Original subtitles

What's he doing?

He's trying to blow the Egyptians away.

Look.

Everyone, look!

Oh, my Lord!

All hail the power of the Lord!

He has turned his face towards us.

Forward!

Death to any man who disobeys!

Forward!

Forward!

He has triumphed!

The Lord is my strength and my might.

This is my God...

and l will praise Him.

Who is like the Lord?

Who among the mighty?

ln your steadfast love...

you led the people whom you redeemed!

You guided them with your strength.

The Lord will reign!

Yes.

Forever and ever!

Look at Moses up there.

Nothing stops him.

Speak up, Eliav!

My stomach's growling so loudly l cannot hear you.

Listen to you bleating like a lamb waiting at the slaughter.

Slaughter there will be if we don't eat soon.

Well, did the Lord fill any of your empty stomachs today?

Did God lead us into the desert to starve?

lf it is God's will, so be it.

Do you have a plan, Moses, or not? l demand to know.

To follow God's will as always.

For us to starve in this godforsaken place?

Godforsaken?

God has shown you the way.

You can call it godforsaken.

Your people are starving, Moses! What are you going to do about it?

Did you follow this man into the desert to starve?

Truly, Moses is a great man.

But somewhere he has lost contact with God's will.

We must help him now!

Look! Fire!

Hurry!

Moses, help us! Please.

-Moses, stop the fire! -Enough!

Moses, you have the power!

Stop the fire!

Praying won't help. Come. Throw sand on the fire.

He can't help you now. Praying won't help.

Do something! Help! Throw sand on the fire!

He can't help you.

Eliav!

Stop the fire, Moses!

Why do you lay the burden of all the people on me?

Did l conceive these people? Did l give birth to them?

l cannot carry all these people alone!

They're too heavy for me.

The people are waiting, Moses.

-For what? -For God to feed them.

God didn't lead us here to die, Moses.

Go into your tents. Don't come out until the morning.

God himself will provide bread.

Bread? How?

Not a stalk of grain within a month's journey.

Go into your tents. Don't come out until morning.

What is it?

Eat it.

Delicious.

Like coriander seed.

Sisters, gather it up.

Men, get some baskets and help to gather it up.

lt's a gift from God. We will call it, ''manna.''

Manna.

The bread that the Lord has given you to eat.

Every morning you will gather as much as needed for a single day.

You will receive this as a gift.

Take no more than is needed for a single day...

because each day the Lord will see to your needs.

lf you lack faith in the Lord and take more, it will rot.

lt will rot.

-lt's good. -Now that you're free men...

you may rest every seventh day.

This will be the Sabbath, and you will not have to work.

-The Sabbath? -No work?

-What's the Sabbath? -No work on the Sabbath.

How can we?

-You rest. -What does it mean?

God says to me, ''There is no work on the Sabbath...

''you will rest, you will not gather the manna on that day...

''but on the sixth day, you will take a double ration which will not rot.''

No work, rest.

-Sabbath. -No work.

Remember this the next time you grow impatient with God, Zerack.

Do you expect us to live on bread alone?

This day the Lord will send you meat.

Meat? We haven't seen meat since we left Egypt.

The Lord will send you meat.

And you will eat it till it comes out of your nostrils.

Meat.

Jethro.

l've heard of all your God has done for you, Moses.

l had to come. See for myself.

God has been good to us.

-How's Zipporah? -She's well.

l miss her.

She understands, Moses. She understands.

You are a liar!

This has gone on 10 days, it's too long.

You must honor the bond.

Benjamin...

know in your heart that just as a parent disciplines a child...

so the Lord your God must discipline you.

That's all for today, Moses must rest.

Tomorrow Moses will hear your cases. He must rest now.

The sun's almost gone.

Why do you sit alone in judgment all day?

l make known to them the statutes and instructions of God as you've seen.

What l've seen is the people feeding off you and you allowing it to happen.

And you've allowed it to happen. Do you not love your brother?

You have no right to ask such a question.

And you, none of you...

have any right to let Moses be destroyed by his own people.

Look at him. He can hardly stand.

ls this how your God rewards his servants?

Jethro!

Your tongue's too sharp.

But you speak the truth.

This task is too heavy for a single man, Moses.

Your God did not mean for you to be his only voice.

Aaron was called also by God.

Listen to me...

and l will give you counsel for a change.

You must...

look for men...

who fear your God...

and set these men as officers over the people.

Let them settle the small matters...

bring you only the important ones.

Now if you do this, you will be able to endure...

and these people will go home in peace.

l wonder why it is so hard to listen to someone speak the truth?

Do l speak the truth?

How many times do you want me to say it?

You're a hard teacher, Jethro.

Yes, you speak the truth.

These people...

are still learning to live without the law of their slave masters.

-God will reveal his law to us. -But will you be ready?

You can ask that?

We travel the world, in us trusting in God's plan every day.

Have you traded an Egyptian slave owner, for a taskmaster in the heavens?

Profanity.

Laws are not sufficient by themselves...

and the people must learn to follow the law without Moses or any leader.

They must learn to want to follow the law...

without fear of any whip on their backs...

on their souls.

To follow the law...

because they are free not to.

When they have learned that, they will truly be free.

Until then...

they are still slaves.

This is my dream, Jethro.

To no longer be needed.

You're a wise man, Moses.

l'll begin by choosing God-fearing men tomorrow.

Tonight.

l'll begin by choosing Aaron.

Thank you for your counsel.

Where will you go now, Moses?

l believe God is leading us to Mount Sinai.

-l wish you pure water and green grass. -As God wishes.

Mount Sinai.

-Where God first spoke to me. -ln the burning bush.

God is calling me up there.

Do you think l'll make it, Joshua?

lf God is calling you, Moses.

l wish he'd given me a better pair of sandals first.

Moses.

Moses!

-Moses is coming! -Moses!

Hear now, oh, lsrael.

Hear the words of the Lord.

Hear His word.

God says to you:

''You've seen what l did to the Egyptians!

''l carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to me.

''lf you will be faithful to me and heed my covenant...

''you shall be my treasured possession...

''amongst all peoples.''

God says to you, ''All the earth is mine.

''But you shall be to me a kingdom of priests...

''and a holy nation, if you'll obey my law...

''and heed my covenant,'' God says to you.

All the words which the Lord hath spoken we will obey.

We will obey! Gladly!

Did the Lord appear to you, Moses?

You wish to hear his voice yourselves?

The people need to know that the word is truly his and not yours.

You doubt me, Zerack?

lf you would hear the words of the Lord yourselves...

then you must be prepared and consecrated.

Water over here.

The Lord has said to me..

'"Have the people wash their clothes.

'"For three days, they will not lie with their wives.

'"Prepare for the third day...

'"when l will come upon Mount Sinai...

'"in the sight of the people. '"

Purify your hearts, not only your robes...

for you will be in the presence of God.

My task is almost complete, Aaron. After today...

God will no longer need a mediator. He'll speak directly to the people.

No, the people will always need a leader, Moses.

No, Aaron...

l'm not a leader. l'm an ordinary man who happened to be chosen...

but now that we're out of Egypt...

through God's will and power, my task is complete.

You stand assembled today before the Lord your God...

to enter into a covenant which he is making with you...

in order that he may establish you as his people...

and that he may be your God.

lf you obey the commandments that God will give you today...

then you will live and become numerous and the Lord will bless you...

in the land he has promised to...

Abraham, to lsaac, and to Jacob.

God of Abraham...

we wait upon you.

Speak to us!

Moses!

Do not let God speak to us!

Moses!

Do not let God speak to us!

Do not be afraid of him.

We will surely die, Moses!

Do not be afraid...

it is your God!

You speak to us, we will listen!

No! l am but a man!

lf l can hear him, so can you!

Do not be afraid! Listen to His voice!

You must hear Him for us!

Moses!

-Please! We will surely die! -Yes.

lsrael!

Hear the word of the Lord.

The Lord has spoken and said:

''l am the Lord your God who brought you out of bondage!

''You will have no other gods besides me!

''You will make no graven image...

''nor bow down, nor worship any idol.

''You shall not swear falsely in the name of the Lord.

''Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy! ''

Remember the Sabbath.

''Honor your father and your mother...

''that you may stay long in the land the Lord your God will assign you.

''You shall not murder!

''You shall not commit adultery!

''You shall not steal!

''You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor!

''You shall not covet your neighbor's house!

''Nor his wife, nor anything that is your neighbor's! ''

The Lord has spoken!

He has pronounced his law!

The law of his covenant!

Do you hear, oh, lsrael?

Yes, Moses!

l must go back on the mountain.

For God wishes to...

give you his law.

You will stay here.

You will remain pure while you wait for my return.

Stay pure to receive the law...

he will send down.

Joshua, come with me.

Purify your soul. Purify your heart.

This is madness. Thirty days and nothing.

He had no food when he left.

Thank you, Korah.

Do l look so awful that my presence makes you silent?

No. We were just gossiping.

Stop it, Korah. Tell the man the truth.

After all, isn't he the brother of Moses?

Which is not the same as Moses himself. So surely you can speak openly to me.

Moses has been gone four phases of the moon.

Thirty days on Mount Sinai. lt's a long time without any food.

-What do you want me to do? -Go up after Moses?

You know that's impossible. We were told to wait and to keep pure.

Keep pure? We wash three times a day. But for what?

Not for what, Zerack, but for who.

We'll do as Moses said and wait.

Easy to say, but hard to enforce, Aaron.

You have no faith if you think they aren't returning.

People are nervous, restless.

You must do something.

-Aaron. -Yes.

Look, we do nothing more than Moses instructed.

Have you forgotten your fear at the storm?

No, of course not.

So we'll do as we promised and wait.

For how long?

Please, listen!

Silence! For the love of all you hold holy...

silence!

Thirty-two days since Moses went up the mountain. And no sign of him.

Are we to wait here forever? Did we come up from Egypt...

to be abandoned in the desert?

Then go back!

Always the same threat. Are these the only choices left to us?

Blind obedience to Pharaoh or even blinder obedience to an old man...

who's probably perished in the wilderness of Mount Sinai?

He's not perished!

Do you have a third option, Zerack?

Yes.

-Stop relying on Moses. -Yes.

We don't even know what has become of him.

Let us find our own way of seeking God. Fashion our own tribute to God.

We will fashion his image with our own hands so that we can see him, touch him.

You heard the voice of the Lord yourself. He commanded us to have no idols.

Not an idol, Aaron. A tribute!

Fashioned from the best gold, the best precious metals...

the best gems we possess.

lt can be our guide out of this wilderness!

Aaron, don't listen to them.

God has been our savior so far.

And he will remain with us if we're true to his word.

-Yes. -How long before you admit...

that Moses has died...

that he perished on Mount Sinai?

Moses is not dead! Only your faith in God is dead!

Hold your tongue, woman!

The people need something to look to for inspiration now.

-Yes, Aaron. -But a graven image--

No, a symbol! A guide to show the way.

How long must we wait?

Seven days.

-Why? Why seven days? -Give him seven days.

By then Moses will return.

l'm sure of it.

Aaron, do you have any doubt of Moses' return?

Are you ready to abandon the Lord's word this easily?

l said seven days, Miriam, and seven days it's been.

Aaron!

They'll do what they want. You know that.

We have discussed this amongst ourselves.

We have waited the seven days.

lt's time for us to take matters into our own hands.

On your head be it, Zerack.

He's seen the truth! Gather up all your gold and gems.

Your earrings, your bracelets!

Bring down the smiths and the metal workers to me!

Blessed be this symbol of the great force that led us out of Egypt.

We consecrate your image, and ask that you be with us now.

Greet the birth of this image of the Almighty!

Celebrate its presence in our midst! Celebrate!

ls this how you serve God in my absence?

l'm not like you, brother.

l am a weak man.

We thought you were dead, Moses.

What else were we to think?

The word of the Lord.

The hand of God.

A path...

to lead you out of the wilderness...

-of your own hearts. -No, Moses!

No!

lf that was the word of God, Moses...

it was easily shattered.

Can't you see?

Moses can't lead us out of here.

Let the calf go ahead of us...

and let other tribes see our wealth and power.

You have broken God's covenant.

lt lies on the ground before you.

Those of you who would still choose to be with God...

come stand by my side now.

My brothers. Fellow Levites.

Have you come this far to turn your back on the Lord?

Come stand with us.

Stand with your tribesmen now.

Are you fools?

Do you wish to die in the desert?

Stand with me...

and we will take our own freedom.

Those of you who would be with God, stand with me.

Those of you who would be delivered from the wilderness...

stand with me.

We'll break camp in the morning. The calf will lead us.

You're a fool, Moses.

We'll go our own way.

There's nothing you can do about it.

Lay them waste.

Moses.

Thus says the Lord:

''Whomsoever has sinned against me...

''l will blot out of my book.''

Do God's work.

Purify lsrael.

Moses.

No!

You will grind the idol into dust!

You will put it in the water!

You will drink your evil ways!

And taste its bitterness!

Where are you going?

To seek God's forgiveness.

Maybe l can make atonement for your sins.

Moses!

lt's Moses!

See the blood of the covenant, the Lord has made with you.

Look upon your work, lsrael.

This will be your sanctuary.

The place for meeting God.

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make his face to shine upon you...

and be gracious to you.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you...

and give you peace.

Ten days since we left Sinai and still no end to this wandering.

Nothing to eat but this daily portion of manna.

Do you remember the feast days in Egypt...

-when we ate fish till we burst? -True.

There was a richness of food, even vegetables.

But they were only given to us at the Pharaoh's pleasure.

But at least it was given to us.

ls that how you wish to live, Miriam?

Eating or starving at another man's whim?

l travel the desert at my brother's whim.

Do you think l'm so arrogant that l decide the fate of lsrael?

Do you think it was me who brought you out of Egypt?

No, l think it was all of us.

Has the Lord spoken only through you, Moses?

Didn't God call you to the wilderness to meet Moses?

lt was you who gave the Lord a voice in front of the Pharaoh.

Has God spoken only through Moses? No.

Miriam, how can you say such a thing?

You know that Moses is a humble man, he seeks no glory.

-You stay out of this. -Miriam.

All this wandering is so aimless.

Surely God knows the route to the land he's promised us.

Yes, and when he sees we're ready he'll deliver us there.

-You think we're not ready? -Well, do you?

lf God brought us to Canaan tomorrow, would we know what to do?

Would we be able to see his law being followed?

Could we organize ourselves?

A kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

We have wealth in our children, and a desire to settle on our own land.

What more do we need?

Brotherhood. And a willingness to serve more than our own stomachs.

Miriam, what's the matter?

Hold still, Miriam. Be still.

-Leprosy. -Oh, my Lord!

Do not punish her for her sins.

Do not let her be consumed, Lord. Please, heal her.

God says she must be shut out of the camp for seven days...

after which time she may be brought in again. She will be healed then.

Take her.

Take her. God is being merciful.

Unclean.

Unclean.

lt's Moses, Miriam. l've brought you some food.

Stay away, Moses.

l'm not afraid, and you have to eat.

Go away.

-Please. Go away. -No.

Why are you doing this?

You're my sister.

l'm sorry you thought me so arrogant.

l spoke in anger, and God has punished me.

God talks to me, Miriam...

just as l'm talking to you.

l don't deserve his presence. Why did God choose me, why me?

Don't let my sin punish both of us.

God has chosen you, and l am your sister...

and that's God's will.

Rejoice.

All this will soon be over.

We will journey to the Promised Land.

All of us together.

lt is so green and lush as far as the eye can see.

Oh, Moses, it's beautiful.

Truly, Moses, we should never have doubted you.

There is the Promised Land.

We should never have doubted you.

You should always question me, Korah, but never the word of the Lord.

As he promised us, so it shall be.

When will the Lord appear to lead us forward?

-He won't. -What?

Look at our numbers.

Are we expected simply to walk into Canaan and occupy it?

How else will it be delivered into our hands?

Surely the Lord will do it for us.

We must act for ourselves, Eliav, if we are to be a free people.

Joshua, select 12 men, one from each of the tribes of lsrael...

lead them across the plain into Canaan, look closely at everything you see...

then return with your news.

Caleb, from the tribe of Judah.

Shammua. Nahbi.

Shaphat. lgal.

We will all die if we try to occupy this land.

Are you too scared to lead us to the land God promised Abraham, lsaac, and Jacob?

l won't lead my family to certain death or enslavement.

God will be with us. He will lead.

Be reasonable, Joshua. We've spent 40 days here. 40 days.

You saw the same things we saw.

The cities are heavily fortified and the people are strong.

And there are so many, Joshua.

But what good will their numbers be against the strength of the God...

who delivered us from Egypt and destroyed the Pharaoh's army?

Would you risk the life of your children on it, Joshua?

Where the Lord leads there is no risk.

Come.

Madness, Joshua, madness. You sound like a madman.

Eating nothing but manna has destroyed your good sense.

The desert sun has rotted your brain.

Perhaps, but not my heart. Or my faith. My trust is in the Lord...

my love is for God. Can you say the same, Nahbi?

Are you so righteous that you'd risk our lives?

l claim no special righteousness, only devotion to the words of God.

You've spent too long yapping at Moses' heels like a faithful lap dog.

lt's time you thought for yourself.

He does. As do l.

And we know that the land God promised us lies within our reach.

Try it and the Hittites will slice your hand off.

They are mighty people, armed, fortified...

and 10 times our number.

And if the Lord is with us, he will bring us there.

Like lambs to slaughter.

How can you doubt God?

Look how far he's brought us.

Yes, look how far.

Through a desert to a wilderness.

We've seen brother kill brother because of the golden calf.

Every step of the way he has tested us over and over.

Perhaps this is yet another trial, one that only few will survive.

-Yes. -Korah speaks the truth.

This so-called Promised Land is already home to Hittites, Jebusites.

What good is a land of milk and honey...

if only a handful live to enjoy it?

Moses, is this another test?

How can l know that?

All l can tell you is what the Lord commanded.

We go forward into the land he promised our forefathers.

l follow his word without question.

Then perhaps it is time for a new leader.

One who cares enough about the safety of lsrael...

to know God's answers to these questions.

-A new leader? -Yes.

lt is not too late to save ourselves.

Better to go back to Egypt...

than to die here or on an Amalekite sword.

Far better. At least there we knew what each day would bring.

A new leader. We've gone far enough with Moses and Aaron.

The only place they have brought us to is one of hardship and suffering.

The hardship and suffering you brought upon yourself.

-You sinned against the Lord. -Sinned? Listen, oh, lsrael.

Moses always tells us it's our fault.

l stand with Korah.

l say we anoint a new leader.

One who will take us back to Egypt and save us from destruction.

Look, they draw weapons.

ls this killing of one another never to end?

How many more of us must die?

Stone them.

The Lord has spoken.

Hear his words.

Ten times we challenged him...

and ignored his bidding.

Yet even now...

he will spare you.

All of the men who have lived 20 years or more will die in this desert.

For 40 years...

one for each day that his servants scouted that land...

those who spoke against him...

will wander and die.

When the last of those who spurned God are fallen...

then he will take their children...

into that country given by his oath...

to Abraham, lsaac, and Jacob.

Of those who spoke...

only Joshua and Caleb...

will live to occupy that land...

for they alone were of a different spirit.

-All is as it should be, Aaron. -Good.

Then we have a home again.

A temporary one, of course.

How long before the Promised Land, Aaron?

This drought is hurting us.

Moses says only weeks away.

So let us pray that our water lasts.

-Let me. -No need, l'm not dead yet.

-Get about your business. -But l can help.

You're too clumsy.

Men aren't able to do this kind of work.

Moses, Aaron, it's Miriam, come quickly.

Miriam.

Speak to me.

Oh, no, Lord.

Not Miriam.

Miriam my sister.

Miriam, the light of my family.

Not now! Not this close to home!

Sleep gently, sister.

And glory in God's goodness.

Without water, we'll all follow her to the grave, and quickly.

No!

Which one of you said that?

Even at my sister's burial you complain?

Can't l even grieve without hearing your whining?

Moses, they meant no harm, they simply--

They simply worry for themselves.

As if the Lord hasn't proven he'll care for their every need.

We feel for your grief...

but our animals will soon die of thirst, we only ask--

You only!

You ignore all that God does for you, and you whine and you want.

Where's the wonder at what you already have? Where's the wonder?

Moses, come.

We must ask for God's hand in this matter.

Come, let us ask God's hand.

Come.

Now kneel to God.

Dear Lord...

the people need water.

You satisfied now?

What do you mean?

-God did not speak to me. -He spoke to me.

Go on out of my way.

l command you...

to yield water to the people.

Yield!

There, l've given you water.

l heard your call, Lord.

l'm here.

Yes.

l did.

l lacked faith.

l should have waited upon you, Lord.

lt was my anger, Lord...

my arrogance.

Moses.

Miriam?

You forget...

brother, Miriam has passed on.

Ah, yes.

Has the time come for me to join our beloved sister Miriam?

That hour is known only to God.

But Canaan is within grasp.

Yes.

We saw...

and lived miracles.

Did we not, my brother?

The calf.

Will God remit my sins?

Surely. He already has.

Moses, what can l do?

How do l help you?

By taking the torch from my hands, Joshua.

Just as God decreed.

You and l will journey...

to Mount Nebo tomorrow.

-Mount Nebo? -To the top of Pisgah.

But before that...

you must be commissioned, Joshua.

God has named you...

to be in authority after me.

l have asked the Lord...

God of the spirits of all flesh...

to appoint someone over the congregation...

who shall go out before them and come in before them...

who shall lead them out and bring them in...

so that the congregation of the Lord shall not be like...

sheep without a shepherd.

And the Lord said, ''Take Joshua...

''for he is a man in whom dwells the spirit.

''Lay hands upon him...

''and commission him.''

Be strong and bold...

for you shall lead the lsraelites into the land the Lord promised them.

God will be with you.

Sit me down on a rock, Joshua.

The land the Lord promised...

is just on the other side of this mountain.

Yes, Moses, and we are ready.

God has said to me:

''This is the land...

''l swore to Abraham, to lsaac, and to Jacob, saying...

'''l will give this to your descendants.'''

You have achieved the great task the Lord put before you.

The Lord...

also said this to me:

''Moses...

''you may view the land from a distance...

''but you shall not enter it.''

This cannot be.

You are the servant of the Lord.

God has said this to me.

Surely if you plead with God, he will hear you.

l have.

No, Joshua.

-This is as it should be. -Why?

Because l was arrogant.

l struck the rock twice for God's water.

l did not trust God...

to reveal his holiness before the eyes of the people.

But, Moses--

lt was my anger speaking...

and God cannot turn his eyes from that.

God cannot build...

a nation on anger.

l'm...

going...

up the mountain now.

l shall not come down again.

-No, l'll come with you. -No, no.

This is as it should be.

God is calling me home...

now...

to be with him forever.

The people must follow you now, Joshua.

You are beloved of God...

but the land of Canaan is only promised, Joshua.

Every inch will be a struggle.

You must now build a new lsrael...

based on the love of the law...

not blind obedience to it.

You have the people well-organized.

-Are they ready to cross Jordan? -More than ready.

Anxious to follow God's word.

Rejoice...

for l have accomplished my task.

lt's for you now...

to complete God's will.

My job is finished.

God's will be done.

The Promised Land.

Remember what Moses...

the servant of God, instructed you.

Beyond lies Canaan, the land promised our forefathers.

For the second time, the Lord bids you...

go forth!

From Jericho to Shechem...

the Lord led lsrael into the land he had promised their forefathers.

And at Shechem...

Joshua placed a stone at the foot of the sacred oak...

and said..

'"Let this stone be a witness against us...

'"if ever we break faith with God. '"

And the children of lsrael...

ended their wandering.