Sola Scriptura: In The Beginning Ch.10

EXT. EGYPT – TIME VARIES

Lice cover the decayed heaps of dead frogs in the streets as well as the inhabitants of the all Egypt. Pharaoh’s sorcerers keep smacking their staves to the dust and watching it settle. It does not turn to lice as desired. Pharaoh walks up to his servants demanding an answer.

PHARAOH
What are you doing?

SORCERER
This is futile! What are we but mere men, but theirs is the finger of God. We beseech you, call for respite O king!

CUT TO

EXT. NILE'S BANK - MORNING

Pharaoh comes out to the water where once Moses was drawn. The Hebrew leaders appear on the opposite bank as before.

MOSES
If you will not let Israel go, I will send swarms of flies upon you. Take note, in that day I will sever Goshen of her plagues that you may know I the Lord am in the earth and Israel is my firstborn.

Pharaoh pretends to not hear them. Few servants now adorn him after his washing. They lead him back to the palace.

MOSES
Woe unto these by reason of the coming seven plagues.

EXT. PHARAOH’S THRONE ROOM – FOREGROUND SCENE

Pharaoh’s communication with Aaron is displayed interlaced with the plague scenes of Egypt:

AARON
What urgency, milord? How may I serve?

PHARAOH
Go sacrifice to your God in this land.

AARON
It is not meet for us to do so. We are to sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord. Will the people not stone us for the slaying of sacred animals?

PHARAOH
I will let you go but a little distance, only entreat for me!

AARON
Highness, I will grant you respite indefinitely if you deal no more deceitfully with me.

PHARAOH
How is it not one of your cattle suffers the murrain? You are a cheat!

AARON
Where are your sorcerers, great king?

PHARAOH
They are... not well. I have no time for games, crafty stooge. Go on.

AARON
Let my people go that they may serve me! For I will smite thy rocky heart with plagues of woe until all may know there is none like me in all the earth! In very deed I have raised you up for this purpose!

PHARAOH
You what?

INTERLACING SCENES:

Moses blows a handful of ash taken from a furnace into the air before Pharaoh and his magicians. He takes another handful and walks away continuing like this. The dust falls and the plague spreads. Cow-worshipers covered in boils bow down to many corpses of cattle. Israel in Goshen watches from afar. They see and hear the terror on the horizon.

Under the shroud of darkness, volcanic action lights up the skies of Egypt with raining fire, ash and hail. But in Goshen there is calmness.

Locusts plague the Egyptian crops, eating their harvests bare. Every green thing the former plague left, the locusts eat.

INT. PHARAOH'S PALACE – NIGHT
Outside there is a dissonant choir of chaotic sounds: a drone of moaning, people falling over and savage animals in the faint background. A lion roars and people scream.

Inside the palace, out of the darkness emerges a white light. The light approaches, and the palace lights up as bright as day. It is a mystical glow from the staves of Moses and Aaron. The elders of Israel follow them. They see Pharaoh sitting on his throne biting his nails. All around him his servants cower on the floor as they had been in the darkness.

MOSES
You called, my king?

PHARAOH
The dark is so thick I feel its grimy skin! But here in the light a glimmer of hope remains. I have sinned, Mosa. I have sinned against the Lord and you. Please. Lord, Please! The Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked. Entreat the heavens for us? No more mighty thunderings or trumpeted curses from Heaven.

MOSES
You do take me for a jester of this court. Perhaps it pleases the king to hear this dirge again. Shall we dance? I know you do not fear the Lord. The terms remain as they were. What say you?

PHARAOH
Go. Serve the Lord. Only let your flocks and herds be stayed.

MOSES
We know not with what we must serve the Lord until we come to him. Our cattle shall go with us, not a hoof to spare, sire.

PHARAOH
Blasphemy! Apis will have his revenge! Get away from me! Take heed to self and see my face no more lest in that day you die!

MOSES
(intolerant)
Well spoken, boy. I will see your face no more. You stubborn ox! Can you not see who is the God of night and day, of sickness and health, of water and earth, and all substance? Who is the one God Lord over all? Who! Thus says the Lord, at about midnight I will go out into the midst of the Egyptians, and kill the firstborn of all. From the seed of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to that of the maidservant behind the mill, from the seed of all your beasts Israel my firstborn shall be redeemed. And there shall be a great cry throughout Mizraim, such as never was nor shall be again! But against any child of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast, so that you may know how the Lord puts a difference between Egyptians and Israel. All these thy servants shall bow down to me, begging me saying, Get out! Get out! Get out! And I will go out!

All turns to darkness.

Screenplay by: Tim Seaton