God (to humanity): Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant that grows on the earth and every fruit-bearing tree. They will be your food and nourishment.

Cain spoke to his brother Abel. When they were in the field, Cain’s envy of his brother got the better of him, and he attacked and killed Abel.

At that point God’s heart broke, and He regretted having ever made man in the first place. Eternal One: I know what I’ll do. I will wipe humanity, My special creation, from the face of the earth—humans, animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky—for I regret that I ever made them.

When the Eternal smelled the delicious aroma of the sacrifice, He was moved. Eternal One (to Himself): Never again will I curse the ground because of humankind, even though every thought of the mind and inclination of the heart is set on evil from the time they are young. Never again will I destroy every living creature as I have done.

Then God replied to him still in his dream. Eternal One: Yes, I know you did this with integrity in your heart. It was I who prevented you from crossing the line. I protected you from yourself by not letting you touch her.

Abraham: I am a stranger and an outsider living here among you. In my heartache, I am asking you please to allow me to obtain some property here among you as a grave site for my dead wife. This would allow me to give her a proper burial.

Before I could even finish speaking to God from my heart, Rebekah approached the spring with her water jar on her shoulder. She went down to the spring and drew water. I said to her, “Please let me have a drink,”

Then he and the men who traveled with him ate and drank heartily, and they spent the night there. After everyone had risen the next morning, he asked his hosts for permission to leave and return to his master with Rebekah.

As they traveled, God struck terror into the hearts of all of the cities along the way so that no one pursued Jacob’s family.

One of the Brothers: Someone put my money back into the sack! Here it is, right on top! When they heard this, their hearts sank. They looked at one another and trembled. Joseph’s Brothers (nervously to each other): What is God doing to us?

Midwives: Because unlike Egyptian women, Hebrew women are hearty and energetic, and they give birth before the midwife arrives to help.

When Pharaoh’s daughter opened the basket, she found the baby boy. He was crying, and her heart melted with compassion. Pharaoh’s Daughter: This is a Hebrew child.

Eternal One: Throw your staff down on the ground. So Moses threw the staff on the ground, and it was transformed into a snake. Moses quickly jumped back in fear.

Then the Eternal became angry with Moses. Eternal One: How about your brother—Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks eloquently. And look, he is already on his way to meet you. When he sees you, his heart will be delighted.

Eternal One: When you arrive in Egypt, I want you to pay Pharaoh a visit. Make sure you perform all the wonders that I have entrusted to your hand. But I am going to harden Pharaoh’s stony heart, so that he will not free the people.

The people believed Moses and Aaron. When everyone heard that the Eternal was concerned about the Israelites and that He had observed their oppression, they bowed down and began to worship with grateful hearts.

But I am going to harden Pharaoh’s stubborn heart so that I can perform sign after sign, wonder after wonder in the land of Egypt.

And still Pharaoh’s heart was as hard as stone; he did not pay any attention to what Moses and Aaron said, just as the Eternal had predicted.

Eternal One (to Moses): Pharaoh’s heart is as hard as stone. He refuses to release My people.

But Pharaoh summoned the most talented magicians in Egypt who performed the same act with their own incantations. So Pharaoh’s heart remained as hard as stone, and he paid no attention to Moses and Aaron just as the Eternal had predicted.

But when Pharaoh saw that the infestation of frogs had ended, he was relieved; and he hardened his own heart and refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Eternal had said.

Magicians (to Pharaoh): This must be the finger of God. But Pharaoh’s heart was as hard as stone, and he refused to pay any attention to Moses and Aaron, just as the Eternal One had said.

But Pharaoh hardened his stubborn heart this time as well and refused to allow the people to go.

Pharaoh sent investigators to check Israel’s livestock, and they found that not a single one of their animals had died or become sick. But Pharaoh’s heart was still as hard as stone, and he refused to release the people.

The Eternal made Pharaoh’s hard heart even harder, and Pharaoh was not moved by the miraculous deeds and the words of Moses and Aaron, just as the Eternal had told Moses.