What is Passover

page 2 / 3

The Story of Passover: Moses and the Exodus

Moses was a great prophet and the ultimate emancipator of the Hebrews from their slavery to the Egyptian Pharaohs.  Moses was born under Egyptian rule when the Pharaoh had decreed that all Hebrew male infants must be tossed in the Nile River.  Moses was spared this fate and was placed in a reed basket and floated down the Nile River, instead.  Moses ultimately fled Egypt and only returned after hearing God's voice speak to him through a burning bush.  In that infamous tale, God implores Moses to return to Egypt to free the slaves and lead them to their promised land, the Land of Canaan, today known as Israel.    

Moses

Upon his return, Moses delivered God's message to the Pharaoh, requesting that he free the slaves.  But, Pharaoh refused.  For refusing to heed his command, God sent ten plagues upon Egypt.  The tenth plague was the death of the firstborn.  God delivered these instructions to Moses: “And the blood (when placed on the door post) shall be for you for a sign on the houses where you are, and I shall see the blood and I shall pass over you, and there shall not be among you a plague to destroy.” (Ex: 12:13)  Thus, God “passed over” the Jews in the plague of the first-born, sparing the children of Israel.