The Lord of the Plagues Part 2

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Previously on the chosen people. 00:00:03 Speaker 2: I will harden Pharaoh's heart. I will show him signs of my power through you. Wonders shall descend upon him like fiery arrows. 00:00:17 Speaker 1: The onlookers gasped as the clear blue green currents of the Nile began to darken. The color shifted deepened, turning from blue to a murky red. 00:00:30 Speaker 3: Relent, rameses, relent. 00:00:34 Speaker 4: Your people will feel my heel beg further into their throats. What my people lose, and these sources will be taken from Gaushan. 00:00:48 Speaker 1: Suddenly the frogs came, hundreds, then thousands, then tens of thousands. They surged from the water like a living tide, their croaks deafened, their bodies leaping and scrambling over each other in their mad rush to the shore. 00:01:06 Speaker 5: Fine, I shall allow your people to go offer sacrifices in the wilderness. Just make these madness. 00:01:14 Speaker 1: And he withdrew his promise, refusing to let the Hebrews go. 00:01:19 Speaker 2: Tell erin to stretch out his staff and strike the dust of the ground throughout the land of Egypt. The dust will become nurts. 00:01:31 Speaker 1: In one fell swoop he struck the earth. The dust rose in great clouds, twisting and writhing in the air, before transforming into a swarm of gnats. They descended upon Egypt, covering man and beast alike. The buzzing was incessant, filling the air with an endless drone that drowned out all thought. The fields lay empty, the workers driven mad by the swarm, and even the mighty Pharaoh find no refuge from the gnats that plagued his land. 00:02:04 Speaker 2: I will crush him beneath the heel of Egypt. 00:02:07 Speaker 3: He is nothing but the dog and insect calling at my feet. 00:02:12 Speaker 1: The following day, the flies came. Dense swarms poured into Pharaoh's palace, darkening the air. They're buzzing a near deafening roar. 00:02:25 Speaker 4: Very will, I will let you go into the wilderness. 00:02:30 Speaker 5: Now, pray for me at once. 00:02:34 Speaker 3: Pray for the flies to cease. As soon as I leave, I shall. How can I trust it you will act deceitfully. How can we trust it you won't go back on your word? 00:02:48 Speaker 1: The God of Israel would not relent. The plagues were far from over. Egypt was rotting from the inside out. The corpses of frogs, gnats, and flies clogged the streets decaying under the relentless sun. The once bountiful fields lay desolate, still wheeling from the curse of blood that had turned the life giving Nile into a river of death. The stink of rot and disease hung heavy in the air, like a fog that refused to lift. Pharaoh stood upon the balcony of his palace, his grip tight on the stone, railing, knuckles white with rage, His eyes sunken and bloodshot from sleepless nights, gazed out toward the land of Goshen, where the Hebrew slaves dwelt in peace, untouched by the plates ravaging the rest of Egypt. His heart twisted with fury, for he knew this was no accident. The sound of footsteps echoed behind him, accompanied by the soft clatter of wooden staffs against the stone floor. He didn't need to turn to know who it was. 00:04:12 Speaker 6: Moses. I do not need a profit to fore tell what your next words will be. You want me to let your people go. 00:04:23 Speaker 3: The Lord demands it. Rases will refuse to let them go. 00:04:30 Speaker 7: The hand of the Lord will fall with a severe plague upon your livestock, the horses, donkeys, camels, and flocks will die, He'll spare the livestock in Goshen. 00:04:43 Speaker 3: Has proved to you that this is no coincidence for random parts. The God of Israel is doing this to you because of. 00:04:53 Speaker 7: The waring part. 00:04:55 Speaker 1: Pharaoh remained silent for a long moment, his eyes fixed on her eyes eion. The shadows beneath his cold gaze deepened, but his voice, when it came, was calm, almost thoughtful. 00:05:09 Speaker 8: I will admit that I underestimated you, Moses. You left this land as my sister's household pet, but you returned from the desert as a god. 00:05:21 Speaker 3: You still don't understand who you're dealing with. 00:05:24 Speaker 6: Rameses, it is you who doesn't understand, Moses. I have experienced defeat in battle before, but in the end I always when these small defeats will be blotted out in history, replaced with the glorious stories of my victory over the god of slaves. 00:05:53 Speaker 1: Moses, his heart heavy, turned to leave, but before he stepped through the doorway, he paused, looking back at Pharaoh, hunched over the balcony, consumed by bitterness. 00:06:07 Speaker 3: None of this isn't pleasure. I I did consider you like a brother once. Tomorrow the the Lord will bring more judgment. 00:06:23 Speaker 1: With those words, Moses left the broken, came to his solitude. Death came swiftly like a thief in the night. By dawn, the breath of life had been stripped from the fields of Egypt. The horses lay dead in the dirt, their once browled forms crumpled and lifeless. The camels, donkeys, and cattles all fell where they stood, their bodies becoming part of the blighted landscape. The people cried out to Hafa, the goddess of cattle, that their prayers were met with silence. No offerings could stay the hand of the Lord, and no plea could reverse his judgment. Once rich with the hum of life, Egypt became a land of rotting carcasses, a graveyard of bones and broken hopes. But Pharaoh did not call for Moses. He did not plead for mercy or lift a finger to comfort his people. He sat alone in his throne room, stewing in his rage, his heart as hardened as the stone surrounding him by the fire. That evening, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam sat in uneasy silence, their faces drawn with the weight of what was still to come. Each plague seemed to sink Pharaoh deeper into madness, but still he refused to bend. Miriam's eyes lingered on her brother, searching his face for answers. 00:08:01 Speaker 9: What's our endgame here, Moses? What if Pharaoh breaks the wrong way? What if he decides to kill us all instead? 00:08:09 Speaker 10: Pharaoh is stubborn, but he is no fool. He knows the Lord's power. If he kills us, he invites even more wrath upon himself. 00:08:19 Speaker 9: In Egypt, I wouldn't be so sure, Aerin. There have been pharaoh's that bury their servants alive in the grave with them. He may have enough spite in himself to invite that wrath if it means he can get back at the Lord. 00:08:33 Speaker 1: Moses stared into the fire, his face unreadable. He knew Ramses better than any of them. He had seen the fire in his eyes, the way his pride had grown to consume him. It surprised Moses how much control Pharaoh had maintained so far, but deep down he knew that Ramses was nearing the edge. There would be no relenting until Ramses reached his altar, the breaking point. 00:09:01 Speaker 9: It feels like the Lord is playing with Pharaoh Why doesn't he just strike him down and be done with it? Why prolong this suffering? What am I missing? 00:09:12 Speaker 3: The Lord isn't just at war with Pharaoh, Miriam, He's going to battle against the gods of Egypt. 00:09:19 Speaker 9: What do you mean? 00:09:22 Speaker 3: Happi, the god of the Nile, bled out before our eyes. Akeet, the frog goddess, left the rot in the streets. GiB the god of the Earth, turned to dust and swarmed us with gnats. Capri, the god of life, swarmed against his own people as flies. And now Hathor, the goddess of livestock, watches as her herds lie dead in the fields. The Lord is striking down the gods of Egypt one by one. 00:09:55 Speaker 10: Then what would the Lord do when only one god is left standing? 00:10:00 Speaker 9: Which god are you talking about? 00:10:02 Speaker 1: Moses looked at his sister through the flickering flames, his eyes intense, filled with a terrible understanding Pharaoh. The next day, Moses and Aaron stood before Pharaoh once more, this time in the palace courtyard. Flames from the kiln flickered in the dimming light, casting shadows on the faces of the dancers and courtiers gathered for an evening of entertainment. But when they saw Moses, the music faltered, and all eyes turned to him in silence. He had become a harbinger of death in their eyes, a symbol of the wrath that had plagued them. Pharaoh, reclining near the fire, sneered at the sight of him. 00:10:51 Speaker 5: Leave here, Moses, give me a moment of peace of what I have to win. 00:10:56 Speaker 8: You are more whining from you and. 00:10:59 Speaker 1: Your Moses did not reply. In silence, he stepped toward the kiln. The guards moved to stop him, but hesitated, fear flickering in their eyes. Even they dared not touch him. Now Moses reached into the kiln, his hands closing around a handful of soot. He turned to Pharaoh, his face expressionless, and opened his fist. 00:11:28 Speaker 3: Behold the power of the Lord. 00:11:32 Speaker 1: The soot drifted into the air, swirling and twisting in the wind like a living thing. The air thickened, the heat rising as the ash spread throughout the courtyard. At first there was silence, then the sound of groans low and paine. The air was scorching in The ash that had seemed so harmless now whirled like fire against the skin. Boils erupted on the bodies of those gathered, oozing and festering. As cries had terror filled the courtyard. The priests writhed in agony, their skin blistering and peeling. Pharaoh's servants screamed, clutching at their swords, while Pharaoh himself stood rigid and trembling, refusing to show his pain. 00:12:22 Speaker 4: Never mind, do something about this sorcery. 00:12:27 Speaker 5: Pray to Isis, make an offering to her so that we may be healed. 00:12:32 Speaker 1: The priest flailed and writhed alongside the others. He fell to his knees, screaming in pain. 00:12:40 Speaker 10: This is beyond our power, Lord Pharaoh. 00:12:45 Speaker 1: Pharaoh stood with trembling legs and pointed to. 00:12:48 Speaker 3: Moses, get out of here. 00:12:53 Speaker 1: They departed, leaving Ramses and his entire household in agony. When Moses and Aaron entered Pharaoh's halls again, the air was thick with the sound of whimpering servants and groaning nobles. The palace, once a symbol of power, now reeked of sickness and misery. They found Pharaoh slumped over his throne, his face pale and slick, with sweat boils covering his once proud body. Behind him, the statues of Egypt's gods loomed. They too seemed to have lost their power, mere stone relics of a kingdom that was crumbling. Moses's heart ached with sorrow. He had never wanted this. Pharaoh's suffering brought him no joy, only a bitter sense of loss. The man before him, once a brother in all but blood, had become something twisted and broken. 00:13:55 Speaker 3: Ramses, let them. 00:13:58 Speaker 8: Go, answer remains the same. 00:14:04 Speaker 3: I thought you'd say that here from the Lord, let my people go, so that they might worship me. This time I will send all my plagues on you and your servants and all the people within your borders. You will know that there was no one like me and all the earth. 00:14:26 Speaker 5: And that is no one like me and all of the earth. 00:14:30 Speaker 3: Hear these words from the Lord Pharaoh. I could have struck you and your people down by now. I could have wiped you off the earth. But I have kept you up for this purpose so that my name may be proclaimed and all the earth. You are still exalting yourself against my people. But behold, this time tomorrow hail shall fall, a thrashing shall descend upon Ea. Did you like never before flee to shelter, Tell your people to flee if you hold them. 00:15:06 Speaker 6: Dear Ah, how very noble of your God to give me a warning before he attacks my people. 00:15:15 Speaker 3: He is not without mercy, Pharaoh, Turn from your stubbornness, and. 00:15:20 Speaker 9: You shall see. 00:15:22 Speaker 1: Pharaoh waved him away, But as Moses and Aaron left the palace, the servants whispered. The words spread quickly, and hal was coming. And though suns scoffed at the warning, others took it to heart, rushing to hide their families and animals from the storm. But Pharaoh, defiant to the end, stood on his balcony as the sky darkened, raised his arms to the heavens, his voice trembling with rage. 00:15:52 Speaker 5: Come at me, comments, let me down if you dare knot. God is of the sky. Here the words of Beryl and stave of Visitor. 00:16:07 Speaker 1: On the other side of the city, Moses stood, starf in hand. He turned his head up ear, attentive to the voice of the Lord speaking through the thunder. 00:16:19 Speaker 2: Fellow, Shawe, no, my nay, stretch out your home towards heaven. 00:16:28 Speaker 1: Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven. The charcoal storm clouds above began to radiate with blue and orange eels with each clap of thunder, and the clouds lit up with terrifying glass. Pharaoh's eyes as wide as he saw the hands over, he was of just hail. It fell from the sky. Lightning pierced the darkness and blid flaming walls of fire and ice the size of cattle firing was cascaded from the sky. In an onslaught of destruction. Immense power and unbridled destruction came upon Egypt. Trees splintered into thousands of pieces, and forests were set ablaze. Buildings and monuments to Pharaoh's greatness crumpled. Those who hadn't heeded God's warning ran in horror. Yet in the land of Osha, vain people stood under a cloudless sky, safe set about waiting for deliberates. As their God went to war for their freedom. Moses and Aaron were called into the courts of Pharaoh. They were escorted by guards, passing pillars and statues that had been shattered by judgment. The palace was a relic of its former glory. Pharaoh leaned against one of the walls, sitting with his knees close to his chest. Moses felt his heart tighten with compassion. Aaron leaned over to him and whispered. 00:18:08 Speaker 10: Don't fall for his tricks again. Moses won't let our people walk free. He's proven that time and time again. I know, I know he will say the words, but he will not do it. Don't fall for his tricks. 00:18:25 Speaker 1: The man approached the trembling and broken king. He looked up at the black tears streaking down his painted eyes. 00:18:35 Speaker 6: I have sin against he, your God, I and them my people, who are wrong. I will plead with him on my behalf, ask him to cease the thunder, and in hail, I will let you all go. 00:18:56 Speaker 1: Moses was silent for a long while, discern in Pharaoh's gaze you hear me. 00:19:03 Speaker 3: I will let them go out. Just make this stop, I heard you, Rameses. I will stretch out my hand and ask the Lord to stop it will cease. This is only so you know who is in charge of eaven and earth. The skies and the land do not belong to you. They belonged to him. He knows you won't cease. You beg now, but when the skies close, you will go right back. 00:19:31 Speaker 2: To your ways. 00:19:33 Speaker 1: Ramses dipped his head low. Aaron looked at Moses. Then at Ramses. He saw the war both of them had within their hearts. Ramses was losing his sense of control and divinity. Moses was grappling with the loss of the kingdom he was raised in. Aaron took his brother by the arm and let him out of Pharaoh's palace. Ramses remained on the floor in the darkness. Moses was right. He didn't relent. He wouldn't. The next time Moses and Aaron stood in Pharaoh's court, the air was heavy with tension. Servants and officials trembled, their eyes filled with fear as they watched the broken king, still defiant despite the suffering that had befallen his kingdom. Aaron's voice cut through the silence, sharp and unwavering. 00:20:32 Speaker 10: How long will you refuse to humble yourself? Even your servants are trembling and begging for you to relent, cease this madness and let our people go. 00:20:42 Speaker 3: A plague is coming, unlike anything your fathers or grandfathers have ever seen. Rameses, who will. 00:20:50 Speaker 5: You take with you? Surely I can't part with. 00:20:53 Speaker 8: All my slaves. 00:20:55 Speaker 3: This is not a negotiation. All of them are to be freed, young and old. 00:21:02 Speaker 8: Here I stand very to reason with you. 00:21:06 Speaker 5: You Hebrew dogs, are insolent to think you can reject my offer. Go leave and see what happens. I will strike you down like the pack of animals you are. 00:21:18 Speaker 1: As Moses and Aaron left the court, Pharaoh's fury boiled over. He steamed outside, the air around him hot and depressive. A strange wind blew from the east, howling through the streets like a wounded priest. He looked to the sky, expecting to see storm clouds, for what he saw was far worse. A dark mass, swirling and shifting filled the heavens locusts, millions upon millions of them, descending upon Egypt like a plate from the very pits of air. They swarmed over the land, devouring everything in their part. The crops that had begun to recover from the hail were consumed in minutes. The trees were stripped bare, and even the fabric of tents and clothing disappeared under the relentless onslaught of the locusts. Pharaoh scourned at his servants, ordering them to gather what food they could, but it was too late. 00:22:20 Speaker 2: Egypt had been laid bare. There was nothing left. 00:22:24 Speaker 1: In mere hours, Egypt was reduced to a waste land. The people wept in the streets, their children hugging in fear, their stomachs empty. Pharaoh, their once mighty god king, fell to his knees, begging for mercy, but the Lord would not be swayed. He knew Pharaoh's heart, and he knew that the time was drawn near for the final blow. Three days of darkness fell upon Egypt, thick and suffocating, as if the very life of the world had been extinguished. Ra the god of the Sun, was defeated. The people of Egypt were left in darkness, lost and terrified, and Pharaoh sat alone in the pitch black, simmering in his hatred, his pride refusing to bend. He wanted vengeance, wanted blood, but he would not have the chance. The Lord would strike him down soon enough, for Pharaoh was the last god left to fall. This pray Dog comproduction is only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Cattina, Max Bard, Zach Slabager, and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People, narrated by Paul Caltefianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia zaradoc To, Thomas Copeland Junior, Rosanna Pilcher, and Mitch Leshinsky. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Aaron Salvato, bre Rosalie and Chris bag 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,