the Egyptians went out into the field to look for them, but by the command of God the earth opened up and received them. The same ones went after their plows and plows and could not find them, since God had hidden them. And when (the children) grew up in the field, they came in large numbers to their homes. And the Jewish people multiplied and became stronger in Egypt. The king of Egypt, Pharaoh, did not like the fact that the Israelites were multiplying.

There was a man among the Israelites named Ambram. And he took himself a wife, Agaveth, his relative. And that daughter gave birth and they called her name Miriam. And in those days the sons of Ham began to do evil to the children of Israel. Ambram conceived and gave birth to a son and gave him the name Aaron. In those days, Pharaoh began to spill the blood of babies on the ground and throw others into the river. Then many separated from their wives, and Ambram also separated from his wife. And at the end of the 3rd year the Spirit of God overshadowed Miriam and, prophesying, she said: “Behold, a son will be born to my father this year, and he will save Israel from the power of Egypt.”

Hearing this from Mariam, Ambram returned his wife to him and knew her in the sixth month, and having conceived, she gave birth to a son and called him Melchia. And the house was filled with light, and the wife saw how beautiful her child was, and kept him hidden for 3 months.

In those days, the Egyptians ordered their little children to be carried into Jewish homes, to see if the Jewish child would respond to the Egyptian child. And that wife, fearing this, made a reed basket, smearing the bottom with clay on the inside and resin on the outside, and put the child in it, and let the basket go among the river reeds. His sister, standing from a distance, looked at him.

And God sent heat to the land of Egypt, and the people suffered from the heat. And Pharaoh's daughter Fermuth went down to the river to bathe with the maidens and many women. And she saw a reed basket floating on the river, and sent a slave to take it. And when she opened it, she saw a crying baby in it, and she felt sorry for him, and said: “This one is one of the Jewish children.” And she gave him the name Moses, explaining that she took him from the water. And they brought the Egyptian women to suckle him, but he did not want to suckle, since it was (predestined) from God for him to return to his mother’s breast. And Mariam said: “If you want, I will bring you a Jewish nurse, and she will suckle this child for you.” And she went and brought his mother, and Pharaoh’s daughter said to her: “Nurse this child for me, and I will give you two silver coins per day.” And she took (the child) from her and nursed him.

At the end of the second year they brought him to the daughter of Pharaoh, and he became her instead of a son. And in the third year from the birth of Moses, Pharaoh sat at the table, and the queen was on his right. The lady was sitting to his left. The child was in her arms, and the nobles were sitting around him.

Suddenly the child, reaching out, took the crown from the king’s head and placed it on his own head. Both the king and his nobles were afraid. And the sorcerer Balaom exclaimed and said: “Remember, sir, the dream that you saw, and how your servant interpreted it for you. This Jewish child carries the Spirit of God within himself, and he deliberately did this, for he wants to take the kingdom of Egypt for himself. This is what Abraham, his grandfather, did when the king intercepted their glory: Abimelech drove out the king of Garar, and he himself came to Egypt and called his wife sister in order to destroy their king. So Isaac did with the foreigners and received his strength from the foreigners, the king He wanted to destroy them by capturing them, and also gave his wife away as his sister. And also by cunning, Jacob took away his brother's primacy and blessing. He went to Mesopotamia to Laban, his maternal uncle, and took away his daughter and his cattle by deception, and his whole house. And he fled into the land of Canaanite, and returned. And his sons sold Joseph, and he was in prison until the king, your father, had a dream. He released him from prison and raised him above all the nobles of Egypt. , because he interpreted the dream. And when God sent famine to the land, he sent for his father and his brothers to Egypt, and they brought them. And he fed them without paying. He bought us into slavery for himself. If you want, king, we will kill this baby, so that when he grows up, he will not take your kingdom away from you and so that the hope of Egypt will not perish.”

And God sent his archangel Gabriel, who took the form of one of the royal nobles, and he said: “If you want, King, let them bring a precious sparkling stone and burning coals and place them in front of the child. If he reaches out his hand to the stone, then know what he did "This is deliberate, then we will kill him. If he stretches out his hand to the fire, we will find out that he did not do it wisely and we will leave him." And the king and his nobles liked it.

And they brought it to him gem and burning coals. And the angel of the Lord directed his hand to the fire. And taking the coal, he touched it to the tip of his tongue, and this made him hum. And they didn't kill him.

And Moses lived in Pharaoh's house for 15 years, growing up with the king's children, wearing the same clothes (walking). And at the end of the 15th year he wanted to see his father and mother, and went to them. And he came to his brothers, and saw an Egyptian who was beating a Jew from his brothers. And, looking around, this way and that, and not noticing anyone, he killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. The next day Moses went to his brothers and saw two men quarreling and asked: “O villain, why do you offend your friend?” And he said to him: “Who made you a judge over us, or do you want to kill me, just as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?” Moses was frightened and said: “As you can see, this matter has become known.”

This rumor reached the ears of Pharaoh. And Pharaoh ordered to kill Moses.

And God sent his archangel, Michael, he took the form of Pharaoh's steward and tore the sword out of his hand and took off his head. And the angel took Moses by the right hand and he brought him out of the land of Egypt. And he settled him outside the Egyptian borders at a distance of 40 miles. And only Aaron remained, and he began to prophesy in Egypt to the children of Israel. And he said: “Cast down every idol in the filth of Egypt, but do not defile yourself.” And they didn’t listen to him.

And God said that they should destroy them, but he remembered the covenant that he had made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and Pharaoh’s power over the children of Israel grew stronger and tougher, until God sent his word and remembered them.

At that time there was a war between the Ethiopians and the sons of the East and between the Arameans. And Kikanos, king of the Saracens, went out to fight with the Arameans and with the sons of the East. And King Kikanos defeated the Arameans with the sons of the East and took them captive. And Balaom ran from Egypt to Kikanos, because his prophecy did not come true. And Kikanos had two sons, Anos and Akris, they sowed confusion in the city, and with them were the worst people. And Valaom and the local people decided to
to disobey King Kikanos, and they did not allow him to enter the city. And the people listened to him, swore allegiance to him and made him king over everyone. His son was appointed governor, and the walls of this city were erected high on two sides, and on the third side they dug countless ditches and pits, and on the fourth side, Valaom, by conspiracy and witchcraft, collected many snakes and scorpions. They closed the city and did not allow anyone to enter it or approach it. And so, when King Kikanos returned with his soldiers and, raising their eyes, they saw such high city walls, they were surprised and said: “Our people, while we were fighting for a long time, strengthened their city, saying: “Lest the army come to us.” "". But when they approached the city, they saw the city gates locked, and they said to the gatekeepers: “Open the gates so that we can enter the city.” But they didn’t want to open it because of the ban of Valaom the Magus. And they did not allow the army to enter, leaving it in front of the gate. And one hundred and thirty men died from the warriors of Kikanos in one day, and the next day they fought on the bank of the river. And thirty horsemen entered the water, wanting to get over to the other side, but they could not. And they drowned in ditches. And the king ordered to cut down trees and make rafts to sail across on them. And they did so, and went on rafts into these ditches, and the pool swirled around them, and two hundred men on ten rafts drowned that day.

And on the third day (the warriors) approached from the side where the snakes (lived) and could not do anything. And the snakes ate a hundred and seven people. And the soldiers retreated from them, and they stood near the city for nine years, and they did not allow them to take it or enter it. And when they stood against the Saracens, Moses fled from Egypt and came to Kikanos, king of the Saracens. Moses was 18 years old when he fled from Pharaoh.

And he came to Kikanos in the camp, and the king and all his nobles and his soldiers received him, for he was noble and rich in their eyes. And he was as tall as a yew tree, his face shone like the sun, his courage was great. And Moses became an adviser to the King.

And towards the end of the ninth year, the Saracen king Kikanos fell ill, and on the seventh day he died. And the slaves anointed him with oils and buried him at the city gates. And they built a beautiful and very high chamber over him and wrote on the stone about all his wars and all his courage.

And so, when they erected the chamber, they consulted with each other: “What should we do? If we fight with this city, we will perish; if we do something to stay here, then all the kings of the Aramaic and the sons of the East will know that our king is dead, and they will suddenly attack come at us and they won’t leave us unharmed, so let’s go and set up a king for ourselves. We’ll besiege the city until we take it.” They quickly took off their clothes and left them in a heap, making big mountain. And they sat Moses down and said: “Live forever, O king!” And all the nobles and all the people swore allegiance to him. And Moses took for himself the wife of Kikanos, with her consent and according to her will.

Moses was 27 years old when he became king over the Saracens. On the second day of his reign, all the people gathered and said to him: “King, think about what we should do: 9 years have already passed since we have not seen our wives and children.” And the king answered his people: “If you listen to me, know that this city will be given into our hands. If we fight with them, as at the beginning, then many of us will die, just like the first time. But if we go on rafts into the pools, then "Many of us will drown, just like the first time. Now, get up, go into the forest and bring the stork chicks, each his own. Take care of them until they grow up. Teach them to fly with a stork belt." And the people went and brought the storks, as Moses commanded them.

And so, when the storks grew up, the king ordered to starve them for seven days. And people did just that. The third day came, and the king said to them: “Put on your armor and mount your horses and each take his own stork in his hand, and let’s go and approach the city to the place where the snakes are.”

And the king said: “Release the storks.” And they let them go, and the storks flew to the snakes and ate them, and the place was deserted. And the king and the people saw that the snakes had perished and the place had been cleared, and the people blew the trumpets and surrounded the city and took it. And each one returned to his home. And they killed 1000 and 100 city dwellers that day, but did not kill a single person from outside. And when the sorcerer Balaom saw that the city had been taken, he and his two sons jumped on horses and fled to the land of Midian, to King Balak. After all, these were the wise men and sorcerers about whom it was written in Proverbs, who taught how to wipe out the tribe of Jacob from the face of the earth.<...>

Moses sat on the Saracen throne, and Kikanos's wife was married to him. Moses, fearing God, did not come to her, remembering how Abraham adjured Eleazar, his servant: “Do not take a wife from the daughter of the Canaanites for my son!” Isaac ordered Jacob, his son, not to enter into kinship with the sons of Ham, since they were sold into slavery to the sons of Shem and the sons of Apheth. And Moses feared his God, and did not touch the wife of Kikanos, because she was descended from the sons of Ham.
King Moses gained strength and fought with the Edamites and overcame them, and overcame them during the wars, like Jacob his grandfather.

In the 40th year of his reign, Moses sat on the throne, and the queen stood aside from him. And the queen turned to the people and nobles: “It has now been 40 years since Moses reigned over you, and he did not touch me, and did not bow to our gods. Now listen to me, sons of the Saracens! today Moses will not be king over you. Here is Mukaris, my son, he will reign over you. It is better for you to obey the son of your master than a stranger." And all the people argued about this until the evening and did not want to let Moses go. But the queen prevailed. And the next day, early in the morning, they appointed Mukaris king over everyone. And the people were afraid to raise their hand against Moses, for they had sworn allegiance They gave him great gifts and released him with honor.

And Moses went out from there on his own way. Moses was 67 years old when he left the Saracens. All this was created by God. And the time had come, prepared from the first days, to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. And Moses went to the land of Midian, afraid to return to Egypt.

And he sat down by the well, and the seven daughters of Raguel of Midian came to feed their father's sheep. They went to that well and drew water to water the sheep. But the shepherds of Midian came and drove them away. And then Moses stood up and protected them, and watered their sheep. They returned to their father and told about what Moses had done, and how he had saved them and watered their sheep.

And Raguel sent for him and called him to his house. He shared bread with him, and Moses told him how he fled from Egypt and how he reigned over the Saracens, and how they took his kingdom from him and let him go. And when Raguel heard his story, he exclaimed in his heart: “I’ll put him in prison and thereby please the Saracens. After all, he is a fugitive.” And so they seized Moses and put him in prison, and he was in prison for 10 years.

But Symphora, the daughter of Raguel, took pity on him and fed him bread and water. And when the 10 years were over, Symphora said to her father: “This Jew, whom you put in prison, has been there for ten years, and no one is looking for him or asking about him. If it pleases your eyes, my father, you should send to see, whether that husband is alive or dead." Her father did not know that she fed him. And Raguel said: “I have never seen in the world that a man sitting in prison for ten years without bread and water was alive.” And Symphora answered her father: “Have you not heard, my father, that the Jewish God is great and formidable and always surprises with miracles? Was it not he who delivered Abraham from the Chaldean oven, Isaac from the sword, Jacob from the hand of an angel, when he fought with him at the crossing? "And God did many miracles for this husband: he freed him from the Egyptians, and from the sword of Pharaoh, and can still deliver him." And these words were pleasant to Raguel. And he did as his daughter said: he sent to the prison to find out what happened to Moses. And they saw that he was praying to the God of his fathers. And they released him from prison, cut his hair, changed his prison clothes, and Moses ate bread with Raguel.

And Moses came to the garden of Raguel, which was behind his palace, and prayed to his God, who performed miracles and freed him from that prison. While he was praying, he raised his eyes and saw a club stuck in the middle of the garden. And he approached the club, and it was written on it
O name of the Lord God of Hosts. And coming up, he pulled it out, and it turned out that in his hands was the club of the trust, with which the miracles of God were created, when He created the heavens and the earth and everything in them, the sea and rivers, and all their fish. And when He expelled Adam from the Garden of Eden, Adam took that club with him in his hands. And that club passed from Adam to Noah, and Noah passed it on to Shem and his descendants, and so on until the club reached the hands of Abraham. Abraham gave it to Isaac, and Isaac gave it to Jacob. Jacob, when he fled to the Aramaic borders, took that club with him. He gave it to Joseph, bypassing his brothers as an inheritance. And when, after the death of Joseph, the Egyptians destroyed Joseph's house, Raguel found this club, and he planted it in the middle of the garden. And all the heroes who sought to get his daughter (as a wife) wanted to take possession of her, and they could not do this until Moses came: whoever was destined for it, he pulled her out. And it so happened that Raguel saw the club in the hands of Moses and was surprised. And he gave him his daughter Symphora as a wife.

Moses lived 70 and 6 years when he came out of prison and took Symphora the Midianite as his wife. And Symphora went the way of the women of the family of Jacob, no less a lot fell to her than Sarah, and Rebekah, and Rachel, and Leah.

Having conceived, Moses gave birth to a son and named him Gersan, saying that he was empty in a foreign land. But he did not perform the rite of circumcision on him, because his father-in-law Raguel ordered so. And at the end of the third year he conceived and gave birth to a son and named him Eleazar, saying that “The God of my father was my helper, he delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.”<...>

At that time, Moses walked through the desert, (grazing) his father-in-law's sheep, with the club of God in his hands. And he reached Mount Horeb and saw that there was a bush bush, engulfed in a burning flame, but the bush did not burn from the flame. And Moses said to himself: “What kind of vision am I seeing? I’ll come closer and see, why doesn’t the bush burn in the burning fire, why does it remain unburnt?” Moses said in surprise: “Fire scorches and consumes all living things, why does the bush remain unburnt? I look at the fire and in the middle of it I see a bush blooming.” Moses began to approach her, saying: “Oh, an extraordinary miracle, I see a blazing fire, but not a single leaf has come off this bush, I see. Oh, this is an extraordinary miracle, worthy of surprise.” Then the Lord called to him from the bush and said: “O Moses, Moses!” He replied: “What is this, Lord?” The Lord answered: “Do not come here, but take off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
You hear how the Lord makes him reverent and orders him with fear to listen to what is said. For taking off shoes means renouncing everyday sorrows, but it is also said that the consecration of the earth will come when the Lord himself, clothed in human flesh, begins to walk on the earth.

And the Lord also said to Moses: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” And Moses turned away his face, afraid to look at God.

You see, damned Jew, how a bush, having received fire, was not scorched, contrary to nature! Bush, after all, is the image of the Virgin, just as this unquenchable fire, by the will of God, did not burn the plants, so God’s word preserved her virginity incorruptible even after childbirth. Understand that God can do whatever he wants. So, after all, our most pure Lady, the Mother of God, having accepted God into the womb, remained unburnt, and after his birth she again remained a most pure virgin. “Wherever God wills, the law of nature departs.” The Lord God, who was born from her, confirmed the faith and tamed the fierce nations, and pacified the whole world as a man!

And again the Lord said to Moses: “I saw the suffering of my people in Egypt, but you, going there, bring my people out, for everyone who sought your soul died. And those who remained after them are no longer able to harm you.” Moses said to the Lord: “Who am I, Lord, that you want me to bring your people out? But I ask you, Lord, choose another who can (do this), or give me a sign so that your people will believe me that I I saw you." And the Lord said to Moses: “Throw the staff that you hold in your hand onto the ground.” Moses threw down the rod, and immediately it became a huge slithering serpent. And when Moses saw him, he jumped back. And the Lord said to him: “Don’t be afraid, Moses, take him by the tail.” Moses, bending down, grabbed the serpent by the tail, and it became a rod again.

You also see, Jew, how the serpent turned into a rod! Isn’t everything subject to God’s accomplishment, so it is in our Law. During the time of Tsar Constantine there was a wonderworker named Spyridon, Bishop of Cyprus. One day he saw a certain moneylender who was dragging some beggar. And this elder Spyridon, seeing a crawling snake, turned it in the name of Christ into a golden hryvnia and gave it to the moneylender. And so the beggar bought himself again, bringing the deposit to the elder. That blessed Spyridon turned him again into a snake and released him to the ground.

Moses said to the Lord God: “I ask you, Lord, because I, your servant, have been tongue-tied since I began to speak!” The Lord said to Moses: “Who gave man a mouth? Who made him deaf, or dumb, or blind? It is I, the Lord God. I want you, the tongue-tied ones, to put to shame the wise men of Egypt.”

Look, Jew, at his words, what the Lord God said to Moses! Even if the Lord created the dumb, and the deaf, and the blind, and the sighted, then everything is possible for God to create, as it happened.

Moses returned to the land of Midian and told his father-in-law about everything. His father-in-law Raguel answered: “Go in peace.”

Moses got up and went with his wife and children. And when he stopped, an angel of God came down and wanted to kill Moses, because he did not circumcise the flesh of his sons, he broke the law that God laid down for Abraham. And Semphora hastened, took a stone plate and circumcised her sons, and delivered her husband from the hand of the angel.

The Lord appeared to Aaron and Levi in ​​Egypt, when they were walking along the river bank, and said: “Go to meet Moses in the desert.” And Aaron went and met him in the wilderness, in the mountain of God, and kissed him. And he lifted up his eyes and saw his wife and children and asked: “Who are they?” And Moses answered: “This is my wife and my children whom God gave me in Midian.” And evil flashed in Aaron’s eyes, and he said: “Send your wife and children to her father’s house.” And Moses did so. And Semphora and her two sons went to her father's house until God remembered his people and brought them out of Egypt from the hand of Pharaoh.

And Moses told Aaron all that the Lord had spoken to him. And they came to Egypt, and appeared in the assembly of the children of Israel, and told them about all the words of God, and the people rejoiced at their words.
And early the next day they went to Pharaoh’s house, taking with them the club of God. And when they approached the gates of the king's house, there were two lions standing there, tied with iron chains, so that not a single person could enter or leave, unless the king himself ordered him to come, and then the breadwinners would come, feed the lions and see them off. that person. Moses and Aaron came up and raised the club against the lions, and the lions were freed. And Moses and Aaron came to the king's house, and the lions went in with them, rejoicing. And when Pharaoh saw this, he was very surprised and horrified, for they looked like the sons of God.

And the king said to them: “What do you want?” And they answered him: “Let us go into the desert to sacrifice to the Lord our God and serve him.” Pharaoh was very frightened and said to them: “Now go to your home, and tomorrow you will come to me.” And they did as the king told them. And when they left, the king sent and called Balaom the Magus and his sons Enos and Akris and all the Egyptian sorcerers. And they came to the king, and the king told them what Moses and Aaron had said. And the sorcerers said to him: “But how did they pass, answer us?” And the king said: “They only raised the rod against the lions, and they were freed and ran to them, rejoicing.” Balaom answered, saying: “These are the same sorcerers, king, like us, and now let us go after them, let them come, and we will test their words.” And the king did so, sending for them. They took the club of God in their hands and came to the king and spoke to him the words of God: “Let the people of Israel go, let them offer a sacrifice to the Lord their God.” And the king said to them: “But who will believe you that you are a messenger?
ki of God and came, obeying His words? What sign will you perform before me, so that your words can be believed?" And Aaron quickly threw his club before the king and before his nobles. And it became a great slithering serpent. And the sorcerers did the same, they threw their staffs, and they became snakes Therefore, God allowed the Egyptian magicians to turn their wands into snakes, so that they would not tell Pharaoh that Moses was a magician and did all this by magic, but they resisted him, and then became weak.
For the serpent, which was from the rod of Moses, lifted up his head and devoured all their serpents. And the sorcerer Valaom said: “It already happened in the old days that a snake ate another, just as a fish of the sea eats others, but now make your club as it was before; if you can, let our eaten clubs become the same, then we admit, that the Spirit of God is in you. If you cannot, then you are a sorcerer just like us." And Aaron stretched out his hand and grabbed the serpent by the tail, and a club was in his hand, and their clubs became as they were.

And Pharaoh commanded to bring him the writings of all the Gods of Egypt, and they read them before them, and he said: “I did not find your God in these writings, nor did I see his name.” Having answered, they said to the king: “His name is Adanai of hosts.” And Pharaoh said: “Where is Adanai, so that I can see him and hear his voice and let the Israelites go? If I don’t know Adanai, I will not let the Israelites go.” And they said: "Name Jewish God upon us from our first days, and now let us go, so that we can go into the desert and make a sacrifice to our God. Since Israel came to Egypt, He has not accepted anything from our hands. If you do not let us go, then know that He will be angry and destroy the land of Egypt with pestilence or sword."

And Pharaoh said to them: “Tell me about his strength and might.” And they answered: “He created the heavens and all their power, and the earth with everything in it, and the sea, and all the fish. And he created light, and gave birth to darkness, and makes rain, and waters the earth. And he created man, and cattle, and wild beasts, and birds of the air, and fish of the sea. He also created you in your mother’s womb. He put the spirit of life into you and raised you up, and set you on the throne of your kingdom. And it is he who will take your life from you and will bring you back to the land from which you were taken."
And Pharaoh became angry and said: “But who of all the human gods can do this to me? I did everything with my own hand!” And he became furious with them and ordered violence to be done to them. And the Egyptians tortured the Israelites. Moses cried out to the Lord God, saying: “Why did you betray your people, O Lord?” And the Lord said to Moses: “You will see that I will make Pharaoh with a strong hand, I will let you go and with a high arm I will lead you out of his land. I am the Lord God, who appeared to Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, and made my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaanite , I want to dwell on the same earth myself.”

And God raised his wrath against Pharaoh and his people. And he struck Pharaoh and the Egyptians with a great plague. He turned their waters into blood and brought toads into their land, and when they drank the water, the toads fell into their bellies, and there they croaked. And they climbed into their houses, and into their kettles, and into their beds, and lice attacked their chests, to the height of two cubits, and on their bodies, and above their wrists. And God sent wild beasts against them to tear them to pieces, and snakes, scorpions and mice, and gadflies into their eyes.

They climbed into houses and onto their roofs and locked themselves there. And the beast Nilonith, who lives in the sea, climbed in there, and his paws were ten man's cubits long; and he climbed onto the house and opened it, and, grabbing it with his paw, broke the locks. And God unleashed evil beasts on them, and they prowled there, and God starved all their livestock. And God set their flesh on fire, and pimples appeared on them from head to toe, and their whole body stank. The hail destroyed their grapes and all the trees of Egypt, and nothing was left on them.

And the grass of the field dried up, and the people and the cattle that were on it died of hunger.
And the locusts attacked them and devoured what was left of the hail, and the Egyptians rejoiced, saying: “This is our food,” and they spoiled many of them!

And God let it go strong wind from the sea, he grabbed the locusts and threw them into the sea, and the salted ones too, and not one remained in all the land of Egypt.

And the Lord sent darkness upon them for seven days, so that the husband could not see his brother nor lift his hand to his mouth.

But there were also Jews who did not listen to Moses and Aaron, saying: “We will not go into the desert, we will die of hunger and pestilence.” And God beat them up in those three dark days, so that the Egyptians would not see and rejoice and say: “As God’s deeds are upon us, so upon them.” And God plucked thorns from his grapes. And he took every firstborn of the land of Egypt, from man to beast, even the images of the firstborn that were written on the walls, and those that were made of wood were destroyed, and those that were gold or silver were melted down. And those firstborns who had been buried shortly before were taken out by dogs and laid before their fathers and mothers. And the sons of Ham cried out with a terrible voice.

And the Lord called Moses and Aaron and said: “On this night every firstborn in the land of Egypt will be killed, from man to beast, and I will take vengeance on all the gods of Egypt, I am the Lord God of each of you. This night you will slay a pure and blameless lamb and put the blood on the thresholds (of houses), and let the blood be a sign on your houses where you will be. And when I see it, I will cover you, and not one of you will perish.” The Jewish people did as Moses told them (at the command of) the Lord.

Look, Jew, how you have found a sign with blood on the thresholds of houses, because the blood of the immaculate lamb is an image of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is called the Holy of Holies, and which rests in the hearts of holy men and women, in one - threefold. Then there was the anointing of thresholds, but now - the blood of Christ; anointing the thresholds that are our lips; then sprinkling both door jambs, now sprinkling the soul and body with holy baptism.

That night they killed all the firstborn of Egypt, because Israel was called the firstborn and he suffered many executions and torments from the Egyptians, therefore, for the firstborn of Israel, the firstborn of Egypt were killed, from man to beast.

And there was no place where they would not cry out, except among the children of Israel. And the nations cried out to the king, saying: “Let go, king, let the sons of Israel go. If not, then we will all die because of them.” The king was afraid and sent to Moses and Aaron, saying: “If you want to make a sacrifice to the Lord your God, leave all of you.” Then everyone left with silver and gold and clothes, each calling his friend. And so, leaving the Egyptians with nothing, they left, because the people of Israel languished in Egypt, building their cities and temples, but not receiving payment. That is why the Lord commanded them to take this bribe as payment for their work. And they sent out the servants of God with spoils and many gifts according to the covenant of God given to Abraham their grandfather.

And, getting up, Moses began to find out who told Jacob that Joseph lived in Egypt, and how to find Joseph’s bones, because Joseph swore an oath, saying: “By the mercy of God, which the Lord has given you, take away my bones with you.” How were Joseph's bones found in Egypt after 400 years? Judah told Jacob's daughter (that Joseph was alive), but she exclaimed, turning to her father: “Father, Joseph is alive!” He put his hand on her head and said: “Live forever.” And so she lived for 400 years. She told Moses where Joseph's bones were. There is a river in Egypt called Voildai. There Joseph's bones are buried in a tin shrine. Because at first the Egyptians were afraid of the departure of the Israelites, they thought that they would keep the sons of Israel by shackling Joseph’s shrine with tin and secretly immersing it in the river, saying: “If they do not carry Joseph’s bones with them, the sons of Israel will not come out of Egypt.”

When the Lord said to Moses: “Lead my people out of Egypt with all their property,” God turned seven nights into one night. And Moses began to ask about Joseph’s bones, walking with candles. And Mary met him and said to him: “The bones of Joseph are in the river, in Voildai.” And Moses, taking candles and 30 men with him, came to the river and said: “Bring up (up), Voilday, the bones of Joseph!” But they didn't appear. And again he said it a second time, and they didn’t show up. In three
This time he wrote on parchment to Voilday: “Take it out and lay it on the water.” And Joseph's cancer appeared. Moses rejoiced and took the reliquary, but did not take the parchment. But a cruel Jew came up and took him. And they took with them many skulls of their fathers.

Many foreigners went with them for three days. And at the end of the third day they said to Moses and Aaron: “You walked three days, and tomorrow you will return to Egypt, as you said.” They answered them and said: “The Lord commanded us not to return to Egypt, but to go to a land that flows with milk and honey.” Then the foreigners began to fight and killed many of them. And they were severely wounded. And others ran away from them and told Pharaoh what the Israelites had done. And Pharaoh said to all the elders of Egypt and to all the people: “You see how the children of Israel deceived us and ran away from us.” And the rulers of Egypt said: “What should we do? Shall we let the children of Israel go, now they no longer work for us.” And Pharaoh said: “Let us go after them, and since the desert lies before them, when they see us following them, they will return in horror.” And Pharaoh chased after them, taking all his people and six hundred chosen chariots, and on them stood three warriors in full armor. And they overtook them opposite Epavlia, between Maglas, right near Sefomara, there is a place in the so-called Cosmatia.

And, looking back, the children of Israel saw that the Egyptians were chasing after them, and the people cried out to Moses, saying: “It would be better for us to have a grave in Egypt than this place in this desert where you have brought us!”
Moses answered them: “The Lord God protects us, but you will remain silent!” And the Lord God showed his miracles. And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and struck the Red Sea with his rod, as the Lord had spoken to him, and the sea parted into twelve ways, and every man went with his family, and they walked on dry land in the midst of the sea.
Then the miracle revealed the image of the marriage of an inexperienced bride. Then Moses was the water divider. Here the Archangel Gabriel was the servant of the miracle of Your wondrous Nativity, Creator!

Then Israel traversed the depths on foot without getting wet, but now the Virgin gave birth to Christ without a seed. The sea remained impassable after the passage of the Israelites, so the Immaculate Virgin remained chaste after the Nativity of Emmanuel. For the Existing and Eternally Existing One appeared in the name of love for mankind, and the cloud became his cover.

Pharaoh chased after them, and as he was in the middle of the sea with his soldiers on chariots and horses, all the Egyptians drowned. And Moses struck the sea with his rod, and the water covered them both here and there, and not one of them escaped. And the sea became their tomb. God delivered Pharaoh from drowning, and an angel of God took him to the city of Nineveh, and he was king there for nine years.<... >

Like a snake, when it grows old and its eyes are blinded and languishes with hunger for forty days and forty nights until its bodily strength weakens, and then suddenly it peels off its worn-out skin and is renewed - so you, Jew, foolish and dumb, like a snake, you honor the prophecies, you know the time of Genesis - renew your body and open your eyes, throw off your worn-out clothes, which is unbelief, be renewed by holy baptism, come to Christ and you will be like-minded to us. Remember then Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron, and how, having seen the miracle, she glorified God, gathering a choir of women. She herself took the tambourine, and ordered the other women to take two copper plates, and the third to clap their hands. She herself, filled with the Holy Spirit, began to sing praises to the Lord.<...>

Have you heard, O Jew, about the wonderful miracle how the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea?
Have you heard, O Jew, how Pharaoh became bitter against God? But you became like Pharaoh in everything, seeing all the Divine signs that Christ, the Son of God, gives, and you became hardened in heart, like Pharaoh - with unbelief, and he was betrayed to the depths of the sea.

Look, you damned Jew, that you are in no way better than Pharaoh, but just as he died because of his madness, so you also died because of your madness.<...>

Afterwards, the children of Israel rose from the Red Sea into the desert called Sur, and walked through the desert for three days and three nights, but they could not drink the water because it was very bitter, and they called this place “bitterness.” And the people got angry with Moses, saying: “What should we drink? Both we and our cattle will die from this water, in Egypt the waters were sweet for us, and in this desert our bodies will fall, burning with thirst for water. Show us the water now, which one to drink!" And the people were very angry with Moses.

Moses prayed to God for these people, and the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, holding three tree branches in his hands: pine, cedar and cypress. And the Angel of the Lord said to Moses: “Join these branches with a weave as a sign of the image of the Holy Trinity and stick them into the water of Marah, and with this you will make the waters of Marra sweet. This branch will turn into a big tree, this branch will reach the four sides of the Universe. And this tree is the Salvation of the world. With this tree the deceit of the first enemy will be defeated." And about other things that were to happen, the Angel spoke to Moses, and then left him.

And Moses did as the Angel of the Lord commanded him. He wove tree branches and stuck them into a spring near the shore. And Moses said: “This tree is the life of the whole world, this tree will have great honor. Over time, they will cut it down. Then the Almighty will deign to come. But then, when he wants to appear in the flesh to the whole world, sanctifying the crime of female nature, then he will attack this tree with his hands.” the true light will ascend to the lawless. And you will see our life with your own eyes. And those lawless ones will soon find themselves in destruction, and the whole world will worship him who was lifted up on the tree. And just as this tree sweetens the water, so the blood of the crucified will sanctify this tree. For just as the tree sweetened the bitter waters of Marah ", so the cross of Christ sweetened the bitterness of pagan unbelief. And now you who grumble against me, be silent, the water has been sweetened with this tree, but you, coming up, draw and drink, and water your livestock." And at that very hour the waters of Marah became cool, and all the people and cattle began to drink of it.

Have you heard, Jew, accursed minion of Pharaoh, how the Lord in the Trinity was transformed through the interweaving of various tree branches? How did Moses prophesy to you about the incarnation of the Most High, and about the crucifixion on the tree, and about the salvation of the world?

After this Moses took the children of Israel and brought them to Elim, and there were twelve springs of water and nine date shoots. With these springs the Lord prefigured the Twelve Supreme Apostles, who spread like rivers throughout the world. Just as springs emit streams, which, although the people draw in abundance, do not run dry, so the apostles of the Lord came to every nation and proclaimed the greatness of God in their language. For the Lord God said to them: “Behold, I am sending you out like sheep into a flock of wolves, but you do not care how and what and where to say. The Holy Spirit will teach you immediately how to speak.”
The nine shoots of the date represent the nine apostolic disciples, because just as the grown date has a sweet taste, so the apostles preach their sweet teaching to the pagans and lead them to reasonable faith with their teaching.<... >

About the death of Moses

Then Moses went up from Tabor of Moab to the top of Mount Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him all the land of Gilead as far as Dan, and all the land of Ephraim, and all the land of Manasseh, and all the land of Judah to the uttermost sea, and the wilderness, and the surrounding villages of the city. Jericho. And the Lord said to Moses: “This is the land that I swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, saying: “To your descendants I will give it.” And I have shown it to your eyes, but you will not enter there.”

And Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of Moab, near the house of Tegor.
At his death, Archangel Michael, the Archangel of the power of the Lord, was here. And so the shameless, malicious Devil turned out to be here. And he argued about the body of Moses, since he allegedly committed the murder of an Egyptian, and falsely raised some other accusations. Archangel Michael answered him and said: “The Lord, the all-evil Devil, forbids you.” For Michael, the archangel of the power of the Lord, did not dare to unjustly condemn Moses, but, preaching the greatness of the Divine, he said: “The Lord forbids you, the all-evil Devil,” and, denouncing his cruel shamelessness, for which he was overthrown, the archangel in the name of the Lord forbids him
proclaim the greatness of the Divine.

Excerpt from Sim's diary

Sabbath day. As usual, no one follows it. Nobody but our family. Sinners everywhere gather in crowds and indulge in fun. Men, women, girls, boys - everyone drinks wine, fights, dances, gambles, laughs, screams, sings. And they do all sorts of other abominations...

Received the Mad Prophet today. He good man, and, in my opinion, his intelligence is much better than his reputation. He received this nickname a long time ago and completely undeservedly, since he simply makes forecasts and does not prophesy. He doesn't pretend to be. He makes his forecasts based on history and statistics...

The first day of the fourth month of the year 747 from the beginning of the world. Today I am 60 years old, for I was born in the year 687 from the beginning of the world. My relatives came to me and begged me to marry so that our family would not be cut off. I am still young to take on such concerns, although I know that my father Enoch, and my grandfather Jared, and my great-grandfather Maleleel, and great-great-grandfather Cainan, all married at the age that I have reached on this day...

Another discovery. One day I noticed that William McKinley looked very sick. This is the very first lion, and I became very attached to him from the very beginning. I examined the poor fellow, looking for the cause of his illness, and discovered that he had an unchewed head of cabbage stuck in his throat. I couldn't pull it out, so I took a broomstick and pushed it in...

...Love, peace, peace, endless quiet joy - this is how we knew life in the Garden of Eden. Living was a pleasure. The passing time left no traces - no suffering, no decrepitude; illnesses, sorrows, and worries had no place in Eden. They were hiding behind its fence, but could not penetrate it...

I'm almost a day old. I showed up yesterday. So, at least, it seems to me. And, probably, this is exactly so, because if there was the day before yesterday, I did not exist then, otherwise I would remember it. It is possible, however, that I simply did not notice when it was the day before yesterday, although it was...

This is a new creature with long hair I'm very bored. It sticks out in front of my eyes all the time and follows me on my heels. I don’t like it at all: I’m not used to society. I wish I could go to other animals...

Dagestanis is a term for the peoples originally living in Dagestan. There are about 30 peoples and ethnographic groups in Dagestan. In addition to Russians, Azerbaijanis and Chechens, who make up a significant proportion of the population of the republic, these are Avars, Dargins, Kumti, Lezgins, Laks, Tabasarans, Nogais, Rutuls, Aguls, Tats, etc.

Circassians (self-called Adyghe) are a people in Karachay-Cherkessia. In Turkey and other countries of Western Asia, Circassians are also called all people from the North. Caucasus. Believers are Sunni Muslims. The Kabardino-Circassian language belongs to the Caucasian (Iberian-Caucasian) languages ​​(Abkhazian-Adyghe group). Writing based on the Russian alphabet.

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Moses is the greatest Old Testament prophet, the founder of Judaism, who led the Jews from Egypt, where they were in slavery, accepted the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai and united the Israeli tribes into a single people.

In Christianity, Moses is considered one of the most important prototypes of Christ: just as through Moses the Old Testament was revealed to the world, so through Christ the New Testament was revealed.

The name "Moses" (in Hebrew - Mosheʁ) is believed to be of Egyptian origin and means "child". According to other instructions - “recovered or rescued from the water” (this name was given to him by the Egyptian princess who found him on the river bank).

The four books of the Pentateuch (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy), which make up the epic of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt, are dedicated to his life and work.

Birth of Moses

According to the biblical account, Moses was born in Egypt into a Jewish family during the time when the Jews were enslaved by the Egyptians, around 1570 BC (other estimates around 1250 BC). Moses' parents belonged to the tribe of Levi 1 (Ex. 2:1 ). His older sister was Miriam and his older brother was Aaron.(the first of the Jewish high priests, the ancestor of the priestly caste).

1 Levi - the third son of Jacob (Israel) from his wife Leah ( Gen.29:34 ). The descendants of the tribe of Levi are the Levites, who were responsible for the priesthood. Since of all the tribes of Israel the Levites were the only tribe not endowed with land, they were dependent on their fellows.

As you know, the Israelis moved to Egypt during the lifetime of Jacob-Israel himself. 2 (XVII century BC), fleeing hunger. They lived in the eastern Egyptian region of Goshen, bordering the Sinai Peninsula and watered by a tributary of the Nile River. Here they had extensive pastures for their herds and could roam freely around the country.

2 JacoborYakov (Israel) - the third of the biblical patriarchs, the youngest of the twin sons of the patriarch Isaac and Rebekah. From his sons came the 12 tribes of the people of Israel. In rabbinic literature, Jacob is seen as a symbol of the Jewish people.

Over time, the Israelites multiplied more and more, and the more they multiplied, the more hostile the Egyptians were towards them. Eventually there were so many Jews that it began to inspire fear in the new pharaoh. He said to his people: “Behold, the tribe of Israel is multiplying and can become stronger than us. If we have a war with another state, the Israelis can unite with our enemies.” To prevent the Israelite tribe from strengthening, it was decided to turn it into slavery. The pharaohs and their officials began to oppress the Israelites as strangers, and then began to treat them as a conquered tribe, like masters and slaves. The Egyptians began to force the Israelites to do the most difficult work for the benefit of the state: they were forced to dig the ground, build cities, palaces and monuments for kings, and prepare clay and bricks for these buildings. Special guards were appointed who strictly monitored the execution of all these forced labors.

But no matter how the Israelites were oppressed, they still continued to multiply. Then Pharaoh gave the order that all newborn Israeli boys should be drowned in the river, and only girls should be left alive. This order was carried out with merciless severity. The people of Israel were in danger of complete extermination.

During this time of trouble, a son was born to Amram and Jochebed, from the tribe of Levi. He was so beautiful that light emanated from him. The father of the holy prophet Amram had a vision that spoke of the great mission of this baby and of God's favor towards him. Moses' mother Jochebed managed to hide the baby in her home for a period of time. three months. However, no longer able to hide him, she left the baby in a tarred reed basket in the thickets on the banks of the Nile.

Moses being lowered by his mother onto the waters of the Nile. A.V. Tyranov. 1839-42

At this time, Pharaoh's daughter went to the river to swim, accompanied by her servants. Seeing a basket among the reeds, she ordered it to be opened. A tiny boy lay in the basket and cried. Pharaoh's daughter said, "This must be one of the Hebrew children." She took pity on the crying baby and, on the advice of Moses’ sister Miriam, who approached her and was watching what was happening from afar, agreed to call the Israeli nurse. Miriam brought her mother Jochebed. Thus, Moses was given to his mother, who nursed him. When the boy grew up, he was brought to the daughter of Pharaoh, and she raised him with her as her son ( Exodus 2:10 ). Pharaoh's daughter gave him the name Moses, which means "taken out of the water."

Finding Moses. F. Goodall, 1862

There are suggestions that this good princess was Hatshepsut, daughter of Thothmes I, later the famous and only female pharaoh in the history of Egypt.

The childhood and youth of Moses. Flight into the desert.

Moses spent the first 40 years of his life in Egypt, raised in the palace as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Here he received an excellent education and was initiated into “all the wisdom of Egypt,” that is, into all the secrets of the religious and political worldview of Egypt. Tradition says that he served as commander of the Egyptian army and helped the pharaoh defeat the Ethiopians who attacked him.

Although Moses grew up free, he never forgot his Jewish roots. One day he wanted to see how his fellow tribesmen lived. Seeing an Egyptian overseer beating one of the Israelite slaves, Moses stood up for the defenseless and, in a fit of rage, accidentally killed the overseer. Pharaoh found out about this and wanted to punish Moses. The only way to escape was to escape. And Moses fled from Egypt to the Sinai desert, which is near the Red Sea, between Egypt and Canaan. He settled in the land of Midian (Ex. 2:15), located on the Sinai Peninsula, with the priest Jethro (another name is Raguel), where he became a shepherd. Moses soon married Jethro's daughter, Zipporah, and became a member of this peaceful shepherd family. So another 40 years passed.

Calling of Moses

One day Moses was tending a flock and went far into the desert. He approached Mount Horeb (Sinai), and here a wondrous vision appeared to him. He saw a thick thorn bush, which was engulfed in a bright flame and burned, but still did not burn out.

Thorn bush or " Burning bush"is a prototype of God-humanity and the Mother of God and symbolizes the contact of God with a created being

God said He chose Moses to save the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. Moses had to go to Pharaoh and demand that he release the Jews. As a sign that the time has come for a new, more complete Revelation, He proclaims His Name to Moses: "I Am Who I Am"(Ex.3:14) . He sends Moses to demand, on behalf of the God of Israel, to release the people from the “house of slavery.” But Moses is aware of his weakness: he is not ready for a feat, he is deprived of the gift of speech, he is sure that neither Pharaoh nor the people will believe him. Only after persistent repetition of the call and signs does he agree. God said that Moses in Egypt had a brother Aaron, who, if necessary, would speak in his place, and God himself would teach both what to do. To convince unbelievers, God gives Moses the ability to perform miracles. Immediately, by His order, Moses threw his rod (shepherd's stick) to the ground - and suddenly this rod turned into a snake. Moses caught the snake by the tail - and again there was a stick in his hand. Another miracle: when Moses put his hand in his bosom and took it out, it became white with leprosy like snow, when he put his hand in his bosom again and took it out, it became healthy. “If they don’t believe this miracle,- said the Lord, - then take water from the river and pour it on the dry land, and the water will become blood on the dry land.”

Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh

Obeying God, Moses set out on the road. On the way, he met his brother Aaron, whom God ordered to go out into the desert to meet Moses, and they came together to Egypt. Moses was already 80 years old, no one remembered him. The daughter of the former pharaoh died long ago, foster mother Moses.

First of all, Moses and Aaron came to the people of Israel. Aaron told his fellow tribesmen that God would lead the Jews out of slavery and give them a land flowing with milk and honey. However, they did not immediately believe him. They were afraid of Pharaoh's revenge, they were afraid of the path through the waterless desert. Moses performed several miracles, and the people of Israel believed in him and that the hour of liberation from slavery had come. Nevertheless, the murmur against the prophet, which began even before the exodus, then flared up repeatedly. Like Adam, who was free to submit to or reject the higher Will, the newly created people of God experienced temptations and failures.

After this, Moses and Aron appeared to Pharaoh and declared to him the will of the God of Israel, so that he would release the Jews into the desert to serve this God: “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: Let My people go, that they may celebrate a feast for Me in the wilderness.” But Pharaoh answered angrily: “Who is the Lord that I should listen to him? I don’t know the Lord and I won’t let the Israelites go.”(Ex.5:1-2)

Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh

Then Moses announced to Pharaoh that if he did not release the Israelites, then God would send various “plagues” (misfortunes, disasters) to Egypt. The king did not listen - and the threats of the messenger of God came true.

Ten Plagues and the Establishment of Easter

Pharaoh's refusal to fulfill God's command entails 10 "plagues of Egypt" , a series of terrible natural disasters:

However, the executions only embitter the pharaoh even more.

Then the angry Moses came to Pharaoh in last time and warned: “This is what the Lord says: At midnight I will pass through the middle of Egypt. And every firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh...to the firstborn of the slave girl...and all the firstborn of livestock.” This was the last and most severe 10th plague (Exodus 11:1-10 – Exodus 12:1-36).

Then Moses warned the Jews to slaughter a one-year-old lamb in each family and anoint the doorposts and lintel with its blood: by this blood God will distinguish the homes of the Jews and will not touch them. The lamb was to be roasted over a fire and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Jews must be ready to hit the road immediately.

At night, Egypt suffered a terrible disaster. “And Pharaoh arose by night, he and all his servants, and all Egypt; and there was a great cry in the land of Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not a dead man.”

The shocked Pharaoh immediately summoned Moses and Aaron and ordered them, along with all their people, to go into the desert and perform worship so that God would take pity on the Egyptians.

Since then, Jews every year on the 14th day of the month of Nissan (the day falling on the full moon of the vernal equinox) Easter holiday . The word "passover" means "to pass by," because the Angel who struck the firstborn passed by Jewish houses.

From now on, Easter will mark the liberation of the People of God and their unity in a sacred meal - a prototype of the Eucharistic Meal.

Exodus. Crossing the Red Sea.

That same night, the entire Israeli people left Egypt forever. The Bible indicates the number of those who left was “600 thousand Jews” (not counting women, children and livestock). The Jews did not leave empty-handed: before fleeing, Moses ordered them to ask their Egyptian neighbors for gold and silver items, as well as rich clothes. They also took with them the mummy of Joseph, which Moses searched for for three days while his fellow tribesmen collected property from the Egyptians. God himself led them, being in a pillar of cloud during the day and in a pillar of fire at night, so the fugitives walked day and night until they reached the seashore.

Meanwhile, Pharaoh realized that the Jews had deceived him and rushed after them. Six hundred war chariots and selected Egyptian cavalry quickly overtook the fugitives. There seemed to be no escape. Jews - men, women, children, old people - crowded on the seashore, preparing for inevitable death. Only Moses was calm. At the command of God, he extended his hand to the sea, struck the water with his staff, and the sea parted, clearing the way. The Israelites walked along the bottom of the sea, and the waters of the sea stood like a wall to their right and left.

Seeing this, the Egyptians chased the Jews along the bottom of the sea. Pharaoh's chariots were already in the middle of the sea when the bottom suddenly became so viscous that they could hardly move. Meanwhile, the Israelis made it to the opposite bank. The Egyptian warriors realized that things were bad and decided to turn back, but it was too late: Moses again extended his hand to the sea, and it closed over Pharaoh’s army...

The crossing of the Red (now Red) Sea, accomplished in the face of imminent mortal danger, becomes the culmination of a saving miracle. The waters separated the rescued from the “house of slavery.” Therefore, the transition became a prototype of the sacrament of baptism. A new passage through water is also a path to freedom, but to freedom in Christ. On the seashore, Moses and all the people, including his sister Miriam, solemnly sang a song of thanksgiving to God. “I sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; he threw his horse and rider into the sea..." This solemn song of the Israelites to the Lord underlies the first of the nine sacred songs that make up the canon of songs sung daily Orthodox Church at the service.

According to biblical tradition, the Israelites lived in Egypt for 430 years. And the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt took place, according to Egyptologists, around 1250 BC. However, according to the traditional point of view, the Exodus occurred in the 15th century. BC e., 480 years (~5 centuries) before the construction of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem began (1 Kings 6:1). There are a significant number of alternative theories of the chronology of the Exodus, consistent to varying degrees with both religious and modern archaeological perspectives.

Miracles of Moses

Exodus of Jews from Egypt

The road to the Promised Land ran through the harsh and vast Arabian Desert. At first they walked for 3 days through the desert of Sur and found no water except bitter water (Merrah) (Ex. 15:22-26), but God sweetened this water by commanding Moses to throw a piece of some special tree into the water.

Soon, having reached the Sin desert, the people began to grumble from hunger, remembering Egypt, when they “sat by the cauldrons of meat and ate bread to their fill!” And God heard them and sent them from heaven manna from heaven (Ex. 16).

One morning, when they woke up, they saw that the entire desert was covered with something white, like frost. We started looking: white coating turned out to be small grains, similar to hail or grass seeds. In response to the surprised exclamations, Moses said: “This is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.” Adults and children rushed to gather manna and bake bread. From then on, every morning for 40 years they found manna from heaven and ate it.

Manna from heaven

The collection of manna took place in the morning, since by noon it melted under the rays of the sun. “The manna was like coriander seed, the appearance of bdellium.”(Num. 11:7). According to Talmudic literature, when eating manna, young men felt the taste of bread, old people - the taste of honey, children - the taste of oil.

In Rephidim, Moses, at the command of God, brought water out of the rock of Mount Horeb, striking it with his rod.

Moses opens a spring in the rock

Here the Jews were attacked by a savage tribe of Amalekites, but were defeated by the prayer of Moses, who during the battle prayed on the mountain, raising his hands to God ( Ex.17).

Sinai Covenant and 10 Commandments

In the 3rd month after leaving Egypt, the Israelites approached Mount Sinai and camped opposite the mountain. Moses first ascended the mountain, and God warned him that he would appear before the people on the third day.

And then this day came. The phenomenon in Sinai was accompanied by terrible phenomena: clouds, smoke, lightning, thunder, flames, earthquakes, and the sound of a trumpet. This communication lasted 40 days, and God gave Moses two tablets - stone tables on which the Law was written.

1. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; Let you have no other gods before Me.

2. Do not make for yourself an idol or any image of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth below, or that is in the water below the earth; You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I am the Lord your God. God is jealous, punishing the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing mercy to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

3. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave without punishment the one who takes His name in vain.

4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy; six days thou shalt work, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, neither thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor yours, nor your donkey, nor any of your livestock, nor the stranger who is in your gates; For in six days the Lord created heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them, and rested on the seventh day; Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it.

5. Honor your father and your mother, (so that it may go well with you and) so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

6. Don't kill.

7. Do not commit adultery.

8. Don't steal.

9. Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his field, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor (any of his livestock), nor anything that is thy neighbor's.

The law that was given to ancient Israel by God had several purposes. First, he asserted public order and justice. Secondly, he singled out the Jewish people as a special religious community professing monotheism. Thirdly, he had to make an internal change in a person, morally improve a person, bring a person closer to God through instilling in a person the love of God. Finally, the law of the Old Testament prepared humanity for the adoption of the Christian faith in the future.

The Decalogue (ten commandments) formed the basis of the moral code of all cultural humanity.

In addition to the Ten Commandments, God dictated laws to Moses that outlined how the people of Israel should live. Thus the Children of Israel became a people - Jews .

The Wrath of Moses. Establishment of the tabernacle of the covenant.

Moses ascended Mount Sinai twice, remaining there for 40 days. During his first absence the people sinned terribly. The wait seemed too long to them and they demanded that Aaron make them a god who led them out of Egypt. Frightened by their unbridledness, he collected gold earrings and made a golden calf, in front of which the Jews began to serve and have fun.

Coming down from the mountain, Moses in anger broke the Tablets and destroyed the calf.

Moses breaks the tablets of the Law

Moses severely punished the people for their apostasy, killing about 3 thousand people, but asked God not to punish them. God had mercy and showed him His glory, showing him a chasm in which he could see God from behind, because it is impossible for man to see His face.

After that, again for 40 days, he returned to the mountain and prayed to God for the forgiveness of the people. Here, on the mountain, he received instructions about the construction of the Tabernacle, the laws of worship and the establishment of the priesthood. It is believed that the book of Exodus lists the commandments on the first broken tablets, and Deuteronomy lists what was written the second time. From there he returned with God's face illuminated by the light and was forced to hide his face under a veil so that the people would not go blind.

Six months later, the Tabernacle was built and consecrated - a large, richly decorated tent. Inside the tabernacle stood the Ark of the Covenant - a wooden chest lined with gold with images of cherubim on top. In the ark lay the tablets of the covenant brought by Moses, a golden container with manna, and Aaron’s rod that flourished.

Tabernacle

To prevent disputes about who should have the right of the priesthood, God commanded that a staff be taken from each of the twelve leaders of the tribes of Israel and placed in the tabernacle, promising that the staff of the one He had chosen would blossom. The next day Moses found that Aaron's rod had produced flowers and brought almonds. Then Moses laid Aaron's rod before the ark of the covenant for safekeeping, as a testimony to future generations of the Divine election of Aaron and his descendants to the priesthood.

Moses' brother, Aaron, was ordained high priest, and other members of the tribe of Levi were ordained priests and "Levites" (in our language - deacons). From this time on, the Jews began to perform regular religious services and animal sacrifices.

End of wandering. Death of Moses.

For another 40 years Moses led his people to the promised land - Canaan. At the end of the journey, the people again began to be faint-hearted and grumble. God sent as punishment poisonous snakes, and when they repented, he commanded Moses to erect a copper image of the serpent on a pole, so that everyone who looked at it with faith would remain unharmed. The serpent lifted up in the desert, as St. Gregory of Nyssa - is the sign of the sacrament of the cross.

Copper serpent. Painting by F.A. Bruni

Despite great difficulties, the prophet Moses remained a faithful servant of the Lord God until the end of his life. He led, taught and mentored his people. He arranged their future, but did not enter the Promised Land because of the lack of faith shown by him and his brother Aaron at the waters of Meribah in Kadesh. Moses struck the rock twice with his rod, and water flowed from the stone, although once was enough - and God became angry and declared that neither he nor his brother Aaron would enter the Promised Land.

By nature, Moses was impatient and prone to anger, but through Divine education he became so humble that he became “the meekest of all people on earth.” In all his deeds and thoughts, he was guided by faith in the Almighty. In a sense, the fate of Moses is similar to the fate of the Old Testament itself, which through the desert of paganism brought the people of Israel to the New Testament and froze on its threshold. Moses died at the end of forty years of wandering on the top of Mount Nebo, from which he could see the promised land of Palestine from afar. God told him: “This is the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob... I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not enter it.”

He was 120 years old, but neither his vision was dull nor his strength exhausted. He spent 40 years in the palace of the Egyptian pharaoh, another 40 with flocks of sheep in the land of Midian, and the last 40 wandering at the head of the Israeli people in the Sinai desert. The Israelites commemorated the death of Moses with 30 days of mourning. His grave was hidden by God so that the Israeli people, who were inclined at that time towards paganism, would not make a cult out of it.

After Moses, the Jewish people, spiritually renewed in the desert, were led by his disciple Joshua who led the Jews to the Promised Land. For forty years of wandering, not a single person remained alive who came out of Egypt with Moses, and who doubted God and worshiped the golden calf at Horeb. In this way, a truly new people was created, living according to the law given by God at Sinai.

Moses was also the first inspired writer. According to legend, he is the author of the books of the Bible - the Pentateuch as part of the Old Testament. Psalm 89, “The Prayer of Moses, the Man of God,” is also attributed to Moses.

Svetlana Finogenova