WEBVTT - Egypt's Oppression

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<v Speaker 1>Previously on the Chosen people.

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<v Speaker 2>Lord Pharaoh, I present to you five of my brothers.

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<v Speaker 2>They represent my father's nation and their families. My eleven brothers,

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<v Speaker 2>my father, their flocks, and all they possess have come

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<v Speaker 2>from Canaan. I have them in the land of Goshen,

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<v Speaker 2>on the grassy plains outside the city. If it pleases you,

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<v Speaker 2>I will have them remain there. The people are out

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<v Speaker 2>of money.

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<v Speaker 1>The famine has stalled the economy since known who money

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<v Speaker 1>is flowing back.

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<v Speaker 2>To the people.

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<v Speaker 1>They can't afford to buy green from the storehouses.

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<v Speaker 2>Ah, I feared this would happen bartering. Bartering has dwindled

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<v Speaker 2>month after month.

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<v Speaker 1>Do we open up leasures of credit for them?

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<v Speaker 2>No, under no circumstances can we let that happen. We

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<v Speaker 2>have years of famine left. The debt would crush them.

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<v Speaker 3>If the silver runs out and they have no other

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<v Speaker 3>option but to give it away for free.

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<v Speaker 1>Joseph thought for a long long while. An idea took

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<v Speaker 1>root in his mind, but he could see where its

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<v Speaker 1>branches would lead. He had to choose between the people's

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<v Speaker 1>lives and the people's freedom.

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<v Speaker 2>People will no longer be their own, They will be pharaoh's.

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<v Speaker 1>Aren't they all ready in devotion?

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, but not in property. But I see all the options.

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<v Speaker 2>Desperate times go for desperate measures.

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<v Speaker 1>As the twelve sons of Jacob departed from this life

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<v Speaker 1>and new generations sprouted from their branches, so did the

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<v Speaker 1>line of Pharaoh. The king, who once considered Joseph a

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<v Speaker 1>brother and the Hebrews his kin passed. His son took

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<v Speaker 1>the throne, vaguely remembering the promises made to Israel. But

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<v Speaker 1>when his son came after him, the promises eroded into whispers.

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<v Speaker 1>Soon the name of Joseph was forgotten. In its place

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<v Speaker 1>the legacy of Pharaohs, the image of Ra, the might

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<v Speaker 1>of the Nile. The storehouses were replaced with monuments to

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<v Speaker 1>their greatness, and the children of Israel were no longer

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<v Speaker 1>favored in the land.

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<v Speaker 4>Egypt's quest for control ignites sa Saga of Oppression, setting

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<v Speaker 4>the stage for an enduring tale of faith and deliverance. Shallo,

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<v Speaker 4>my friends from here in the Holy Land, Welcome to

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<v Speaker 4>the Chosen People. I'm ya l Ekstein with the International

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<v Speaker 4>Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Each day we'll hear a

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<v Speaker 4>dramatic story inspired by the Bible. Stories filled with timeless

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<v Speaker 4>lessons of faith, love, and the meaning of life. Through

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<v Speaker 4>israel story, we find this truth that we are all

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<v Speaker 4>chosen first something great. If you haven't yet followed the podcast,

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<v Speaker 4>be sure to do so so now. That way you

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<v Speaker 4>never have to miss an episode, and that small step

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<v Speaker 4>helps us tremendously as we try to be discovered by

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<v Speaker 4>more people so that we can inspire them. If you're

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<v Speaker 4>interested in finding out more about the prophetic, life saving

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<v Speaker 4>work of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, you

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<v Speaker 4>can visit our website at IFCJ dot org. Let's begin

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<v Speaker 4>long ago, the children of Israel found refuge in Egypt.

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<v Speaker 4>Their number is growing under God's blessing. Generations past and

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<v Speaker 4>a new pharaoh, one who didn't know Joseph, ascended to power.

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<v Speaker 4>In his ignorance and fear, Pharaoh saw the Israelite's prosperity

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<v Speaker 4>as a threat to his rule. Now, with the rise

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<v Speaker 4>of iron chains and oppressive decrees, the land that once

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<v Speaker 4>sheltered God's chosen people becomes a place of bondage. What

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<v Speaker 4>happens when those in power see blessing as a curse

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<v Speaker 4>and a London's as a threat. Let's dive into this

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<v Speaker 4>cinematic saga inspired by Exodus IE one to eleven.

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<v Speaker 1>Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issaca, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, gad Asher, Joseph,

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<v Speaker 1>and Benjamin. These were the sons of Israel, the heirs

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<v Speaker 1>of a covenant, forged in the fires of a divine promise.

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<v Speaker 1>They bore the legacy of their forefather, Abraham, who had

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<v Speaker 1>once been told that his progeny would outnumber the stars

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<v Speaker 1>in the heavens. Abraham believed with a faith that defied reason,

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<v Speaker 1>a belief that was as unyielding as the desert sun,

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<v Speaker 1>and so God most High blessed him and the generations

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<v Speaker 1>that came after him. For theirs was a destiny written

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<v Speaker 1>in the very stones of the u, the earth, and

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<v Speaker 1>the stars of the heavens. The land of Canaan was

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<v Speaker 1>promised to them, a land flowing with milk and honey,

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<v Speaker 1>where hills rolled like the waves of a verdant sea,

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<v Speaker 1>and plains stretched wide under the watchful eye of the Creator.

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<v Speaker 1>It was their birthright, a cradle of destiny where a

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<v Speaker 1>nation would be forged, a beacon to all other nations.

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<v Speaker 1>Abraham had wandered its breadth. Isaac had thrived in its bounty,

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<v Speaker 1>and Jacob, who was named Israel, had claimed it as

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<v Speaker 1>his inheritance. But famine drove the children of Israel to

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<v Speaker 1>seek refuge in the distant lands of Egypt. Guided by

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<v Speaker 1>the hand of their brother Joseph, a man of dreams

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<v Speaker 1>and visions, the families of Israel found sanctuary in the

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<v Speaker 1>region of Goshen. There, on the fringes of Egyptian grandeur,

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<v Speaker 1>they multiplied, sons begat sons and daughters begat dry, until

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<v Speaker 1>their numbers swelled like a river, breaking its banks. The

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<v Speaker 1>land of gosh And teemed with life, stretching ever closer

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<v Speaker 1>to the very heart of Egypt. In those days, Joseph's

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<v Speaker 1>favor was a shield around them. His name held weight

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<v Speaker 1>in the halls of Pharaoh, a legacy of salvation that

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<v Speaker 1>bound the children of Israel to the land. But time

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<v Speaker 1>is a merciless tide, and all men, even those as

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<v Speaker 1>great as Joseph, are swept away by its current. Joseph

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<v Speaker 1>was laid to rest, and the memory of his deeds

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<v Speaker 1>began to fade with him. His legacy was no more

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<v Speaker 1>than an echo in the corridors of power. Pharaoh's rose

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<v Speaker 1>and fell like the sun across the sky, each further

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<v Speaker 1>removed from Joseph's memory. Over two centuries, the story of

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<v Speaker 1>Israel's deliverance from famine was reduced to myth, overshadowed by

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<v Speaker 1>the growing might of Egypt's rulers. The legend of Pharaoh's

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<v Speaker 1>power became the story told in every corner of the land,

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<v Speaker 1>and among these rulers was Rameses, the first pharaoh of

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<v Speaker 1>his name. Egypt's ambitions grew and its influence spread like

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<v Speaker 1>the shadow of a great beast across the earth. Under

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<v Speaker 1>the iron hand of Pharaoh, the empire reached out to conquer, subdue,

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<v Speaker 1>and claim dominion over all who dared stand in its path.

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<v Speaker 1>But conquest breathes enemies, and fear grows where power takes root.

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<v Speaker 1>From the heights of his palace, Rameses the First looked

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<v Speaker 1>down upon the multitudes of Israel with a heart gripped

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<v Speaker 1>by suspicion and rage. He stood upon the balcony, the

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<v Speaker 1>great expanse of Egypt unfurling before him like a scroll.

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<v Speaker 1>He looked down upon the Israelite's encampment, a sprawling sea

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<v Speaker 1>of life. Beneath his gaze. They had prospered in his

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<v Speaker 1>land grown strong under the shadow of his throne, and

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<v Speaker 1>in their strength he saw the seeds of rebellion.

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<v Speaker 5>Ah, I will not rest until Egypt reaches the feet

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<v Speaker 5>of Ra. It is my destiny, It is the destiny

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<v Speaker 5>of my sons and their sounds.

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<v Speaker 1>He gripped the stone balustrade, his knuckles white with the

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<v Speaker 1>force of his ambition. His eyes cold and calculating, turned

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<v Speaker 1>towards the land of Goshen, where the torches of Israel

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<v Speaker 1>burned like stars in a night sky. But Rameses cared

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<v Speaker 1>nothing for their light. His mind was consumed by visions

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<v Speaker 1>of his own greatness, his name etched into the very heavens.

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<v Speaker 1>He turned to his generals, who stood in silent, obedient formation.

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<v Speaker 5>These Hebrews are contributing nothing and taking everything. They grow

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<v Speaker 5>crops on my land, heard on my hills, and drink

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<v Speaker 5>from my rivers, And what do I get in return?

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<v Speaker 3>Nothing?

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<v Speaker 5>Even worse, they are so great in number that they

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<v Speaker 5>can be trusted. If our enemies choose to invade. What's

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<v Speaker 5>to stop them from joining their side? What are your commands,

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<v Speaker 5>Lord Pharaoh.

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<v Speaker 1>Ramsey's lips curled into a sneer, and in that moment,

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<v Speaker 1>something ancient and malevolent seemed to stir within him. It

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<v Speaker 1>was as if the dark heart of the Nile itself

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<v Speaker 1>had taken root in his chest. He stood taller, drawing

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<v Speaker 1>in a breath as he gave the command that would

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<v Speaker 1>seal Israel's fate.

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<v Speaker 5>Send troops to Goshen, surround them with swords, whips and spears,

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<v Speaker 5>seize their property, their weapons, and make a decree. The

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<v Speaker 5>Israelites are no longer guests in my land. From this

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<v Speaker 5>day forth, they shall be bricks laid at the foundation

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<v Speaker 5>of my empire. I am Pharaoh, the image of Rah.

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<v Speaker 5>I am the Nile, the Serpent, the King. If any

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<v Speaker 5>oppose my decree, they shall feel the scorch of my

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<v Speaker 5>burning fury. For I am the Sun, and they are

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<v Speaker 5>the fields that grow or burn at my will.

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<v Speaker 1>The soldiers marched into Goshen, their armor clinking with the

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<v Speaker 1>cold efficiency of death. They claimed the fields, drove the

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<v Speaker 1>herds into Pharaoh's bonds, and stripped the people of their tools.

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<v Speaker 1>Egyptian commanders were appointed over the Hebrews, each flanked by

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<v Speaker 1>battalions of soldiers eager to enforce their lord's decree. Panic

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<v Speaker 1>spread like wildfire, followed closely by the flames of anger

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<v Speaker 1>and rebellion.

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<v Speaker 3>What are you doing? These are our fields and flocks.

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<v Speaker 3>You are no longer guests in this land, but subjects

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<v Speaker 3>of Pharaoh. Failure to cooperate will end in death.

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<v Speaker 1>The people fought back, but their courage was no match

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<v Speaker 1>for the might of Egypt's legions. They were beaten down

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<v Speaker 1>with brutal swiftness, crashed beneath the iron fist of Pharaoh's will.

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<v Speaker 3>You are no longer shepherds or farmers. You are backs

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<v Speaker 3>and shoulders, born to bear the weight of Pharaoh's greatness.

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<v Speaker 3>Heal and mind your master, or face the lictors.

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<v Speaker 1>The air was filled with the sound of whips and chains,

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<v Speaker 1>the cries of the broken and the damned. Men were

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<v Speaker 1>torn from their homes, organized by height and strength, while

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<v Speaker 1>women were bound and taken away, some to toil as

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<v Speaker 1>weavers and cooks, others to serve as maids, or to

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<v Speaker 1>suffer even darker fates. Each group was placed under the

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<v Speaker 1>watchful eyes of taskmasters trained in the arts of pain

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<v Speaker 1>and submission. The heel of Egypt was pressed down upon

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<v Speaker 1>the necks of Israel, a weight that could not be lifted.

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<v Speaker 1>Pharaoh's will was made manifest through the cruel hands of

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<v Speaker 1>his enforces, the lash, the fists, the rod, all were

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<v Speaker 1>extensions of his desire for power, his insatiable hunger for control.

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<v Speaker 1>He demanded violence, and violence was delivered unto him.

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<v Speaker 5>You have taken from my land for too many generations.

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<v Speaker 5>Now it is time to pay back. What use.

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<v Speaker 4>Ah.

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<v Speaker 5>I shall sacrifice your blood, tears, and sweat at the

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<v Speaker 5>altar of Rah. He shall bless this nation with great

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<v Speaker 5>cities of commerce, pivom rameses, cities hewn on the backs

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<v Speaker 5>of Israelites, monuments to My eternal greatness.

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<v Speaker 1>And so the children of Israel were bound in chains,

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<v Speaker 1>their lives consumed by the relentless toil of Pharaoh's ambitions.

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<v Speaker 1>Day after day, the sun rose and set, casting its

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<v Speaker 1>unforgiving light upon a land where time itself seemed to

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<v Speaker 1>stretch into eternity. Under the lash, beneath the weight of

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<v Speaker 1>stones and mortar, the people of Israel cried out to

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<v Speaker 1>the God of their fathers.

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<v Speaker 3>Oh deliver us, rescue your more mortar, mortar, more straw.

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<v Speaker 3>Make those bricks until your hands are gone, hould those

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<v Speaker 3>stones until your backstive way.

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<v Speaker 1>Yet, for all the cruelty heaped upon them, the children

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<v Speaker 1>of Israel did not wither. The more they were oppressed,

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<v Speaker 1>the more they multiplied, their numbers, swelling like the tide

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<v Speaker 1>against the shore. Pharaoh's tyranny could not quench the blessing

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<v Speaker 1>that had been promised to them, for it is a

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<v Speaker 1>blessing from the hand of the Almighty himself. Thus began

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<v Speaker 1>the Great Struggle, a battle not of swords but of wills. Pharaoh,

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<v Speaker 1>deceived by his own pride, believed himself to be a god,

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<v Speaker 1>But he was a man at war with the True God,

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<v Speaker 1>the creator of all fame. He did not yet know

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<v Speaker 1>the name of the Lord he opposed, but he soon would,

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<v Speaker 1>And when the time came, every oppressor in Egypt would

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<v Speaker 1>tremble at the revelation that the children of Israel were

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<v Speaker 1>chosen by the One True God.

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<v Speaker 4>And so it begins. The sons of Israel, descendants of Jacob,

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<v Speaker 4>are thriving in Egypt. Their numbers grow, and God's blessing

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<v Speaker 4>is clear even in a foreign land. But then a

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<v Speaker 4>new king rises, one who knows nothing of Joseph. Fear

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<v Speaker 4>grips his heart, and that fear turns into oppression, heavy

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<v Speaker 4>and cruel, pressing down on our ancestors. This isn't merely

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<v Speaker 4>a story about slavery. It's the start of an epic

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<v Speaker 4>saga of a people seemingly crushed but destined for greatness.

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<v Speaker 4>We can feel their suffering, the weight of their burden,

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<v Speaker 4>the sting of their oppression. Yet within that darkness there's

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<v Speaker 4>a flicker of hope. This is the dawn of God's

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<v Speaker 4>plan for the Chosen people. In today's episode, we begin

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<v Speaker 4>the second of the Five Books of Moses. In English,

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<v Speaker 4>this book it's called Exodus, but in Hebrew it's known

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<v Speaker 4>as Schmut, which literally translates to names. This is the

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<v Speaker 4>Book of Names. And this might seem like a strange

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<v Speaker 4>title for a book mainly about the collective suffering of

0:16:31.160 --> 0:16:36.120
<v Speaker 4>a people, But the title of Names is actually especially

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<v Speaker 4>fitting because it is precisely when we discuss the suffering

0:16:40.040 --> 0:16:43.280
<v Speaker 4>a large number of people that we need to remember

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<v Speaker 4>each person as an individual. Think of the weight that

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<v Speaker 4>names carry way more than a number. Imagine Auschwitz, the

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<v Speaker 4>Nazi concentration camp where over a million Jews were murdered,

0:16:58.520 --> 0:17:02.600
<v Speaker 4>including many of my family members. But it's neither the

0:17:02.640 --> 0:17:05.400
<v Speaker 4>gas chambers nor the ovens that haunt me the most.

0:17:05.800 --> 0:17:10.840
<v Speaker 4>It's the rooms that are filled with personal items, the shoes,

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<v Speaker 4>the hair, the eyeglasses, the suitcases marked with names. You

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<v Speaker 4>look at belongings of people who were once there, and

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<v Speaker 4>you see that they were actually real families Cohen Rosenberg,

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<v Speaker 4>Freedman Ekstein. Each name is more than just a statistic,

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<v Speaker 4>more than just a number. Each name was a person

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<v Speaker 4>with a life, with a story. When we lump victims together,

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<v Speaker 4>be it the Holocaust or Jews of Preston, Egypt, we

0:17:44.920 --> 0:17:51.800
<v Speaker 4>strip them of their humanity, We minimize their suffering in Auschwitz.

0:17:51.840 --> 0:17:55.040
<v Speaker 4>The personal items give identities to those who were murdered.

0:17:55.440 --> 0:17:59.359
<v Speaker 4>Each suitcase or shoe or baby dow screams out, remember me,

0:18:00.320 --> 0:18:04.439
<v Speaker 4>as the prophet Isaiah writes a memorial and a name.

0:18:05.640 --> 0:18:08.160
<v Speaker 4>And so maybe when we look at this book called

0:18:08.400 --> 0:18:14.200
<v Speaker 4>schmut names, it makes perfect sense. The Book of Exodus

0:18:14.280 --> 0:18:19.120
<v Speaker 4>is a story of collective suffering, but it begins with names.

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<v Speaker 4>This episode also makes me think of the six million

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<v Speaker 4>Jews killed during the Holocaust, because the Book of Exodus

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<v Speaker 4>begins with the first instance in history of what we

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<v Speaker 4>would now call state sponsored anti Semitism. In the Great Sage,

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<v Speaker 4>Nachmanides notes that Pharaoh's ultimate goal was not slave labor

0:18:38.760 --> 0:18:43.520
<v Speaker 4>for rather extermination of the Chosen People. But Pharaoh knew

0:18:43.560 --> 0:18:46.560
<v Speaker 4>that the Egyptian people wouldn't accept a crime as monstrous

0:18:46.600 --> 0:18:50.200
<v Speaker 4>as the mass murder of an entire nation, the Jewish nation,

0:18:50.640 --> 0:18:53.840
<v Speaker 4>at least they wouldn't accept it at first. So Pharaoh

0:18:53.920 --> 0:18:58.160
<v Speaker 4>began with slavery, backbreaking, and life taking work disguised as

0:18:58.440 --> 0:19:02.280
<v Speaker 4>labor that would also benefit his kingdom. Only later, and

0:19:02.320 --> 0:19:06.159
<v Speaker 4>only step by step, would it leads to genocide. Pharaoh's

0:19:06.200 --> 0:19:10.199
<v Speaker 4>plan was eerily similar to a more recent plan, the

0:19:10.280 --> 0:19:15.640
<v Speaker 4>Nazi's final solution to exterminate the Jewish people during the Holocaust.

0:19:16.000 --> 0:19:18.359
<v Speaker 4>Of course, here in the Book of Exodus, God had

0:19:18.400 --> 0:19:21.239
<v Speaker 4>a plan for his people to take them out of

0:19:21.359 --> 0:19:25.000
<v Speaker 4>Egypt to freedom, to give them the Torah, to lead

0:19:25.080 --> 0:19:29.280
<v Speaker 4>them to the promised land Israel. Today, we can learn

0:19:29.359 --> 0:19:32.760
<v Speaker 4>two things from all of this. First, we must fight

0:19:32.840 --> 0:19:36.879
<v Speaker 4>anti Semitism, no matter how it is disguised. It's an

0:19:37.040 --> 0:19:40.280
<v Speaker 4>evil as old as the Bible, but one that very

0:19:40.440 --> 0:19:45.119
<v Speaker 4>much still threatens God's children today. The second thing, we

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<v Speaker 4>learn that God's plan will always prevail. This story of

0:19:50.760 --> 0:19:54.080
<v Speaker 4>Egyptian oppression isn't just a dark chapter in the story

0:19:54.080 --> 0:19:58.000
<v Speaker 4>of the Chosen people. It's a crucial step for something big.

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<v Speaker 4>When we look at these verses, we see a God

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<v Speaker 4>who is always faithful, a God who hears the cries

0:20:03.800 --> 0:20:07.159
<v Speaker 4>of his people and moves to redeem them. And in

0:20:07.200 --> 0:20:10.360
<v Speaker 4>the names of the Israelites under Pharaoh's yoke, we see

0:20:10.400 --> 0:20:14.200
<v Speaker 4>our own struggles and hopes. We remember that just as

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<v Speaker 4>God saw and responded to their plight, he sees and

0:20:17.800 --> 0:20:23.440
<v Speaker 4>responds to ours, blessing us as He always has blessed

0:20:23.880 --> 0:20:32.000
<v Speaker 4>the Chosen People. Ivare Hashem vishmerechra ya her hashempanave eleven

0:20:33.080 --> 0:20:38.800
<v Speaker 4>ye sa hashempanavelera shallon. May the Lord bless you and

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<v Speaker 4>keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you.

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<v Speaker 4>May he be gracious to you. May the Lord turn

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<v Speaker 4>his face towards you and give you peace.

0:20:48.840 --> 0:20:54.400
<v Speaker 1>Amen. You can listen to the Chosen People with isl

0:20:54.520 --> 0:20:58.280
<v Speaker 1>estein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the Pray

0:20:58.320 --> 0:21:02.320
<v Speaker 1>dot Com app today. This prey dot Com production is

0:21:02.440 --> 0:21:06.160
<v Speaker 1>only made possible by our dedicated team of creative talents.

0:21:06.480 --> 0:21:10.719
<v Speaker 1>Steve Gattina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger, and Ben Gammon are

0:21:10.760 --> 0:21:14.240
<v Speaker 1>the executive producers of the Chosen People with Yile Eckstein,

0:21:14.600 --> 0:21:19.679
<v Speaker 1>edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are

0:21:19.760 --> 0:21:24.240
<v Speaker 1>voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan,

0:21:24.400 --> 0:21:28.320
<v Speaker 1>Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc, and the opening prayer is voiced

0:21:28.320 --> 0:21:32.400
<v Speaker 1>by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by

0:21:32.440 --> 0:21:36.919
<v Speaker 1>Bree Rosalie and Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier,

0:21:37.240 --> 0:21:41.160
<v Speaker 1>Robin van Ettin, kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team

0:21:41.240 --> 0:21:44.800
<v Speaker 1>at International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You can hear

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<v Speaker 1>If you enjoyed The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein, please

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