The movie "The Ten Commandments" (1956) is a dramatic and highly embellished adaptation of the biblical story of Moses and the Exodus. While it follows the general outline, it takes significant liberties and adds elements not found in the original texts. Here's a breakdown of key differences:
1. Origins and Early Life of Moses:
* Bible: The Bible states that Moses was born to Hebrew parents in Egypt during a time when Pharaoh ordered all male Hebrew babies to be killed. His mother hid him for three months, then placed him in a basket in the Nile River, where he was found by Pharaoh's daughter.
* Movie: The movie expands on this dramatically. It introduces a prophecy foretelling the birth of a Hebrew liberator, leading Pharaoh Seti I to order the infanticide. Moses is found by Pharaoh's sister, Bithiah, not his daughter. A key plot point involves Moses being raised as a potential successor to Pharaoh, even vying for the throne against Ramses.
2. Moses' Relationship with Pharaoh:
* Bible: While Moses was raised in Pharaoh's household, the Bible doesn't portray him as a potential heir or having a close, rivalrous relationship with Ramses. He was simply adopted by Pharaoh's daughter.
* Movie: The film emphasizes a brotherly (though ultimately antagonistic) relationship between Moses and Ramses. This rivalry is a major driving force in the plot and creates dramatic tension. Moses and Ramses are depicted as competing for power, love (for Nefretiri), and favor with Seti I.
3. Nefretiri's Role:
* Bible: The Bible does not mention Nefretiri at all in connection to the Exodus story. Pharaoh's wife or any other women of Egyptian royalty play no significant role.
* Movie: Nefretiri is a major character in the film, deeply in love with Moses. She becomes Ramses' wife and Queen, and her unrequited love for Moses adds another layer of conflict. She is a strong-willed and influential figure, a creation largely based on speculation and dramatic license.
4. The Plagues:
* Bible: The ten plagues are sent by God to convince Pharaoh to release the Israelites. While the Bible describes each plague in detail, the specific causes and reactions are not always elaborated on.
* Movie: The film visualizes the plagues in a spectacular fashion, often magnifying their impact. It also introduces more specific explanations or justifications for each plague, sometimes adding dramatic elements not present in the Bible (e.g., the visual depiction of the Angel of Death during the plague of the firstborn). The film emphasizes the magicians' attempts to replicate the plagues (which is in the bible), making the contest between God and the Egyptian deities more visually striking.
5. The Parting of the Red Sea:
* Bible: God instructs Moses to stretch out his hand over the sea, and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land. The waters were divided, and the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground.
* Movie: The movie presents a visually stunning scene where Moses raises his staff, and the sea dramatically parts, forming towering walls of water on either side. This is a much more theatrical and overtly miraculous depiction than the more understated biblical account.
6. Mount Sinai and the Ten Commandments:
* Bible: God speaks the Ten Commandments to the Israelites from Mount Sinai. Moses goes up the mountain to receive the stone tablets upon which the commandments are written.
* Movie: The film emphasizes the dramatic elements of the event with lightning, fire, and a booming voice from the heavens. It shows the commandments being written on the tablets by divine fire. The movie also adds scenes of Moses descending the mountain and confronting the Israelites' idolatry with the golden calf, which are found in the biblical account, but are visually heightened.
7. Dathan and the Rebellion:
* Bible: Dathan and Abiram are mentioned as leaders of a rebellion against Moses and Aaron in Numbers 16.
* Movie: Dathan is a much more prominent villain, a constant source of trouble and a symbol of the Israelites' lack of faith. His motives are often driven by personal gain and ambition, adding a more human element to the rebellion.
Key Differences Summary:
| Feature | Bible | Movie (The Ten Commandments, 1956) |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Moses' Origins | Born to Hebrew parents, hidden, found by Pharaoh's daughter | Born to Hebrew parents, subject of prophecy, found by Pharaoh's sister, raised as potential heir, rival to Ramses |
| Moses & Ramses | No specific relationship detailed; Moses raised in Pharaoh's household | Close, competitive relationship; rivals for power, love, and Pharaoh's favor |
| Nefretiri | Not mentioned | Major character, in love with Moses, becomes Ramses' wife and Queen |
| Plagues | Series of divinely sent plagues to convince Pharaoh to release the Israelites | Visually spectacular depictions; sometimes with added explanations or justifications |
| Red Sea Parting | Sea divides due to a strong east wind, creating dry land | Sea dramatically parts, forming towering walls of water |
| Ten Commandments | God speaks the commandments to the Israelites; Moses receives stone tablets on which they are written | Dramatic presentation with lightning, fire, and a divine voice; commandments written on tablets by divine fire |
| Dathan | Mentioned as a leader of a rebellion | Prominent villain, constant troublemaker, motivated by personal gain |
In conclusion:
The movie "The Ten Commandments" is a historical drama that takes significant liberties with the biblical text for the sake of entertainment and dramatic storytelling. While it captures the essence of the Exodus story, it should be viewed as a fictionalized adaptation rather than a strictly accurate portrayal of the events described in the Bible. The film adds characters, relationships, and plot points not found in the Bible to create a more compelling and visually impressive narrative for a modern audience.