Moses the Murderer

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Dear Lord, you are our creator and redeemer, the one who knows us fully and loves us still. We come before you, humbled, asking for mercy and renewal. In moments when anger clouds our hearts or pride leads our choices, remind us of our deep need for your cleansing grace. Create in us hearts that are pure and spirits that are steadfast. Wash away the burdens that weigh us down, and restore within us a spirit of peace and faithfulness. Fill us with your holy spirit, that our actions and words may reflect your love. Teach us to seek forgiveness quickly and to extend it freely. Give us the courage to walking your righteousness even when difficult. Let your transforming power shape us into people of compassion, patience, and truth. We thank you for your endless mercy and the redemption we find in you. Amen, thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to the Chosen People. If you enjoyed this episode, rate this podcast and leave a review to help others find encouragement in God's word. Thank you for praying with me. Today you're listening to the Chosen People. Remain here for a dramatic story inspired by the Bible. Subscribe wherever you listen, so you never miss a moment of God's truth, hope, and presence. 00:01:51 Speaker 2: Previously on the Chosen People. 00:01:54 Speaker 3: These Hebrews are like rats bleeding in the shops. They already out number of my soldiers. We must cut the Hebrews off before they become unmanageable. 00:02:13 Speaker 2: When Pharaoh's men arrived, they did so with the violence of a summer storm. The streets that had buzzed with life now rang with the screams of mothers as soldiers tore their children from their arms. Yokhmed hid the baby. 00:02:30 Speaker 4: Hide them now, poor, what's going on? Take your son and hide now. 00:02:38 Speaker 2: Pharaoh's men are coming. Jokobed's hands trembled as she placed the basket into the water, her heart breaking with each breath. 00:02:47 Speaker 4: I sweep boy, my child, I pray that our God will protect you. I feel I can't anymore. 00:02:55 Speaker 2: I have to believe something greater than myself. 00:02:58 Speaker 4: I have to believe. 00:03:02 Speaker 2: The basket was a vessel of salvation. Although chaos raged around him, the baby was safe inside. Miriam watched the basket flow into the banks near Pharaoh's Palace, where a group of women were bathing in the morning sun. Princess Bitcher waded toward the basket and brought it back to the steps. His name shall be Moses, because I drew him out of the water. When Moses was weaned, he was returned to Princess Bitcher and raised as a prince of Egypt. He grew up alongside Rameses, the son of Pharaoh Setti, the future ruler of the land. But despite the opulence of the palace, a shadow hung over Moses, a lingering scent of the Hebrews that clung to him like a second skin. While Rameses embodied the glory of Rah, Moses remained a figure suspended between two worlds. He was neither fully Egyptian nor entirely Hebrew, neither slave nor free. He was Moses, the stray Hebrew up raised in the heart of Pharaoh's Caught, Moses planted his right foot firmly into the dust, his sandal grinding into the loose earth, and cocked his shoulder back. The wooden, practiced sword felt heavy in his hand, not from its weight, but from the rage simmering beneath his skin. With a guttural shout, he lunged forward, swinging wildly, but Rameses was quicker. The Prince sidestepped, and Moses stumbled forward, his momentum carrying him off balance. Ramses seized the opening, driving his knee hard into Moses's ribs. A sharp gasp escaped Moses's lips as he crumbled to the ground, the taste of blood on his tongue. Ramses swung his sword in a swift arc, aiming to end about with a single blow, but Moses rolled away just in time. He scrambled to his feet, clutching his side where the pain glanced. Sharp and unyielding. Anger flared hotter than the desert sun, and Moses felt the familiar loss of control, the fire in his blood demanding release. He roared and charged at Ramses again, swinging wildly recklessly. Rameses ducked the first strike and parried the second. His movements were fluid and precise. Behind them, the survey's voice cut through the clash of wood on wood. 00:05:55 Speaker 3: He's a young Moses, don't lose your temper again. 00:05:59 Speaker 2: But Roses heard nothing save the rush of blood. In his ears. He snarled his teeth bad like a cornered beast, and lunged once more. Ramses saw it coming, stepping lightly aside and driving the wooden blade hard into Moses' back. Moses fell forward, hitting the ground with a breathless gasp, his fingers clawing at the dirt. 00:06:23 Speaker 5: You fight like a frightened animal, Moses, Stop bedding her claws and think like a man. 00:06:31 Speaker 4: Don't tell me what to do. You're not faro yet. 00:06:35 Speaker 2: The words were hot and reckless, and they spurred Moses to his feet. Abandoning his sword, he charged Ramses, his only thought to close the distance, to bring the fight to the ground where he was strongest. Ramses braced himself, raising his sword, but Moses slipped low, dipping his shoulder and tackling Ramseys to the dust. The two of them hit the ground in a tack angle of limbs, and Moses was on him in an instant, his arms and legs coiling around Ramses like a python. Grappling in the dirt. Moses squeezed with all his might, his teeth gritted, his. 00:07:13 Speaker 4: Breath ragged yield. Ramses a. 00:07:19 Speaker 5: Lever. 00:07:21 Speaker 4: You're too proud to loose to a Hebrew, I said, yield, refuse. 00:07:31 Speaker 2: Rage blinded Moses, drowning out all reason. He squeezed tighter, oblivious to ramses desperate gasps for air, to the darkening of his face. He did not hear the instructor's shouts, did not feel the sting of command that echoed around them. 00:07:49 Speaker 3: Enough, Moses, release your hord. 00:07:52 Speaker 2: Moses couldn't hear him. His fury burned too hot, I said enough. But Moses was deaf to all but his own fury, lost in a tempest of his own making. When he Strutter's hand came down hard on the back of moses head, a sharp blow that cholted him from his red haze. He blinked, breath hitching, and released his hold. Ramses rolled away, clutching his throat, gasping for breath that would not come. 00:08:22 Speaker 4: My Manto's big. 00:08:27 Speaker 5: I thought you were going to kill me. 00:08:30 Speaker 2: Ah. 00:08:31 Speaker 6: I I'm sorry, Ramses. 00:08:35 Speaker 7: I shouldn't have done it. Lucky, my sister found you in that water. If it were me who saw you floating on the nile, I would. 00:08:47 Speaker 3: Have pushed you closer to the crocks. The temper of yours will be your undoing Moses. 00:08:53 Speaker 6: Yes, abate I, I don't know what came over me. 00:09:00 Speaker 5: That was your Hebrew showing. That's why they need the whip. They're animals in need of a mest. Remember that you're not one of them, Moses. You're in the household of Pharaoh. Act like it. 00:09:15 Speaker 4: Yes, Rameses I really didn't mean. 00:09:18 Speaker 2: To, But Rameses had already turned his back, leaving Moses standing alone, his brow furrowed with a mix of shame and anger. Rameses was the favored son, the heir to the throne the dawn of Egypt. Moses was a prince only by the will of the gods and the whim of fate, a prince by right but not by blood. His Hebrew birth clung to him like a shadow, a constant reminder of a truth he could never escape. 00:09:48 Speaker 4: Who am I? 00:09:50 Speaker 2: Moses let his wooden sword drop into the dust. His eyes followed it, staring, as though the answer to his turmoil might lie in splintered wood. He turned and walked away, his steps slow and heavy, each footfall dragging through the sand, as if weighed down by invisible chains. He meandered through the palace courtyards. Moses wrestled with his place in the world, A prince trapped between two identities, between two names. Was he an Egyptian prince or a Hebrew orphan, a lord, or a survivor. The sun hung low over thieves, a golden disk of fire, casting its dying light across the city of Pharaohs. The air was filled with the smell of incense and the sounds of the market place, merchants, hawking wares, the chatter of slaves, and the rhythmic pounding of drums from a distant temple. This was the beating heart of Egypt, a city of splendor and power, where the Niles sacred waters carved a path through the desert, bestowing life upon all who dwelt in its shadow. Moses walked among the throngs, his stride measured and regal, a prince garbed in linen finer than the webs of spiders, sandals of gilded leather strapped to his feet. The people parted before him, head's bowing eyes averted. He was a figure of reverence, the adopted son of pharaoh's daughter, raised in the lap of luxury and trained in the arts of war and state craft. Yet as he moved through the streets of thieves, passed the towering obelisks and grand colonnades. He could not escape the unease that gnaw did his heart. The city was a marvel an, endless sprawl of white stone and gleaming gold, adorned with statues of gods and kings. Here Horus and Wrath watched with eyes of Lapis, and the Sphinx guarded the secrets of ages past. The Palace loomed in the distance, a fortress of power, its walls painted with the victories of pharaohs long dead. Yet to Moses, the grandeur of Thebes had begun to feel like a facade, a gilded mask hiding a festering wound. As he passed a procession of priests leading a sacred bull to the temple, he found his gaze drawn not to the finery of the ceremony, but to the faces of the men who labored to clear the path. They were Hebrews, their skin burnt dark by the sun, their bodies leaned from toil. They did not look up as he passed, their eyes fixed on the ground, their expressions hollow. They were his people, his blood. A voice whispered in his mind, insidious and relentless. You're not one of them. The thought was both a curse and a comfort. Moses knew he was a prince of Egypt, yet he felt no kinship with the land of his upbringing. He was a son of the Nile, but his blood was the blood of slaves. The sound of hammer on stone drew him from his days, and he turned his eyes toward the outskirts of the city, where the pyramids rose against the horizon like mountains of despair. Here Pharaoh's vision of eternity was etched into the earth. He drew closer to a work site. Slaves swarmed over the stones like ants, their backs bent beneath the weight of granite blocks. Overseers stalked among them, whips cracking like thunder, their shouts harsh and unforgiving. The slaves did not meet Moses eyes as he passed, but he could feel their silent plea, a cry for mercy that went unanswered day after day. Guilt twisted in his gut. He was a prince of Egypt, and yet what had he done to deserve his station. He had lived in luxury while his people bled and died, To build monuments, to gods they did not worship. He was a Hebrew by birth, but he had been raised as an Egyptian, taught to revere the very men who enslaved his kid. He belonged to neither world, poured between two identities, like a man trapped between two mirrors, his reflections split and distorted. Moses stopped at the edge of the work site, his gaze lingering on a young man no older than himself, struggling to lift a stone that was too heavy for him. The overseer's whip lashed out, striking the man across the back, and he staggered, falling to his knees. The man screamed in. 00:14:57 Speaker 4: Pain, he Brew, a dog, I've been left. 00:15:01 Speaker 2: Moses felt a surge of anger, hot and fierce, but it was quickly tempered by Shane. He turned away, unable to bear the sight any longer. But as he did, the young man's eyes met his, and for a moment time seemed to stand still. The sound of the cracking of the whip echoed. His heart beat intensified, and his fists bawled with tension. The taskmaster's whip was heavy against the Hebrew's back. His arm fell like lightning. 00:15:33 Speaker 3: What will it take to get you working? 00:15:37 Speaker 5: Your wife and children here to remind you of what I am capable of? 00:15:43 Speaker 4: And did I say you could speak? 00:15:47 Speaker 3: Work faster? 00:15:48 Speaker 4: He said, faster, woolf dark. 00:15:53 Speaker 2: Moses heart pounded, his blood boiling. No one else would act, no one else would. His feet moved of their own accord, his voice coming out as a shout roar, and commanding. 00:16:07 Speaker 4: That's enough, leave him alone. These dogs need to know who the masters are. 00:16:15 Speaker 2: I said it up. In a blur of motion, Moses leaped at the overseer and in his fist connecting with the man's temple. The commander staggered back, raising his whip to strike, but Moses tackled into the ground, the two of them rolling in the dust. They struggled, the commander's hands clawing at Moses, but the prince pinned him down, his hands closing around the man's throat. 00:16:39 Speaker 4: How does it feel to be the one afraid for your life? How does it feel? 00:16:44 Speaker 2: The overseer's eyes barged, his face darkening as Moses squeezed tighter. The world now to the sound of his own breath, the rush of blood, the pandied flailing of the man beneath him. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the struggle ended. The overseous body went limp, his eyes glassy and still. Moses released his grip, stumbling back in horror. He looked down at his trembling hands, Unable to comprehend what he had done. He turned to the hebrew who stared at him with a mixture of fear and gratitude. But when Moses stepped forward, the man flinched. 00:17:26 Speaker 3: These don't hurt me, Lord Moses. 00:17:29 Speaker 6: No I I didn't, I I would never. 00:17:34 Speaker 2: The hebrew Man ran, disappearing into the maze of stone and sand, leaving Moses alone with the lifeless body of his victim. His breath hitched in his throat as he dragged the corpse to a pile of rubble, hastily burying it beneath loose stones. When he was finished, he stared at the crude grave, his heart pounding with the weight of his crime. 00:18:02 Speaker 3: What have I done? Ah? Who? Who? 00:18:06 Speaker 7: Who? 00:18:07 Speaker 5: Who? 00:18:08 Speaker 1: Am I? 00:18:09 Speaker 2: Moses fled back to the palace, his steps frantic and unsteady, tears streaking his dust covered face. He stumbled through the torch lit corridors, his breath coming in ragged sobs. Finding a secluded corner, he sank to the floor, burying his face in his hands as the reality of his actions crashed over him. But even in the stillness there was no solace. Footsteps echoed through the hall, and Moses hurriedly wiped his face, trying to compose himself from the shadows. Emerged Rameses, his expression unreadable. Moses bowed his head, hoping he would pass by without notice, but Rameses stopped studying him with a mix of curiosity and disdain. 00:18:59 Speaker 5: You look like cow dun. 00:19:03 Speaker 4: I feel like cowdung. 00:19:05 Speaker 2: Ramses hesitated, his usual arrogance, tempered by something softer. 00:19:11 Speaker 5: Oh listen, Moses, Well, what I said earlier about pushing you to the crocs it was unbecoming of me. You are a member of this household and a brother. 00:19:22 Speaker 6: It's all right, Rameses, I provoked you, sobaita is right. I need to control my temper and I need to control my tongue. If I'm ever to ascend to the heights of Rah and touch the Sun, I shouldn't lower myself to such words. 00:19:40 Speaker 2: You are kind to apologize, Ramses nodded, but there was a warning in his eyes as he turned to leave. 00:19:48 Speaker 5: Today will be behind us. But I warn you, Moses, I will not be dishonored in such a way again, my sister's son or not, I will be mocked by. 00:19:59 Speaker 6: No understood Rameses. 00:20:02 Speaker 2: Moses watched him go, feeling the familiar sting of rejection mingled with a desperate longing for Ramsey's approval. When his uncle disappeared around the corner, Moses let out a long, shuddering breath. He dragged himself to his bed, but sleep did not come easily. The image of the dead man's eyes haunted his dreams, a relentless specter that kept him tossing and turning, until at last he could stand it no longer. Rising, he made his way to the river. The first light of dawn had yet to touch the sky, and the Niles waters ran dark and swift, whispering secrets as they cut through the land. Moses stood at the edge, staring out at the currents, the wind tugging at his robes. He closed his eyes, trying to remember what had happened all those years ago. The stories his mother had told him came to mind, of the basket that carried him through the reeds of the gentle hands that cradled him against the cold waters. But it all felt like a half remembered dream, a puzzle missing too many pieces. The breeze carried a soft mamur Moses, a stirring in the reeds that almost sounded like a voice. Moses's eyes snapped open, his heart quickening. He peered into the mist, but saw nothing save the shifting shadows of the river bank. 00:21:37 Speaker 4: Who Who's there? 00:21:40 Speaker 2: There was no answer. Moses shook his head, pushing the strange feeling aside. The whisper was gone, but the questions remained, gnawing at him. As he turned away from the river's edge, Moses wandered back into the city, the early morning still cool with the last remnants of night. As he walked, he saw two men locked in a heated argument, their voices raised in anger. They were Hebrews, their tunics stained with the dust of their labor. 00:22:13 Speaker 4: Every time you take a break, you leave me carrying an entire load. Myself finish the job. 00:22:19 Speaker 5: Carrying the load. Anyways, I take more breaks because you refuse to do your fair share of the work. 00:22:25 Speaker 3: Take that back. 00:22:26 Speaker 2: Make me the smaller of the two took a jab at the other. The larger man returned with an even greater mode to the man's jaw. Moses immediately stepped into help. 00:22:37 Speaker 4: Stop why do you fight each other? Stop this nonsense. 00:22:42 Speaker 2: At once the men hesitated, but when they looked at Moses, their expressions turned cold. They saw not a fellow Hebrew, but a prince in fine linen, an Egyptian in every way that mattered? 00:22:55 Speaker 3: Are your task master? 00:22:56 Speaker 7: Now? 00:22:57 Speaker 3: Moses? You're going to whip us into submission? Who made you prince over us? Anyway? 00:23:02 Speaker 2: I heard rumors you're a Hebrew just like the rest of us. 00:23:06 Speaker 4: No, I, eh, be careful. 00:23:08 Speaker 5: He might lose his temper on you, like you did with that Egyptian yesterday. 00:23:12 Speaker 4: Ah, yes, we all heard about that. 00:23:16 Speaker 3: How did you know about that? 00:23:17 Speaker 2: Moses stepped back. Terror coursed through his veins. If these slaves knew about the murder, surely word had reached the palace by. 00:23:26 Speaker 5: Now, are you gonna murder us like you did the Egyptian? 00:23:30 Speaker 3: Who are you, Moses? A vigilante? A tyrant? Whose side are you one? 00:23:36 Speaker 2: Moses turned and fled, his heart pounding as he bolted through the streets. He reached the palace courtyard, but skidded to a halt when he saw the guards, a dozen of them, their eyes scanning the grounds. They were looking for him. Moses spun on his heel and ran, his breath hitching in his throat as he stumbled down the palace steps. He crashed into a vendor's cart, sending figs spilling onto the stones those Moses ran his feet, barely touching the ground as he tore through the crowded marketplace. He dodged past startled merchants, sprinted down the cobblestone streets, and ducked into the narrow alleys that twisted through the city. The guards were close behind, their shouts growing. 00:24:25 Speaker 4: Louder by the silent. 00:24:31 Speaker 5: I had to get out of here. 00:24:33 Speaker 2: Moses didn't stop. He bolted through the eastern gate, diving into the dense brush that lined the river bank. The reeds rustled around him as he crawled toward the water, Slipping into the nile's embrace. He stayed hidden, his body submerged as the guards passed by, their torches flickering in the dark. When dusk finally fell, Moses emerged from the water, shivering and spent He crossed to the far shore, each step taking him farther from the city that had been his home and his prison. The land stretched out before him, a barren expanse of sand and stone, unforgiving and uncharted. Moses wandered the desert, his thoughts a whirlwind of guilt and fear. He was no longer a prince, nor was he a slave. He was an exile, a fugitive with no home and no kin. The desert wind howled around him, biting at his skin, and the sun beat down with merciless intensity. Moses trudged on, driven by a need he could not name, haunted by the man he had killed, and the questions that gnaw did his soul. In the vast emptiness of the wilderness, Moses was utterly desperately alone. This Prey dot Com production is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gattina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabager, and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvado, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwald, Sylvia Zaradoc, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris Baig. You can hear more Prey dot com productions on the Prey dot Com app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. If you enjoyed the Chosen People, please rate and leave a review,