Moses

Moses

The following script was written for use with shadow puppets. Use and construction of shadow puppets is explained in detail in the book "Puppets, Kids, and Christian Education." The script and puppet patterns are availabe for personal use, but may not be redistributed.

Moses - Shadow Puppet Patterns
© 1996 Kurt Hunter

Click on an image below to enlarge.

Moses

Pharaoh

Moses Sandals

Plague of Frogs

Plague of Locust and/or Flies

Miriam

Baby Moses

Basket

Jochebed

Pharaoh's Soldier

Moses_and_Hebrew_people.gif (9094 bytes)

Moses and the Hebrew People

Notes:

- The pattern for the for the Moses puppet is designed so that he can kneel at the burning bush.

- The plague puppets should each be photocopied onto three or four transparancies.

Moses

Scene One - Moses is Born

For many, many, many years, the Hebrew people had lived in Egypt. There were lots and lots of them. One day a new pharaoh became king of Egypt. He was afraid the Hebrew people would take over Egypt, so he made them slaves.

One day a baby boy was born to a Hebrew family. His mother, Jochebed, was afraid, so she hid the baby, but the baby grew and became harder to hide. Jochebed had an idea. She made a basket big enough for the baby. It was a basket that would float.

Scene Two - The Basket in the River

She took the basket, the baby, and the baby’s older sister, Miriam to the river. She put the baby in the basket and set the basket in the water among the reeds by the edge of the river. “Keep an eye on your brother, Miriam,” said Jochebed. Miriam hid by the river and watched the basket.

Soon Miriam heard someone coming. It was the pharaoh’s daughter. She saw the basket and pulled it from the water. What a beautiful little baby, she cried. I will protect this baby from my father. I will call him Moses.

Miriam heard what the princess said. She jumped out of her hiding place. “Do you want me to find someone to help you care for this baby, princess?” asked Miriam. Yes, said the princess, so Miriam ran home and got her mother. She told her all that had happened.

Jochebed took care of Moses for the princess, but when Moses grew older, he lived at the palace and the princess raised him as her own son.

Between Scenes Narration

Although he lived at the palace, Moses never forgot that he was Hebrew. One day, he went out to watch his people work. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave. Moses got very angry and hit the Egyptian. The Egyptian fell to the ground and didn’t move. Moses knew he was dead.

When Pharaoh learned what Moses had done, he sent his soldiers to arrest him. Moses ran away from Egypt.

Scene Three - The Burning Bush

Moses worked as a shepherd after leaving Egypt. One day, while tending the sheep and goats, he saw a bush burning on a hill. The fire burned and burned, but the bush was not burned up. He went to take a closer look. When he got close, he heard a voice call out, “Moses, Moses.” Moses looked, but didn’t see any one.

“Come no closer,” said the voice. It was coming from the bush. “Take off your sandals. You are standing on holy ground.” Moses took off his sandals and fell to his knees. “I am God”, said the voice. I have heard the cries of my people in Egypt. I want you to go to Egypt and free my people. I’m sure someone else could do this job better than me, said Moses. But God said, “Moses, I have chosen you. I will be with you.”

Scene Four - The Plagues

So, Moses did go back to Egypt and he went to talk to Pharaoh. “God has sent me,” said Moses, “to tell you to let the Hebrew people out of Egypt.” Pharaoh became angry and would not let the people go. He made them work even harder. Moses told Pharaoh, “if you do not let the people go, terrible things will happen,” but Pharaoh would not change his mind.

God sent a plague of frogs. There were frogs everywhere. Please take the frogs away, said Pharaoh, and I will let God’s people go. When God had removed all the frogs, Pharaoh changed his mind and wouldn’t let the people go. This time, God sent a plague of flies. Again, Pharaoh promised to let the people go, but he broke his promise, when God had removed all the flies.

More plagues came, there was a plague of locusts, that looked a lot like the flies and they ate all the crops. There was a plague of darkness that lasted for three days, but still Pharaoh would not let the Hebrew people go. There were nine terrible plagues, but the tenth plague was the most terrible of all.

One night, the Angel of Death came to every house in Egypt, but passed over the homes of the Hebrew people. Finally, Pharaoh said the Hebrew people could go.

Scene Five - The Red Sea

Moses called all the Hebrew people together. They must leave quickly before Pharaoh changed his mind again. They did not know where they were going, but God was with them. He sent a pillar of cloud to lead them during the day and a pillar of fire to lead them at night.

They came to a great sea. They didn’t know how they would cross it. They heard a loud noise in the distance. It was Pharaoh’s soldiers coming after them. We will all be killed, they thought. Raise your staff, God said to Moses. Moses raised his staff and a great wind blew a dry path in the middle of the sea. The Hebrew people quickly followed the path to the other side of the sea. The soldiers tried to follow, but the waters rolled back in and trapped the soldiers.

God has heard the cries of his people and they were free at last.