Moses, Man of the Mountain (16 page)

“Tell them that we are forever striving for their good. We will pass a law: frogs must stay out of the houses of the people.”

The people thought that Pharaoh was very thoughtful of their comfort and needs when they heard about the law.

The very next week on Wednesday, Moses went to the sitting room of the palace and Pharaoh was waiting.

“I have a little sign from the Lord to let you know He says, ‘Let my people go,’ Moses stated as soon as they had gotten through with the manners necessary around the court.

“I’m not letting them go, so you better show me your sign. But I’m telling you right now, no more frogs, Moses.”

“This sign is also for your counsellors and judges. So you better call them in, too.”

Pharaoh pointed out that he made a habit of making up his own mind, but if Moses wanted to entertain some more people with his tricks he would have them called. Moses had to wait for a long time before they all got there.

When the chairs were all full of nobles with their shaved heads and shoulders wrapped in cloaks, Moses lifted his right hand with his rod and all the others in the room began first to twitch, then to squirm and then to scratch and claw madly at their persons. One aged noble picked something off the edge of his cloak and gasped in disgusted surprise. “A louse! No, I mean lice!” But he could have saved his breath, for everyone present from Pharaoh down to the palace cat had made the same discovery.

“I pronounce on all Egypt, except Goshen, the plague of lice,” Moses said solemnly and turned to go.

Pharaoh screamed at his college of priests. “Do something about this plague of lice and do it quick. And another thing, don’t you dare scratch yourselves in front of me. Do something!”

The itching, twitching college of priests stood before Pharaoh as solemn as they could and the chief priest said, “Pharaoh, this plague is the finger of God. We don’t know how it is done at all.” But as they hurried out as fast as the priestly gait would allow, the chief priest said to his associates, “I mean to know this trick by next planting season.”

“Moses!” Pharaoh called after him down the long corridor. “Moses!”

“Don’t know just when I’ll be back,” Moses said over his shoulder, “but I’m coming.”

A little further down the hall he called back, “I’d let them children of Israel go if I were you, but don’t let
me
over-persuade you.” Then he went on home to think.

And behind Pharaoh’s outward show of indifference, he was beginning to worry a little. The thought came to him that if he issued a public order expelling the Hebrews from Egypt it would save his face and rid him of the harassment of Moses. He hinted as much to his courtiers, but they refused to listen. They had no intention of depriving themselves of their slaves like that. So Pharaoh issued a statement that the people themselves had brought on the plague of lice. The gods of Egypt had noticed their vice and loose living and had punished them. The people were silenced by the surprise of the thing.

“I haven’t slept with more women than usual,” one farmer asserted. “The gods are getting very strict these days.”

M
oses made no move to see Pharaoh for a whole month. Aaron and the council of the Elders of Israel were jubilant and urged Moses to press the issue but he would not be hurried. All Egypt was whispering and he pointed out that the Egyptian people would be begging Pharaoh to send them out before long. So let things rock on as they were for a while.

But he was not sleeping. He was coaching Joshua who was learning to read and write. Moses had placed him at the head of the boys’ military society, and nearly every night there were drills and marchings. Caleb, a few years older than Joshua, was heading the young men’s battalions, and Hur headed the older men. Moses was impressing upon them the necessity of military training and what he was doing with them was intensive. Their drill grounds were secret places and their hours of gathering changed often enough to be confusing to spies. Moses was particularly pleased with Joshua. Here was a person of action. No great talent for thinking, but a wizard in action. And his loyalty was so great that Moses would catch him studying his face trying to anticipate the wishes of Moses so he could hurry to do them. Moses was absolutely satisfied with him. Here was the perfect instrument to his hand. Give him time and growth, that was all. Israel, if it escaped Egypt, was
going to have to do some fighting on its way to becoming a nation and here was hope. His eyes and ears served Moses well.

“Chief,” Joshua whispered to Moses one morning, “a lot of the old heads are complaining because you make ’em drill.”

“What do they say about it, Joshua?”

“They say they was under the impression that you had found some god who was going to save us. They didn’t know they had to join the army.”

“Don’t they know, Joshua, that God Himself can’t save people who won’t try to save themselves?”

“They say that Pharaoh’s army is too terrible for them to face. They’d rather stay in slavery if they got to stand up before those soldiers and get killed.”

“I know just how they feel, Joshua. I’ve been noticing things. And they don’t need to worry about Pharaoh and his army. I’ll take care of that part. But what is to become of them when we get out of Egypt? Do they think the world will be full of angels when they get out of here?”

“I reckon so. That’s the way they talk anyhow. A lot of them are real discouraged.”

“Pay ’em no mind and keep right on drilling and practicing with your spears and arrows. Somebody got to have some sense. I’m depending on you and Caleb to pull this thing off right.”

“Oh, we will keep our part moving along. I got six thousand boys fifteen to seventeen years old and all of them want to fight just as quick as they can. Caleb’s young men are all right too. It’s just them old folks that’s grumbling. We ought to march off and leave ’em here.”

“No, Joshua, we can’t do that, nice as it would be. They just don’t think. They are trying to go on what they know and that ain’t enough. So many more people know things than think things. One thought can put thousands to knowing, but knowing one thing don’t put many to thinking. You see how it is?”

“Yes, sir. They know so much already they don’t do no more thinking.”

“That’s just the point. What them old folks know is a stumbling stone to their thinking. But just for that we can’t leave ’em behind. Joshua, when you find a man who has lost the way, you don’t make fun of him and scorn him and leave him there. You show him the way. If you don’t do that you just prove that you’re sort of lost yourself. Remember that, son, if you ever get in the lead of people.”

“Yes, sir. I mean I won’t forget.”

“Good for you. Now, Joshua, I think we’re about ready to go see old Pharaoh again. He thinks we done forgot him, I reckon. But we ain’t. Tomorrow is Wednesday. The Lord got a few more suggestions to make to that man by now. I better go see him tomorrow afternoon.”

“I wish I could go with you sometimes. Oh, yes, Miss Miriam says I am in her way around here. She told me to stay away and quit talking so much out of my mouth.”

“Don’t let Miss Miriam worry you. Just agree with her and go on like I told you. Let her head work for the present. You won’t lose nothing in the long run. I don’t forget a thing.”

N
ext day at the palace Moses told Pharaoh, “The Lord told me to tell you He said, ‘Let my people go.’”

Pharaoh said, “We here in Egypt have known gods for thousands of years. I can’t see why I should pay this new voice you talk about any mind at all. Who is He anyhow?”

“Why should I lose time talking to deaf ears?” Moses retorted. “The question before the house is will you let the Israelites go?”

“No.”

“Well, it’s mighty bad news for you, because if you don’t, you’re going to be plagued with flies.”

With no more talk than that Moses lifted his rod with his right hand and flies seemed to pour out of the sleeves of his garments. The hum from their wings filled the room. The number of them darkened the rooms and Pharaoh and priests fought to flee the place. But it was no better outside. The city of the Pharaohs was smothered with flies. Moses changed his rod to his left hand and walked on out of the palace. All around him and Aaron was a space free from flies. So they went on back to Goshen and the people heard about it and hoped.

There was no mistaking the public panic this time. The
public besieged the nobles and the nobles waited on Pharaoh. Their faces were long and haggard. Some retched with nausea as they waited.

“We realize that we have held you back too long, Pharaoh. We stopped you when you would have done something to put an end to these calamities. You must not let us interfere with you any further.”

“It is good to feel your confidence and co-operation, but what can be done?”

“Find out what office that Moses is after and give it to him. Do something. We couldn’t live through another plague of flies. We just couldn’t!”

“I’ll find out, but he claims he doesn’t want anything in Egypt except the freedom of the slaves.”

“That is not to be even discussed. Our work must go on. We can’t let ourselves be robbed like that. I don’t believe that Moses wants a thing like that himself. He’s a Prince! He is one of us. He is being clever to get back his titles and his property. Let him have them. It would be cheap at that.”

“Yes, tell him he need not carry those Hebrews off in order to have somebody to rule over. Make him governor of a province. The Nome of the Thebiad has no ruler at present. Give him that.”

“Something must be done, Pharaoh. Our Hebrews are getting impudent and restless. Why, only this morning my steward was knocked down by one of my slaves because he tried to chastise the Hebrew for impertinence. It’s awful! They are beginning to be bold and important. I heard of several instances of resistance to discipline. The idea of Egyptians having to fight with Hebrews!”

“Why not bribe him to go back where he came from?”

“He is despicable,” Pharaoh said. “But I don’t believe that he could be bribed. Remember he walked off and left wealth and position before. It is something else he wants. I don’t see what he wants with our Hebrews, but if that is not his real aim, I don’t know yet what it is he wants.”

“Anything but our slaves. That is, anything in reason.”

“Well, I’ll send for him and put a stop to his nuisances.”

“Do! This thing is not as funny as it was.”

The next day Pharaoh sent for Moses and asked, “Moses, what is it you want for these Israelites anyway?”

“We want to go out of Egypt where we can worship in our own way.”

“All of the Hebrews at one time?”

“Every last one of them from gray beard to battle heights. Every sheep and cow, even. That’s what we want.”

“Well, do away with these blasted flies and I’ll let them go. That is provided you don’t take them very far.”

“How far do you mean?”

“Oh, not out of Egypt. A couple of hours’ march ought to do.”

“No, that is not enough, Pharaoh.”

“It will have to do. I can’t let my work be neglected while my slaves go too far away. No, indeed.”

“The flies stay, then.”

“Oh, no, Moses, do away with these flies and I’ll let them go.”

Moses said, “I’ll go home and at five o’clock sharp, the flies shall vanish from Egypt.”

“All right, Moses, you do away with this plague of flies and go on home. I’ll send word tomorrow what day you can lead the people off to serve their god in the wilderness.”

Moses changed his rod from his left hand to his right and lifted it and went on home and at five o’clock sharp the plague of flies disappeared from Egypt as they had come. The people of Goshen had a torchlight parade that night to celebrate the end of slavery.

But Moses waited a week and no messenger came to tell them. So the next Wednesday Moses went to the palace and Pharaoh laughed at him.

“Pharaoh, you made a fool out of me before all the people in Goshen.”

“That’s a fact, Moses, I sure did,” Pharaoh said, laughing
fit to kill himself, “but you have to admit I couldn’t have done it if you hadn’t furnished the material.”

“Well, the Lord says that you are going to have a cattle murrain all over Egypt, except in Goshen. All your cattle are going to die. See if you can laugh that off. Why don’t you kill me? I’ll tell you why. Your will is paralyzed by power and your fear.”

Moses changed hands on his rod and lifted it and turned to go. “One thing only can save you—when you come to know that justice is greater than pride. You know where I live when you get ready to talk sense.”

And Moses walked away.

Moses walked out of the palace of Pharaoh knowing that he carried Pharaoh’s peace and security in his hand.

If Pharaoh relented and let the Hebrews go, he would rid himself of the worry and humiliation he was suffering. But on the other hand he would have to face a danger more sure and certain right away. The nobles would never permit him to save his face at their expense. Even the servants who served about him personally belonged to that ruling class and so he could not even hope to escape with his life. If the house of Pharaoh had not preached and practiced hatred and vengeance for generations, he could save himself by a show of generosity and dismiss the slaves. But the intolerance of Pharaoh and his fathers was fighting against him. Pharaoh was locked up in his own palace and inside himself. Moses walked out of the palace with a sense of power.

And in the privacy of his retiring room, Pharaoh was thinking the same thing, but in a different mood. After hours of seclusion and thought he still did not have the answer. So he set his face in stiff, proud lines and went among his courtiers expressing indifference and scorn. He wanted Moses dead, but he wanted it done by his own hand. And the people harassed Pharaoh with their fears and apprehensions, and the Princes worried him, so he had to make a gesture, but he did it with a growing feeling of desperation and frustration.

“Moses had courage,” he thought grimly. “He walked away from it all.”

Pharaoh had dreamed of making his name and fame greater than that of his father. How could he do it and abandon the public works? And how could he carry on the public works without the Hebrews? Even his military strength rested on these slaves. For, without them men would have to be taken from other things to fill their places. He had too often boasted of this advantage of holding the Hebrews for the army to forget it. They would resist him too. Nothing to do but wait until the gods favored his cause.

The third day Pharaoh sent for Moses and begged him to take off the plague and he would let the people go. Moses stopped what few cattle that were left from dying, but Pharaoh went back on his word again. Moses knew why he did it, and Pharaoh suspected that Moses knew, but neither of them gave a sign that they knew. When Moses went to see him he said, “Moses, these people must not have much to do if they got time to be planning camp meetings and barbecues. I just gave orders to all my foremen to double their tasks. The old folks always said that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop and this just goes to prove it.”

“That’s very serious talk you are doing, Pharaoh,” Moses said. “The Lord don’t love ugliness and He usually does something to let you know. Now, you done promised and took back your word so much till I reckon I’ll have to send you another plague. You have got to learn that there is something in the world bigger than your pride and vengeance.”

The chief priest stood up and said, “It’s hard on the people, all these plagues and things. Why not let those Israelites go, Pharaoh? This Moses is threatening us with another plague.”

“Oh, nothing but tricks,” Pharaoh sneered. “He’s bound to run out of tricks after a while.”

Moses looked behind the mask of Pharaoh and was almost sorry for him. Then he remembered what he had to do. He handed Aaron his rod and walked to the fireplace and took up a handful of ashes and in the presence of Pharaoh, his court
and the priests he said, “I am sending you a plague of boils on everybody in Egypt except Goshen.” He threw the handful of ashes toward heaven and kept his hand lifted until the light air had scattered the ashes to the four winds. And all over Egypt from Pharaoh to the swineherds, people broke out in boils. Pharaoh called on his priests for help, but they were too sore to move from their beds. And nobody was well enough to wait upon the others. The whole nation, except Goshen, groaned and suffered until Pharaoh sent for Moses and promised solemnly this time to let the Hebrews go. Egypt had suffered ten awful days and a great number of people muttered that the labor of the Israelites wasn’t worth it. Why not let them go? But again Pharaoh changed his mind. The majority of the ruling class saw ruin in social change. So Moses went to him and said:

“I see that you think you are smarter than God. You have promised after each plague to let the Israelites depart to worship their God in their own way and in places of their own choosing, and each time you have double talked as soon as the trouble was taken off you. All right, tomorrow at this same time, I promise you a deadly storm of hail that shall kill people in the streets and in the fields; it shall strike down animals; it shall destroy crops and ruin houses.”

“Hail?” asked Pharaoh of his court. “What is this man talking about? I never heard of such a thing.”

So Moses told him what it was. And Pharaoh laughed out loud at that. “Hail!” he laughed. “Hail in a country where we don’t even have rain? You are not trying to amuse me now after all your other tricks?”

Pharaoh laughed some more and everybody helped him. They knew Moses had power because they had seen his signs and wonders but hail in Egypt was too much to believe. What! Water so cold that it turned to stone? This was really too much. And falling from the sky? How would Moses get the water up there in the first place? and even if he could, how would he get the coldness up to it to turn the water to stones and make it fall? Now, Moses has really overstepped his
bounds. This must be a joke. They were relieved that he threatened hail instead of something that really could happen like a flood. Maybe it was like Pharaoh had said, Moses was bound to run out of tricks after a while and this looked like the end. The menace of Moses was gone for good. Pharaoh had worn him out.

“Meet me out on the battalion grounds outside of town tomorrow at this same time and see who is right and who is wrong,” Moses challenged. “I may be lying. You better try me and see.”

Everybody was coming to see this plague of hailstorms for hardly anybody in Egypt had even seen ice. A few who had traveled tried to tell what it was like, but even they had not seen ice showers. All over the city people were making jokes about it. Such a nonsense. Ice out of the sky where everybody knew the hot sun lived.

This public interest was new. At first the battle of enchantments was between Moses, Pharaoh and the priests, but by now, from what they had seen and suffered, all Egypt was interested in that man who sent plagues. And a plague like hail that really couldn’t happen was something to go to see. The people turned out by the thousands.

Pharaoh rolled in a little late with all of his priests behind him. As soon as he saw Moses he called, “Moses, are you ready to make ice fall out of the sky on us yet?”

Moses looked at the sky closely before he answered. “Not quite ready yet. I’ll let you know in a little while.”

“I’ll bet you’re not ready.” So he told his priests to make some magic to entertain the people while Moses got ready, which they did for more than an hour.

All of a sudden Moses looked at the sky and walked out in the middle of the parade ground and took his stand. He lifted both hands high and spread them abroad and the hundred-prong lightning began to play across the sky, and thunder rolled behind it from east to west. Zig-zag fire darted from the sky to the earth and ran along the ground. Then while Moses still held up his hands, the hail began to fall. It fell and it fell
and everybody fled the place but Moses. He stood as if he were cast in stone with the lightning playing about him and the hailstones falling like shot from heaven. The people fled with Pharaoh, but they did not escape the hail. It devastated Egypt as Moses had promised.

The chief scribe lifted himself from the ground where he had fallen when some younger man tripped him in flight and said, “There has been nothing like it since Egypt became a nation,” and everybody else was saying the same thing.

They came with the east wind and went with the west wind. That is how the locust came into Egypt at the call of Moses. The hail storm had frightened Pharaoh while it lasted and he had said the people of Goshen could go. But as soon as it was over, he sent soldiers to guard the borders of Goshen so that not a soul could depart. He aggravated the matter by refusing the brickmakers straw, which had always been furnished to them. Now, he said, they must find straw for themselves and at the same time they must turn out just as many bricks. He was going hard.

So Moses lifted his right hand and the east wind woke up from where it was sleeping and romped across the narrow valley of Egypt all day and all night. And on the wind came the locusts in such hosts that daylight became dark. Their wings clashed out a din and their voices muttered of hunger. They came and muttered and trembled upon the wheat fields and muttered and ate and grumbled in their jaws until not a leaf was left standing in Egypt. Then when Egypt was eaten bare they attached themselves to a west wind that blew and went with the wind into the Red Sea.