God sent Moses to warn the Egyptian pharaoh to let the Israelites go free, following generations of slavery. Pharaoh, predictably, refused Moses’ appeal, setting the stage for a series of plagues that would descend upon and punish the Egyptians. Streams were turned to blood; frogs swarmed over Egypt; pests infested the land; wild animals brought destruction, and more. After each plague, there was another warning. The tenth was the worst of all: All Egyptian first-born sons were killed.
Finally, the pharaoh gave in and let the Hebrews leave. In haste, they packed their belongings, hardly with enough time to prepare their food and set off together. But pharaoh changed his mind and ordered his army to chase after the fleeing Israelites. As they closed in, the Israelites hit a river (later identified with the Red Sea), prompting a panic. Moses was told by God to lift his staff, causing the sea to split and allowing them to pass. The Egyptians who chased after drowned in their wake.
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