Beginnings

The year is 1292 B.C., and Egypt has almost recovered from more than a generation of turmoil. Begun by the "Pharaoh who is not named," the nation was plunged into social and religious chaos by a leader who overthrew the historic gods of the Two Lands in his desire to follow a single supreme and all-powerful deity, which he named Aten.

The powerful priesthood of Amun-Ra blamed and sought the destruction of the Hebrews for corrupting the forgotten pharaoh with their heretical religious ideas. However, they sought to accomplish their annihilation in a way that would not destroy the economy of Egypt since the Two Lands had become dependent on Hebrew labor. By killing all newborn males, the blight would gradually be removed from the land within one generation.

Now, during the fourth year of a fledgling dynasty, a new threat is taken from the waters of the Nile by the sister of Pharaoh: a Hebrew child who should rightfully be put to death as an offering to Sobek, the crocodile-headed god. However, the princess is childless, and abundant signs and portents signal that the gods have an opinion on the matter.

Through numerous twists and turns of an eventful day, Pharaoh and his priests seek the will of the gods in council, while Nephura, the Chief Priest of Amun-Ra in Memphis, seeks his own resolution to the problem. Before the day is out, the destiny of two nations is forever changed as the name of Moses is first etched into the annals of history.

Discover possible answers to questions that have long remained problems, such as what happened to the edict and why Moses wasn't put to death as required by the law.

Review of the First Edition "Meisheid's fiction debut ambitiously retells a tale familiar to most...Filling in the historical blanks with impressive literary flair, the author livens a plot...based on available "speculative history," especially the evidence marshaled by first-century scholar Titus FlaviusJosephus...that his status as a Hebrew was known from the very beginning...Meisheid manages to construct a drama that is factually rigorous, artistically inventive, and even thrilling." - Kirkus Reviews