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The Ten Commandments (2006)
Encyclopedia
The Ten Commandments is a miniseries
that dramatizes the biblical
story of Moses
.
, saves her baby from the edict of the Pharaoh
that all newborn male Hebrew children must die by placing him in a basket on the Nile River. He is found by the Pharaoh's daughter Bithia and adopted into the royal house.
Some time later, Bithia gives birth to a son Menerith, and they are raised as brothers. Moses grows up knowing that he is not the blood brother of Menerith, but is shown his true heritage (something he knows nothing about) at about the age of 10: he is re-introduced to Jochebed, his father Amram
, his brother Aaron
, and his sister Miriam.
Some years later, Moses saves the honor of a Hebrew woman by killing an Egyptian. When the body is discovered, Pharaoh orders Moses' arrest, but he is able to escape with the aid of Menerith.
After traveling days through the desert, he saves the seven daughters of Jethro
from attackers. In gratitude, Moses is given the choice of one of them to take for his wife. After refusing, he is convinced by Zipporah
to marry her.
Moses, wanting to know why he allows the Hebrews to be enslaved, climbs Mount Horeb
and is confronted by God in the form of a bush that burns but is not consumed
. God tells Moses that "I am who I am
" and endows Moses with the knowledge to free the Hebrews.
Because Pharaoh Ramesses
refuses to free the slaves, Egypt is struck with ten plagues
. Only after the final one, during which his son dies, are the slaves freed. However, Pharaoh decides to try to re-capture them.
The former slaves are guided to the Red Sea
by a cloud. When the Egyptians' chariots get near, God blocks their path and Moses parts the Red Sea
, providing the Hebrews an escape route. When the Hebrews make it to the other side, Moses closes the separated waters, drowning the pursuing Egyptians — including Menerith.
Moses climbs the mountain to receive God's commandments
in the form of two stone tablets. However, when he climbs down, he finds that many of the Hebrews have made a golden calf
to worship. Moses destroys them and orders the deaths of the lawbreakers. The survivors plead to receive God's commandments and Moses climbs up the mountain again. After Moses reads the commandments, the tablets are placed in an ark
.
The film ends with Moses looking at the promised land, but he is not allowed to enter because he disobeyed God.
gave the mini-series a generally positive review, praising the performances as well as "the stunning cinematography and eye-catching special effects" but also noted that it "fails to take full advantage of the source material". David Bianculli of the New York Daily News
reviewed it as "Thou shalt not watch." while Matt Roush of TV Guide wrote the film "violates the primary commandment of epic filmmaking, biblical or otherwise: Thou shalt not bore." and Matthew Gilbert of the Boston Globe called it "an empty inane remake." and the The Washington Posts Tom Shales
calls it a "dreadful, doleful remake of Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 classic The Ten Commandments."
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
that dramatizes the biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
story of Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
.
Plot
Moses's mother, JochebedJochebed
According to the Torah, Jochebed was a daughter of Levi and mother of Aaron, Miriam and Moses. She was the wife of Amram, as well as his aunt. No details are given concerning her life. According to Jewish legend, Jochebed is buried in the Tomb of the Matriarchs, in Tiberias.-Birth of Moses:The...
, saves her baby from the edict of the Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
that all newborn male Hebrew children must die by placing him in a basket on the Nile River. He is found by the Pharaoh's daughter Bithia and adopted into the royal house.
Some time later, Bithia gives birth to a son Menerith, and they are raised as brothers. Moses grows up knowing that he is not the blood brother of Menerith, but is shown his true heritage (something he knows nothing about) at about the age of 10: he is re-introduced to Jochebed, his father Amram
Amram
In the Book of Exodus, Amram Arabic عمران Imran, is the father of Aaron, Moses, and Miriam and the husband of Jochebed.-In the Bible:In addition to being married to Jochebed, Amram is also described in the Bible as having been related to Jochebed prior to the marriage, although the exact...
, his brother Aaron
Aaron
In the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an, Aaron : Ααρών ), who is often called "'Aaron the Priest"' and once Aaron the Levite , was the older brother of Moses, and a prophet of God. He represented the priestly functions of his tribe, becoming the first High Priest of the Israelites...
, and his sister Miriam.
Some years later, Moses saves the honor of a Hebrew woman by killing an Egyptian. When the body is discovered, Pharaoh orders Moses' arrest, but he is able to escape with the aid of Menerith.
After traveling days through the desert, he saves the seven daughters of Jethro
Jethro
In the Old Testament or the Hebrew Bible, Jethro |Shu-ayb]]) is Moses' father-in-law, a Kenite shepherd and priest of Midian. He is also revered as a prophet in his own right in the Druze religion, and considered an ancestor of the Druze.-In Exodus:...
from attackers. In gratitude, Moses is given the choice of one of them to take for his wife. After refusing, he is convinced by Zipporah
Zipporah
Zipporah or Tzipora is mentioned in the Book of Exodus as the wife of Moses, and the daughter of Reuel/Jethro, the priest or prince of Midian...
to marry her.
Moses, wanting to know why he allows the Hebrews to be enslaved, climbs Mount Horeb
Mount Horeb
Mount Horeb, Hebrew: , Greek in the Septuagint: , Latin in the Vulgate: , is the mountain at which the book of Deuteronomy in the Hebrew Bible states that the Ten Commandments were given to Moses by God. It is described in two places as the Mountain of God or perhaps Mountain of the gods...
and is confronted by God in the form of a bush that burns but is not consumed
Burning bush
The burning bush is an object described by the Book of Exodus as being located on Mount Sinai; according to the narrative, the bush was on fire, but was not consumed by the flames, hence the name...
. God tells Moses that "I am who I am
I Am that I Am
I Am that I Am is a common English translation of the response God used in the Hebrew Bible when Moses asked for His name . It is one of the most famous verses in the Torah...
" and endows Moses with the knowledge to free the Hebrews.
Because Pharaoh Ramesses
Ramesses
Ramesses is the name conventionally given in English transliteration to 11 Egyptian pharaohs of the later New Kingdom period. The name essentially translates as "Born of the sun-god Ra"....
refuses to free the slaves, Egypt is struck with ten plagues
Plagues of Egypt
The Plagues of Egypt , also called the Ten Plagues or the Biblical Plagues, were ten calamities that, according to the biblical Book of Exodus, Israel's God, Yahweh, inflicted upon Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to release the ill-treated Israelites from slavery. Pharaoh capitulated after the tenth...
. Only after the final one, during which his son dies, are the slaves freed. However, Pharaoh decides to try to re-capture them.
The former slaves are guided to the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
by a cloud. When the Egyptians' chariots get near, God blocks their path and Moses parts the Red Sea
Passage of the Red Sea
The Crossing of the Red Sea is a passage in the Biblical narrative of the escape of the Israelites from the pursuing Egyptians in the Book of Exodus . This story is also mentioned in the Qur'an in Surah 26: Al-Shu'ara' in verses 60-67...
, providing the Hebrews an escape route. When the Hebrews make it to the other side, Moses closes the separated waters, drowning the pursuing Egyptians — including Menerith.
Moses climbs the mountain to receive God's commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
in the form of two stone tablets. However, when he climbs down, he finds that many of the Hebrews have made a golden calf
Golden calf
According to the Hebrew Bible, the golden calf was an idol made by Aaron to satisfy the Israelites during Moses' absence, when he went up to Mount Sinai...
to worship. Moses destroys them and orders the deaths of the lawbreakers. The survivors plead to receive God's commandments and Moses climbs up the mountain again. After Moses reads the commandments, the tablets are placed in an ark
Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant , also known as the Ark of the Testimony, is a chest described in Book of Exodus as solely containing the Tablets of Stone on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed...
.
The film ends with Moses looking at the promised land, but he is not allowed to enter because he disobeyed God.
Reception
Barry Garron of The Hollywood ReporterThe Hollywood Reporter
Formerly a daily trade magazine, The Hollywood Reporter re-launched in late 2010 as a unique hybrid publication serving the entertainment industry and a consumer audience...
gave the mini-series a generally positive review, praising the performances as well as "the stunning cinematography and eye-catching special effects" but also noted that it "fails to take full advantage of the source material". David Bianculli of the New York Daily News
reviewed it as "Thou shalt not watch." while Matt Roush of TV Guide wrote the film "violates the primary commandment of epic filmmaking, biblical or otherwise: Thou shalt not bore." and Matthew Gilbert of the Boston Globe called it "an empty inane remake." and the The Washington Posts Tom Shales
Tom Shales
Thomas William "Tom" Shales is an American critic of television programming and operations. He is best known as TV critic for The Washington Post; in 1988, Shales received the Pulitzer Prize...
calls it a "dreadful, doleful remake of Cecil B. DeMille's 1956 classic The Ten Commandments."